Motul has celebrated its 150th anniversary. A unique opportunity to look back at the past to better understand the future and make absolutely sure that nothing of the pioneer spirit of its beginnings has been forsaken. More than 150 years. More than a century and a half of uninterrupted activity which has allowed Motul to constantly modernise itself and climb to the vanguard of technology. This permanent quest and the determination to move forward have led the company to an envied position in its sector. The company enjoys worldwide repute and is unanimously recognised for the quality of its products, capacity to innovate and involvement in the world of competition. Throughout this history, all Motul's workforce has been driven by a demanding ethos, passion and respect. The men and women who have built and are continuing to build the brand have always found in themselves the strength to keep the company at a highly demanding technical and human level. No doubt the best way of celebrating this anniversary is to perpetuate the corporate spirit, the independence of mind and the faculty to adapt of the pioneers.
Over the years, Motul has built a corporate culture and developed its own values. More than mere components of its brand image, these fundamental values can be seen in the way the Group acts with its clients, suppliers, personnel and partners: High Technology • Expertise • Authenticity • Commitment.
Motul has risen above existing standards by developing products based on unconventional technologies like the Double Esters of the 300V range for cars and motorcycles or else the amine-free and boric acid-free technologies used in the aeronautics industry for machining titaniums. Its strong involvement at the highest level of motorsport competition provides it with an unparalleled test bench for experimental formulas which are then rolled out as products for demanding clients. For Motul, High Technology is synonymous not only with R and D, but also with an environmental commitment.
The men and women employed by Motul have generally been in long-term employment with it. Over the years they have developed genuine Expertise which they use in serving their clients.
Motul has kept the pioneer spirit of its beginnings. Constantly evolving, the brand never forgets what has made it successful since 1853. Authenticity is a matter of combining an awareness of its roots, the respect for its values, and the desire to expand and make breakthroughs.
The Motul Group is well aware of the decisive role played by the men and women it employs. Ever since the very beginning, their daily commitment to the brand, its clients and its partners, forms the basis of its success.
In December 2011, Motul launched Motul Corazón, a foundation under the aegis of the Fondation de France. Motul Corazón’s guiding purpose is to support actions in favor of children anywhere in the world who are underprivileged or experiencing difficulties. 1) Origin of Motul Corazón How was the name and logo chosen? The idea of setting up recurrent actions in favor of children was born in Latin America, long before the creation of a foundation. The name of the Foundation is thus a tribute to this genesis. « Corazón », meaning “heart” in Spanish has been chosen to represent love towards children. The Heart is an international symbol, understandable by all, and especially by all children. Why was Motul Corazón created? The Foundation Motul Corazón has been created for the following reasons: Motul, a company with a long and rich history, is above all a family, a group of men and women sharing the same values, among which « Commitment ». By placing its People in the heart of its strategy, the Group is showing everyday its respect for human beings and their development. While respecting its roots, Motul is a Group looking towards the future. 2) Objectives of Motul Corazón The Motul Corazón Foundation – under the aegis of the Fondation de France - has been created to help children, underprivileged or undergoing difficulties. The actions of the Foundation are not limited geographically. Projects may be supported in any country as long as the correct allowance and utilization of the funds can be guaranteed. The Motul Corazón Foundation is not to organize actions itself but to support actions of existing organizations or associations. Motul Corazón is the result of the Group’s commitment towards Humanity. Although the idea of the foundation was born in Latin America, its scope remains global.
The Fondation du Patrimoine is a not-for-profit independent body aimed at defending and enhancing non-listed French heritage in all its forms. An international company born with the industrial revolution, Motul reacts favourably to initiatives aimed at safeguarding the heritage of remarkable motorised vehicles. Motul has thus been supporting since 2003 the Fondation du Patrimoine in a variety of projects to restore the motorised heritage, from getting a legendary Porsche 917 to give a demonstration run ... to the restoration of a vine-grower's modest tractor made by the former St Chamond works.
The Porsche 917, 'the 20th century race car' for many car racing enthusiasts, left its mark on its era. With its extraordinary engine, unparalleled performances and incredible track history, it was the star of the beginning of the 1970s. In June 2010, thanks to Motul's sponsorship, the one exhibited at the 24 Hours of Le Mans museum took back to the track of its feats, driven by Gérard Larrousse, after nearly 40 years of silence.
The unique model produced in 1921 by Ettore Bugatti, the Bugatti Type 28 Torpédo restored in 2010 thanks to Motul's support symbolises the first attempts of the Molsheim brand to produce luxurious cars. It therefore presents major historic interest since it served as a fully-fledged technical laboratory by testing novel technical solutions now to be found in all cars: hydraulic braking, adjustable steering wheel...
Contemporary with the first 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1923, these lorries restored in 2008 mark Motul's historic tie with the racetrack and are now exhibited at the centre of the museum devoted to the world's greatest endurance race. They represent the most effective equipment used at the time for fuelling and first-aid at the famous Le Mans event.
A catalyst of talents and a patron with a pioneering outlook, Motul likes to venture off the beaten path to provoke creative and unconventional encounters. In this frame of mind, in 2001, long before graffiti reached contemporary art status in France, Motul called on graffiti artist Hozoï to spruce up in his colourful style the parking lot wall at its headquarters, which has been in Aubervilliers since 1964. Ten years after Hozoï's first creation and exhibition 'St’Art with Motul*' at the 2010 Retromobile Show, Motul is continuing to fashion ties between art and the automotive industry by once again having given Hozoï a free hand. Accompanied by two urban artists, Bears and Ecraz, Hozoï has reinterpreted his work on the parking lot wall and has reinvented the façade of Motul's headquarters. He was given a single instruction: make an impact on the walls while transmitting the values Motul has embodied since 1853: High Technology, Expertise, Authenticity, Commitment. The choice of the artist Hozoï is not insignificant because over and beyond his love for cities, which he has been criss-crossing and graffitiing worldwide for more than 20 years, Hozoï is a motorsports enthusiast. He also engages in 'metal shaping' by using particular parts taken from cars, which he assembles and welds to create artifacts. Motul is therefore part of his universe and it is a fine opportunity for him to combine his two passions to make, with the brand, a genuine work of art: 'Graffiti is not decoration, it's an art that finds expression in the street by onlookers.', Hozoï stated. 'Your means of expression is of little importance, what is important is what you do with it: with a hammer you can build entire building or destroy houses, with paint it's the same. Personally, what I like is expressing towards people, being in their midst to convey'. After a month of discussion with the residents of Aubervilliers and after using hundreds of spray cans and litres of paint, the challenge to create a link between the mechanics of Motul and that of Hozoï, Bears and Ecraz has therefore succeeded: Motul's Fluidforce is now in the heart of the city...
Resolutely innovation- and excellence-minded, Motul has always been enthusiastic about taking up technical challenges requiring expertise and knowhow. Each race start is a new challenge, each work of art a new adventure. At the Rétromobile 2010 show, 'St’art with Motul' materialised the ephemeral meeting between cars, motorcycles and creative works, all three being stimulated by passion.
In 2007, Motul brought together at the Rétromobile show the most beautiful and prestigious cars from the personal collection of Nick Mason, drummer of the legendary Pink Floyd group. Passing with ease from beater's stool to driver's seat, Nick Mason participated five times in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and three time in the 'Le Mans Classic' vintage vehicles race. From the racing Panhard (1901) to the Aston Martin Ulster (1935), from the Jaguar type D (1955) to the Ferrari 250 GTO (1962), and from the Ferrari 512 S (1970) to the Mac Laren F1 (1995), a century of motorcar passion was thus presented to enthusiasts on Motul's stand.
Motul Automotive formulates, produces and sells motor vehicle (motorcycles, cars, leisure craft, etc.) lubricants in more than 100 countries. This activity branch also proposes a wide range of maintenance articles for vehicles as well as services to improve clients' daily life.
Each of the Group's two activities has its own Research & Development laboratories. The major resources allocated to them support innovation which has always been the brand's spearhead.
The Group's main production unit is located at Vaires-sur-Marne on the outskirts of Paris. Quality, flexibility, reactivity and safety goals have led to a regular investments policy in the facilities here. The unit is constantly evolving to adapt to the manufacturing requirements of products based on ever more advanced technologies. These investments are also aimed at limiting the environmental risks related to the Group's activity, in accordance with its environmental commitments. Production sites located abroad, in India and Vietnam for instance, also allow the Group to increase its flexibility and reactivity to demand by adapting to regional demand from the viewpoint of the standards imposed and also that of the technical constraints related to consumer habits, the nature of the cars on the roads in the various countries or else the specific characteristics of petrols. Production at these sites meets the quality and inspection criteria that have built the brand's reputation.
With its strong culture of product excellence, Motul very soon adopted the principles of a quality management system. It has set in place an organisation allowing the teams to have a common, structured and pragmatic approach. Everyone, whatever his speciality in the company, has a keen sense of client and partner satisfaction. This is a common goal and shared source of pride which underpin the brand's reputation in the fields where it excells like motorsports or the precision machining of parts for high-tech industries. By thus meeting the extreme requirements of technologically advanced sectors, Motul can ensure that each user/client can enjoy products formulated by highly trained men and women for whom the requirement to produce results is their primary concern. Motul's product culture, deeply rooted in its history through the constant search for ever more innovative, effective and better-performing lubricants, has naturally led the company to adopt the principles of a quality management system. The organisation set in place allows client expectations to be met and even anticipated by adopting a structured and pragmatic approach to attain maximum efficacy while meeting the requirements of internationally recognised quality benchmarks. Motul is certified to ISO 9001:2008 and TS16949:2009.
Between each and everyone's individual efforts and the collective initiatives of major national or international public institutions, Motul is convinced that manufacturers must adopt a steadfast and pro-active approach combining growth and responsibility. For decades the Motul Group has shown it is strongly concerned by sustainable development. It pioneered the use of non-oil dependent, renewable technologies in their car applications, such as esters. It has also pioneered services helping its professional clients to sort and eliminate waste. Also, the responsible management of the impact of its environmental footprint has been materialised since the beginning of 2009 by an initiative to get its French production site certified environmentally.
Motul has built an organisation geared closely towards the client and focussing on the company's 7 macro-processes. This organisation adapted to the Group's international development ambitions favours networking and optimises lead times and the quality of developments and products.
Already in the 1980s Motul was involved in the process of formalising quality requirements via national certifications like that of the British Standards Institution. International models of quality assurance soon became vital not only as a need but also an asset. A close partner of the car industry, Motul implements the demanding quality benchmarks of major OEMs. It obtained its first EAQF* qualification already in February 1990, then ISO 9001* in June 1996, QS 9000* in October 1999 and ISO TS 16949* in June 2002. These certifications are kept and checked every six months by a first-ranking international organisation (Lloyds Register Quality Assurance Limited - LRQA) and renewed every three years. (*) EAQF: Quality benchmark of European OEMs QS 9000: Quality benchmark of American OEMs TS 16949: International benchmark harmonising the requirements of all OEMs.
The high quality and exceptional performance of Motul products has been acknowledged for many years. This success is based on mastery of their formulation, development and also production processes. Not only are high investments made to keep the laboratories and production plant at a high and constantly improving level of performance, but also Motul products undergo strict inspection at each stage of their life cycle, as soon as they are formulated and throughout their various production phases. The products are therefore checked during their formulation, blending and packaging and are also regularly sampled and analysed at all the stages of their dissemination (storage, distribution, sales points).
In order to guarantee product safety, a total and reversible traceability system covers the various stages of their production and distribution. The results of each inspection are therefore written down and recorded and are consultable any time. Each packaging features precise coding, so products can be traced and the dates, places and production conditions can be rapidly known.
Thousands of samples are kept of the references produced in order to follow changes in their quality over time and be able to answer possible future questions. Such inspection ensures irreproachable quality of the products and helps permanently improve the processes and formulations. It also forms a way of taking into account changes in market constraints such as new behaviours or needs on the part of users.
Motul has for long been concerned about the environmental dimension of its activity, both in the formulation phases of its products and in the means made available to its clients in some markets to manage their wastes. The technical development teams provide genuine responses by developing products which are environmentally friendly in their formulation and use, yet which have equal and sometimes even higher performance. In this way, materials are favoured that come from renewable vegetal sources such as in the ester-based oils of which Motul is the specialist, or else which come from recycled or recyclable materials for packaging. Thanks to the development of Eco Fuel formulations, a decrease in fuel can be promoted and emissions reduced with lubricants compatible with the new exhaust gas post-treatment technologies. Also the risks of pollution can be made to disappear with 100% biodegradable lubricants, intended for instance to grease chainsaw chains, or else with biodegradable oils for 2 -stroke marine engines. Since the mid-1990s in Germany with the 'Grüne Dach' and in France with 'Eco Service', Motul has been offering its clients the possibility of delegating the management of all the waste from their activity. By taking care, on behalf of its clients, of the administrative and regulatory follow-up of each of the collection and processing activities, Motul allows them to focus on their core interest while resting assured of meeting their legal obligations.
Motul has been endeavouring for many years to get its Quality Management System recognised by international certifications. Quite logically therefore, a certification process has been launched for the French production site by choosing the FD X 30-205 normative document which is used in the '1.2.3. Environnement' operation. Under this scheme, ISO 14001 international certification is obtained in 3 progressive steps, which are expected to be completed as of 2012 at the Motul production site. Obtaining this certification is seen by Motul merely as the end result and recognition of daily work, the fruit of the involvement of all, both in their collective efforts and individual commitments.
Motul has set itself the demanding goals of constantly producing quality lubricants with ever better performances and pushing back the boundaries of technology. Product innovation in the Group is a daily and shared approach. Historically, Motul has regularly stood out from its competitors by its high-tech solutions: as early as 1971, it was the first lubricant producer to sell 100% synthetic oil on the automotive market. By developing Double Ester technology in the 300V Motorsport range, Motul more recently developed a technology placing it above all existing market standards. The Group owes its innovation capacity to its teams organised in a network in its Centre of Excellence Product, and also to the work conducted in partnership with universities and consultants and to its alliances with specialised players in advanced technological fields. The Research & Development laboratories in Japan and France are staffed by pluridisciplinary teams composed of high-level chemists holding PhDs as well as engineers highly proficient in mechanical applications. The development of partnerships with specialised universities like the MADI, the prestigious Russian technical university specialised in cars and road construction, and its network of consultants provide broad and essential knowledge during the various development phases. In each of the main territories where Motul operates, the Centre of Excellence Product keeps close contacts with OEMs so as to guide Research & Development activities: a technical watch is therefore ensured internationally over OEM standards and approvals and note is taken of client feedback. In the industrial field, thanks to partnerships with technologically advanced manufacturers, such as Baraldi Lubrificanti in Italy, Motul is developing its Aluminium Way project in the field of aluminium high-pressure die casting and extrusion.