• Viscotech^® Upcycled reducing carbon footprint by 60% using re-refined base oils, supporting circular economy

Echt, Netherlands – BRB Lube oil Additives & Chemicals, a leading global supplier of lubricant oil additives and specialty chemicals, today launched the new Viscotech^® Upcycled portfolio, a low carbon footprint viscosity modifier solution, dissolved in high quality re-refined base oils (RRBO), as alternative to virgin base oils.

Viscosity modifiers formulated using recycled base oils are ready for introduction into the value chain as high-value products, currently used in automotive and industrial lubricants. They are drop in alternatives for standard Viscotech, with the only difference being that they contain re-refined base oil, reducing the product carbon footprint by approximately 60% cradle to gate, compared to using virgin base oil. Furthermore, it reduces around 0.1 kg of CO2 emission per kg final oil formulation*, thereby supporting end-users in the value chain to reduce their carbon footprint (scope 3 reduction). Using re-refined raw materials support the shift from virgin fossil dependence towards a circular economy.

“We are very excited to share the new Viscotech^® upcycled with the market. With high quality RRBO as a raw material in Viscotech^® viscosity modifiers, we deliver innovative formulations that meet stringent standards and exhibit performance in parity with modifier solutions based on virgin base oil,” says Roger Dohmen, Vice President of BRB Lube oil Additives & Chemicals. “For us, RRBOs are no longer a compromise, but a strategic enabler for products that contribute to a reduced carbon footprint, both for BRB and thevalue chains.”

As a subsidiary of Malaysia’s PETRONAS Chemicals Group Berhad (PCG), BRB Lube oil Additives & Chemicals is now part of the Specialty Chemicals division of PCG. PCG Specialty Chemicals division has set ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the reductions required to keep global warming limited to 1.5°C, the most ambitious goal of the Paris Agreement. With the new Viscotech® upcycled range, BRB is building on a sustainable specialty portfolio focusing on innovation and carbon reduction.

“Over the years, we’ve made continuous efforts and succeeded in specialty formulations with high-quality RRBO in our premium products, following a strategic shift towards solutions with lower carbon footprint. We’ invite our customers to explore our product offerings with reduced climate impact and collaborate with BRB as business partners on the journey toward circular economy and products with lower carbon footprint.” said Roger Dohmen, Vice President of BRB Lube oil Additives & Chemicals

*Assuming 8% Viscotech in the final oil formulation.


About Re-refined base oils (RRBO)
Rather than disposing waste oils, an increasing number of producers are collecting used oils and removing impurities through multi-step technological processes, thus extending their life cycle. This is the concept behind RRBO. RRBO offers an alternative to virgin raw materials without compromising quality. The interest in RRBO has been growing recently alongside the market trends towards reducing carbon footprints, protecting the environment and transitioning to a circular economy and production model.


About BRB Lube oil Additives and Chemicals
BRB Lube oil Additives and Chemicals delivers non-homologated additives, such as viscosity modifiers, along with driveline and engine oil packages. Our high-performance products for automotive, off-road and industrial applications also include special additives like sulphonates and fuel additives. We are a subsidiary of the PETRONAS Chemicals Group Berhad, which equips us with a worldwide presence and access to innovation resources. Our product brands Petrolad®, covering a wide range of oil solutions, and BRB’s Viscotech® viscosity modifiers are available as individual components or tailored packages.

We have consistently built solid, long-term relationships in the automotive, industry and energy sectors, supporting our customers in staying at the forefront of innovation and ahead of their competitors. Our solutions are all about motion, enabling greater efficiency at all temperatures, while extending service lives and reducing fuel consumption – for cost-effective operation and reduced CO2 emissions. To find out more about BRB, please visit Lube oil Additives and Chemicals | BRB

For more information/media enquiries, please contact:


Andrea Swemmer Huang
Global Marketing Manager
Lube Oil Additives & Chemicals