Silkolene Lubricants
of Derby Road, Belper
of Silkolene Oil Refinery, New Road, Belper[1]
1908 Glendon Rubber Co was incorporated
The main operating company was Dalton and Co[2]
WWII The Belper site refined and recycled over 20 million gallons of lubricant for the nation’s military aircraft.
The company gained considerable expertise in advanced lubricant technology, supplying to the aviation and aero engine industries
Post-WWII Formed joint venture with an American company (Anglamol) who later became one of the most successful worldwide players in petroleum additives, supplying directly to the major oil companies. Now known as Lubrizol, their European Research Centre employing hundreds of petroleum technologists, is still housed not 5 miles away from Belper at Hazelwood.
1956 The Glendon Rubber Co changed its name to Silkolene Lubricants Ltd[3]
1981 Acquired neighbouring competitor R. D. Nicol and Co
1982 Re-registered as Silkolene Lubricants plc
1989 Silkolene was acquired by a German multinational oil company, Fuchs Petrolub AG Oel and Chemie.
1990 Re-registered as Silkolene plc
2008 Silkolene plc of Hanley, Stoke on Trent, was wound up voluntarily[4]