Develops lubricants and lubrication systems for rail transport, crane technology and industry.
IGRALUB Group
Zurich · Passau · Böheimkirchen · Kennesaw, GeorgiaNew on Amplifa
Lubricants and systems for wheel and rail
IGRALUB was founded in 1992 by André Kofmehl together with partners from Germany in Zurich, and develops and markets highly efficient lubricants and lubrication systems for railways, light rail, metro and tram systems. The solutions reduce wear on wheel and rail and prevent noise such as curve squeal; the portfolio includes wheel flange and rail lubrication, rail head conditioning (Top of Rail), switch lubrication, overhead contact wire de-icing as well as wheel-rail monitoring of vehicles and infrastructure. As a Total Services Provider, IGRALUB provides analysis, action planning, project engineering, installation, maintenance and training from a single source. In the industrial sector, the company serves over 2'500 customers with special lubricants for cranes, conveying technology, machinery, automotive and bikes. Since the end of 2022, IGRALUB has been part of the RS Clare Group based in Liverpool (UK). Headquarters are in Zurich; subsidiaries exist in Germany, Austria and the USA.
- Site
- CH-8008 Zürich
- Processes
- Vehicle-side wheel flange lubrication (mobile spray systems), Stationary rail flank lubrication (fixed rail lubrication systems), Vehicle-side rail head conditioning (Top of Rail), Stationary rail head conditioning, Switch lubrication (railway switches), Contact wire de-icing / overhead line conditioning, Crane rail and wheel lubrication (crane lubrication technology), Lubrication of open gears and gear rims
- Materials
- Graphite (solid lubricant), Synthetic esters (base oil), Ceramic-based solid lubricants (>30%), Glycols, polymers and additives (Pantotec DK), Mineral oil (RailLub 40/09), Solid lubricant graphite, Glycols, polymers and additives, Mineral oil
- Certificates
- ISO 9001
- Founded
- 1992
- Industries
- Rail transport (railway, light rail, metro, tram), Crane and conveying technology, Port and container logistics, Industry and machinery, Automotive and bikes, Mining
- 01
Analysis of problem areas and noise sources
- 02
Measurement, monitoring and evaluation (3D FFT)
- 03
Action planning and project engineering
- 04
Prototype construction and production of the systems
- 05
Installation and commissioning
- 06
Maintenance, support and training
Materials and lubricant base
Solid lubricant graphite
Ensures the emergency-running properties of wheel flange lubricants in FriCmoLub.
Synthetic esters (base oil)
Base oil of many high-performance lubricants with ready biodegradability according to OECD 301 B.
Ceramic-based solid lubricants (>30%)
In CeramLub pastes for brake systems with separating effect up to 1'600°C.
Glycols, polymers and additives
Basis of Pantotec DK for overhead contact wire de-icing without resinification.
Mineral oil
Basis of the wheel flange lubricant RailLub 40/09.
Locations
Zurich (Headquarters)
CHHeadquarters of the IGRALUB Group
- Mobile spray systems TrainSys-AL / TOR Control
- TOR GPS control
Passau
DEGerman branch office (IGRALUB Deutschland GmbH)
Böheimkirchen
ATTechnology Competence Center / IGRALUB SYSTEMS GmbH: development, prototype construction, production and installation of
- Stationary rail lubrication systems (dosing 0.25 ccm per lubrication point)
- Onboard rail lubrication systems
- Contact wire de-icing systems
- Filling systems
Kennesaw, Georgia
USNorth American Headquarters (IGRALUB North America LLC)
Systems and products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle-side wheel flange lubrication (mobile spray systems)Surface | – | – | – | – | RailLub, FriCmoLub, WFL |
| Stationary rail flank lubrication (fixed rail lubrication systems)Surface | – | Distribution by passing wheels along | – | – | RailLub TS, WFL TS |
| Vehicle-side rail head conditioning (Top of Rail)Surface | – | Distribution over 100–200 m | – | – | HeadLub, Tor Lub |
| Stationary rail head conditioningSurface | – | Distribution over 1'000 m | – | – | HeadLub TS, Tor Lub TS |
| Switch lubrication (railway switches)Surface | – | – | – | – | SwitchLub, SyntLub 4000 |
| Contact wire de-icing / overhead line conditioningSurface | – | – | – | – | Pantotec DK (blend of glycols, polymers and additives) |
| Crane rail and wheel lubrication (crane lubrication technology)Surface | – | – | – | – | RailLub 90/CR, GearLub |
| Lubrication of open gears and gear rimsSurface | – | – | – | – | Gear-RackLub, GearLub |
| Chain, drive chain and wire rope lubricationSurface | – | – | – | – | SyntLub K, SyntLub 2031 |
| Spindle lubricationSurface | – | – | – | – | PasteLub 10/12 |
| Assembly/release paste application (screw connections, buffers, brakes)Assembly | – | – | – | – | PasteLub 10/12, PasteLub R, CeramLub 2kdd, Silencer brake service spray |
| Wheel-rail monitoring of vehicles and infrastructure (noise/vibration)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Noise measurements (including 3D FFT evaluation)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Inspection of rail and wheel profiles / analysis of the route and topographical conditionsTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Project engineering, engineering and general contracting for lubrication systems (analysis, actionEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Prototype construction of lubrication systemsEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Installation, conversion and maintenance of lubrication systems; training for railway operatorsAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
13 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile spray system (onboard rail lubrication system) for wheel flange and running surface/rail head | IGRALUB TrainSys-AL / TOR Control | – | – | – | Zurich (Headquarters) |
| Stationary rail lubrication system for rail flank and rail head | IGRALUB | – | Dosing 0.25 ccm per lubrication point | – | Böheimkirchen (IGRALUB SYSTEMS) |
| TOR GPS control for mobile spray systems | IGRALUB TOR | – | – | – | – |
| High-end lubricant pump for stationary and onboard lubrication systems | IGRALUB | – | 24 V, up to 350 bar pressure, for up to three lubricant distributors | – | – |
| Drum pump system with circulation function | IGRALUB | – | – | – | – |
| Mobile filling pump for mobile spray systems | IGRALUB | – | Filling systems for 50 kg and 200 kg containers | – | – |
| Agitator against sedimentation | IGRALUB APT 1900W | – | for 50 kg containers, 1900 watts / 2-speed | – | – |
| High-pressure spray device for lubricants | IGRALUB | – | Stainless steel tank, FPM/FKM seals | – | – |
| Special backpack sprayer for lubricants | IGRALUB | – | 6 bar pump, 10-liter plastic tank | – | – |
| Crane lubrication system (compressor with control, nozzles for rail flanks) | IGRALUB | – | Air/lubricant mixture 9:1 | – | – |
| Stationary monitoring unit (noise/vibration) | IGRALUB | – | – | – | – |
| Train-side monitoring unit | IGRALUB | – | – | – | – |
| Contact wire de-icing system | IGRALUB | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
IGRALUB SYSTEMS is system-certified according to ISO 9001; noise measurements with 3D FFT evaluation and wheel-rail monitoring serve as effectiveness verification.
| Evidence | Böheimkirchen |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 |
History
- 1992
Founded by André Kofmehl together with partners from Germany in Zurich
- 2022
Since the end of 2022, IGRALUB has been part of the RS Clare Group based in Liverpool, UK