Houghton International and SMS group last Monday announced an exclusive partnership to develop and distribute rolling oils for metal production. SMS group, which is part of SMS Holding GmbH based in Düsseldorf, Germany, is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of ferrous and non-ferrous plants and mill equipment for the production of flat, long, tubular and wire products. SMS will work exclusively with Houghton to develop and apply advanced metal rolling technologies to meet the future demands of global metal producers.

Through this partnership, Houghton and SMS will leverage their research and development resources to develop advanced metal rolling oils, and Houghton will become the exclusive distributor of oils for SMS mill equipment. This will enable SMS to offer a complete system of rolling mill technology, including advanced cooling lubricants, to its customers worldwide. Houghton will expand business opportunities through its partnership with SMS as a leading rolling mill equipment supplier that shares experience in fluid applications and access to global metal producers.

“We are pleased to announce this exclusive partnership, as SMS and Houghton are leaders in the field of metal rolling equipment and fluids,” said Marcello Boldrini, President, Global Metals & Mining and Asia for Houghton. “We now offer the only engineering and lubrication solution to global metal manufacturers, which enables us to provide the most advanced and targeted solutions to our customers.”

“We are glad about entering this partnership which will enable SMS and Houghton to better meet the ever demanding market requirements for product quality and productivity,” said Rüdiger Holz, SMS Vice President, Cold Rolling Mills Flat. “Our partnership will provide innovative solutions to our common customers in the metals producing industries worldwide.”

The SMS group is a group of global players in machinery and plant construction for the steel and nonferrous metals industries from metal smelting via casting, hot rolling, cold rolling and strip treatment to coil or sheet products. More than 14,000 employees generate global sales of some EUR 3.4 billion.

Since 1865, Houghton International Inc. has been serving the metalworking, aluminum and steel industries, along with a variety of other markets including the offshore oil exploration metal finishing and surface treatment industry, with the development and production of specialty chemicals, oils and lubricants. Headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa., Houghton maintains manufacturing and research facilities throughout the world.