When a key customer, serving South Africa’s paper recycling sector for over 40 years, sought a sustainable alternative to disposable lubricators, SKF teamed up with its Authorised Distributor, Bearing Services Richards Bay, to deliver a refillable lubricator solution, the TLRD grease dispenser, that supports both operational efficiency and environmental responsibility.
“Highly conscious of their environmental impact, our customer has implemented targeted initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, conserve water and minimise waste,” says Eddie Martens SKF Product Manager MaPro. “So when, during their evaluation of disposable lubrication dispensers, it became clear that the environmental cost was too high and conflicted with their sustainability objectives, the customer sought a more eco-conscious solution.”
Around the same time, SKF had distributed a product awareness email to the MaPro Champions within its authorised distributor network. “Our MaPro portfolio encompasses a range of SKF maintenance products, including tools for bearing mounting, dismounting, alignment, lubrication and condition monitoring, along with services aimed at extending bearing lifespan and improving overall asset reliability,” explains Martens.
The customer was initially unaware that SKF could provide a solution. Joshua Williamson, who is the MaPro Champion at Bearing Services Richards Bay, took the initiative to approach the customer and offer a demonstration of the TLRD unit. Impressed with the dispenser’s smart refillable design, which significantly reduces environmental impact, the customer placed an order for ten units, with a commitment to order an additional ten units per month until all competitor units in their plant were replaced.
The TLRD Series is a refillable, electro-mechanical single-point grease dispenser that can be reused by simply refilling it with fresh grease and fitting a new battery pack. The unit’s remote mounting option makes it well-suited for demanding environments such as tight spaces, high vibrations and hazardous conditions. Available in 150ml and 250ml sizes, the dispenser is the mainstay for applications such as food and beverage processing equipment, bearing housings, electric motors, fans and pumps, conveyors, and cranes.
The TLRD lubricant dispenser features a user-friendly design, with a straightforward filling and refilling process that requires no training. The ease of refilling is a key benefit for the customer, who is responsible for managing the refills independently. Martens also highlights that a full instructional video is available on the SKF/MaPro website to further support users.
“The customer also appreciated being able to refill the units with their own grease,” says Martens. He notes however that this is subject to certain limitations, explaining that the grease must not exceed
NLGI 2 and should be free of any solid particles.
The TLRD unit’s excellent features provide the customer with multiple advantages, including reliable and consistent performance and extended equipment service life that minimises downtime and maintenance needs. Additionally, its refillable design supports environmental sustainability by reducing waste and CO², lowering the overall ecological footprint. Together, these benefits contribute to improved operational efficiency and reinforce the customer’s commitment to responsible, green-minded practices.
Owing to the exceptional qualities of this solution, the customer has transitioned from a well-established competitor product to SKF. Martens adds that the success of this project also underscores the value of having a dedicated MaPro Champion within the distribution network, supported with SKF demonstration products.
“Sustainability was a key driver behind our decision to offer the TLRD units to the customer,” emphasises Martens. “Our lubrication portfolio also includes the TLSD prefilled electro-mechanical single-point lubricator series which is supplied with SKF lubricant. However, as the customer preferred to manage the filling process internally using their own grease, the TLRD units proved to be the ideal fit, aligning seamlessly with their in-house operations, while supporting their sustainability objectives.”
Comparing the TLRD and TLSD units, Martens highlights that each TLSD cartridge contains 90 grams of plastic. The cradle-to-grave carbon footprint of this plastic is estimated at 12 kg of CO₂ emissions per kilogram of plastic. “This means that every reused cartridge saves approximately 1.1 kg of CO₂ emissions. For a customer using 200 TLSD cartridges set on a 6-month interval, the annual savings would be:
- 200 plastic cups in the first year, equating to 220 kg of CO₂ emissions avoided
- 400 plastic cups in subsequent years, amounting to 440 kg of CO₂ emissions avoided
If usage increases or the setting interval shortens, these savings could scale to several tons. In making the decision to switch from TLSD to TLRD based on the figures above, the average CO2 emission per person in South Africa would compensate approximately 6,4 tons per capita!
Through this solution to a real-world customer challenge, SKF demonstrates its strong commitment to environmental stewardship by integrating sustainability at every level of its business and partnering with customers to help advance their environmental objectives.
