Background

In our latest case study, the new innovative metal forming lubricant, Molyform 1010, has successfully exceeded customer expectations.

Emballator Packaging, a leading global food packaging manufacturer with a UK operation based in northern England, were seeking a high-performance lubricant to enhance its production process of metal tins.

Their existing, legacy lubricant was being discontinued in a preferred pack size and was becoming cost prohibitive. Additionally, they aimed to improve the final metal finish and reduce manual finishing work and came to Molyslip to find an appropriate alternative.

Challenges

Emballator Packaging were facing several pressing operational and quality issues related to its metal forming lubrication process.

Their production line, which includes high-speed Alfonshaar can-making machines and CNC sheet feed presses, required a reliable, clean lubricant to maintain consistent quality and reduce mechanical wear. However, their existing lubricant posed several challenges:

• Product Discontinuation & Cost: The legacy supplier announced the discontinuation of the lubricant in the preferred pack size Emballator relied on, and alternative packaging options were significantly more expensive, with limited flexibility.
• Surface Damage (Scoring): Inconsistent lubrication distribution led to visible scoring and surface imperfections on the metal sheets, requiring additional finishing steps to meet food packaging standards.
• Pickup During Pressing: The process occasionally suffered from “pickup,” where the metal blank would stick to the press tool during forming, disrupting the operation and increasing reject rates.
• NSF U1 Approval: Due to the strict requirements of the food packaging industry, they required a product that was NSF U1 registered, meaning it meets the required safety standards for food grade manufacturing.
• Excess Residue: After forming, the lubricant left a noticeable residue that complicated the post-forming cleaning process, slowing down production and increasing labour time.
• Downtime and Inefficiency: Lubrication inconsistencies contributed to frequent stoppages, resulting in lost production time and increased maintenance.

Collectively, these challenges were affecting Emballator’s operational efficiency, cost control, and product quality — all critical to maintaining their reputation in the competitive food packaging market.

Solutions

Molyslip collaborated closely with Emballator’s production and engineering teams to understand the nuances of their process and performance requirements.

Working with our Business Development Manager, Michael Green, who helped evaluate where the challenges were and how they could optimally implement our lubricant. Plus, using the expertise of our technical support team, we were able to maximise Emballator’s results

Based on this, we developed Molyform 1010 — a tailored cold-forming, U1 food-grade lubricant specifically engineered for high-speed metal forming in food-grade applications.

Key aspects of the solution included:

• Superior Lubricity: The formulation significantly reduced friction and wear during pressing, virtually eliminating pickup and reducing the risk of surface deformation or sticking.
• NSF Certified U1 Food-Grade Lubricant: The National Sanitation Foundation are a nonprofit testing agency established to enforce standards for food and sanitation. Gaining NSF U1 certification ensures that Molyform 1010 upholds food safety standards within the manufacturing process.
• Enhanced Surface Protection: The lubricant provided a smooth, uniform film that minimised scoring and damage on the metal surface, leading to a visibly improved product finish.
• Near-Dry Finish: Unlike traditional oils, Molyform 1010 delivered a cleaner, near-dry finish after pressing, which streamlined downstream cleaning and reduced reliance on solvents or manual wiping.
• Efficiency Gains: With fewer production stoppages, reduced tool wear, and lower reject rates, Emballator saw measurable gains in uptime and process reliability.
• Cost Effectiveness: By replacing their previous legacy lubricant with Molyform 1010, Emballator saved approximately 10% per barrel, while also reducing man-hours spent on finishing and rework.

This targeted, performance-driven solution demonstrated how Molyslip’s technical expertise and commitment to customer collaboration could transform a legacy challenge into a competitive advantage.

Conclusion

The trial of Molyform 1010 at Emballator Packaging was a clear success, delivering superior performance and a 10%  saving per barrel of lubricant. The product outperformed the legacy lubricant not only in cost and performance but also by contributing to more streamlined production and higher quality output.

Through the combined efforts of our management and technical team, we can give specialised solutions, identifying key areas of improvement, ensuring customers receive the best products and best support.

Molyslip prides itself on delivering technical support and after-sales services that deliver truly groundbreaking results for our customers. Our case study at Emballator Packaging highlights Molyslip’s ability to meet operational demands and work with customers to achieve exceptional results.