Penetrating oil — the WD-40-class multipurpose maintenance spray — delivers five household / workshop benefits in one bottle: penetrate rusted nuts, lubricate hinges, displace water, light corrosion protection, clean residues. India market ~80-120 million aerosol cans/year. This guide gives the recommended BOM, aerosol fill pathway, and Indian brand benchmark vs WD-40 / 3-IN-ONE / Wurth.
| Component | Function | % (m/m) | Indian Supplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mineral spirits / kerosene / naphtha | Penetrating solvent — flash off | 65.0% | IOCL solvents |
| Light mineral oil (Group I 100N) | Residual lubrication after solvent flash | 18.0% | IOCL Group I 100N |
| Alkenyl-succinic acid CI | Ferrous rust protection | 1.5% | King K-Corr 200 |
| Tolutriazole CI | Yellow-metal protection (electrical) | 0.05% | Cobratec TT-100 |
| Calcium nitrite vapour-phase CI | Vapour-phase rust inhibitor | 0.3% | Indian inorganic |
| PIB tackifier (Mn 950, very low MW) | Light film tack — sprayable | 1.5% | BASF Glissopal |
| Polyethylene glycol (PEG) | Water displacement enhancer | 1.5% | Specialty PEG |
| Citrus / hydrocarbon fragrance | Consumer-friendly odour | 0.2% | Specialty fragrance |
| Amber dye | Visual identification | 100 ppm | Clariant |
| Sulphurised olefin (mild lubricity) | Boundary lubrication boost | 0.5% | Lubrizol Anglamol low-S |
| Group I 150N diluent | KV / viscosity fine-tune | 11.45% | IOCL Group I |
| TOTAL CONCENTRATE | 100.0% | — | |
| Aerosol fill: 80% concentrate + 20% LPG / propane propellant (added at aerosol filler) | |||
Process: blend solvent + light oil at room temp; dissolve CI + tackifier + PEG with low-heat (40-50 °C) and gentle agitation; add sulphurised olefin, fragrance, dye last. QC: KV40 2-5 cSt, flash >38 °C (aerosol-safe), copper strip 1A, ASTM D665 rust pass — validated through our ASTM lubricant & grease testing lab. Concentrate ex-works ₹85-140 / L. Finished aerosol can ex-fill ₹55-110 / can (200 ml) depending on can size and label complexity.
Penetrating oil (multipurpose maintenance spray) is the WD-40-class product — light hydrocarbon solvent + light mineral oil + corrosion inhibitor + tackifier blended for five benefits: (1) Penetrate rusted threads, (2) Lubricate hinges, sliding mechanisms, (3) Displace water from electrical contacts, (4) Light corrosion protection on tools, (5) Clean grease / tar / sticker residue.
Sold in 200-500 ml aerosol can, trigger-spray bottle, or bulk drum. Massive consumer + workshop market — WD-40 alone ~$400M global revenue.
Penetrating oil BOM (%): mineral spirits / kerosene 65%, light mineral oil 18%, ASA CI 1.5%, TTA CI 0.05%, Ca nitrite 0.3%, PIB tackifier (Mn 950) 1.5%, PEG 1.5%, fragrance 0.2%, amber dye 100 ppm, sulphurised olefin 0.5%, balance Group I diluent — these inhibitor and lubricity components are tuned through our additive package development work. Aerosol: 80% concentrate + 20% LPG/propane.
Process: blend solvent + light oil at room temp; dissolve CI + tackifier + PEG; add fragrance + dye; fill into aerosol can with metering valve; pressurise with LPG.
India multipurpose maintenance spray market — ~80-120 million aerosol cans/year. Brands: WD-40 (segment leader, ~40%), Wurth Rost-Off, Liqui Moly Rust Solvent, 3-IN-ONE Multi-Purpose Oil, Castrol Easy Tap, Loctite Freeze & Release, Indian brands (Cyclo, Bardahl, ABRO).
₹120-380 / 200ml can retail. Lubechem custom (LC-PEN-MPS) ex-works ₹85-140/L concentrate; finished aerosol ₹80-180 / can.
Three properties: (1) Very low viscosity — KV40 typically 2-5 cSt, flows into tight crevices. (2) Low surface tension — solvent reduces surface tension to <25 mN/m so liquid wets metal and creeps between threads via capillary action. (3) Solvent dissolution — mineral spirits / kerosene dissolve organic varnishes and partially soften rust scale.
Premium penetrating oils add small amount of natural acids (lanolin, fatty acid). Soaking time matters — apply, wait 15-30 min, then attempt mechanical loosening.
WD-40 is a versatile penetrating oil but NOT a long-term lubricant. The solvent evaporates within hours leaving only ~15% residue of light oil + tackifier. For sustained lubrication, switch to a dedicated lube — bicycle chain oil, sewing machine oil, multipurpose silicone spray, light bearing grease.
WD-40 brand sells separate dedicated lubricants (WD-40 Specialist Silicone, WD-40 Bike Lubricant). Indian workshops use WD-40 for unstuck-the-bolt task, then apply proper lubricant for ongoing service.
Aerosol filling requires specialised equipment + safety compliance. Three options: (1) Contract-fill at established aerosol filler (Mumbai, Pune, Gurgaon have lines) — supply concentrate, they fill and label, ₹15-40 / can processing fee. (2) Build own aerosol filling line — capital ₹2-5 crore for 100-500 cans/min line. (3) Trigger spray bottle — PET trigger spray pack, ₹3-8 / bottle.
Trigger spray growing share — no propellant, lower regulatory hurdle, OK for room-temperature application. Aerosol still dominates for tight-spot penetration.
Share your target positioning (premium vs value), pack format (aerosol / trigger / drum) and volume. We respond within one business day with the BOM and aerosol-fill pathway.