Annual R&D Partnership Programme

Your Embedded
R&D Team.
All Year Long.

One fixed annual retainer. Unlimited lubricant and grease formulations. Continuous ASTM product testing. Full-year process optimisation. Complete BIS/API compliance documentation. No per-formulation charges. No per-test invoices. Everything — all year.

Engine Oil Formulation All Grease Types Additive Packages ASTM Testing Process Optimisation BIS/API Compliance NDA Protected Full IP Ownership
Apply for Annual Partnership See What's Included
Unlimited Lubricant Oil Formulations
Engine oil, gear oil, hydraulic oil, compressor oil — every grade, any number of products, all year. No caps on requests.
Unlimited
Unlimited Grease Formulations
All 8 grease types — calcium, lithium, lithium complex, Ca-Li complex, Al complex, red gel, silica, food-grade. Unlimited requests.
Unlimited
Additive Package R&D
ZDDP, PIBSI, OCP/PMA, ADPA, MoDTC, Ca/Mg sulfonates — in-house custom package design, all year.
Unlimited
ASTM Testing & Process Optimisation
Regular scheduled testing, incoming QC, batch testing, saponification process optimisation — continuously throughout the year.
Full Year
Compliance Documentation & TDS/MSDS
BIS IS 13656/1012/7623, API SN/SP/CF/CK-4, ACEA — all documentation, TDS/MSDS preparation and regulatory support for the full year.
Full Year
Partnership Scope

Every R&D Service You Need.
Everything Included. All Year.

The Annual R&D Partnership covers the complete spectrum of lubricant and grease R&D services — so your team can focus on business growth while LubeChem handles all the technical development work.

01
Lubricant Oil Formulation

Unlimited formulation development for all lubricant oil product types. Submit requests as needed throughout the year — no caps, no per-project billing.

API SN / SPCF / CK-4 GL-4 / GL-5HLP / HVLP SAE 0W-20 to 50ISO VG 32–680
02
Grease Formulation — All Types

Complete saponification R&D for all 8 grease types, from raw material selection through NLGI grade control and drop point optimisation. Unlimited formulation requests.

CalciumLithium Li ComplexCa-Li Complex Al ComplexRed Gel SilicaFood Grade
03
Additive Package Development

Custom in-house additive package design for all product types — reducing your dependence on expensive commercial packages and improving cost-per-litre economics.

ZDDPPIBSI OCP / PMAADPA MoDTCCa/Mg Sulfonate PPDEP Additives
04
Regular ASTM Product Testing

Scheduled testing of formulations, raw materials, and production batches throughout the year. All ASTM protocols covered. Full written test reports on every analysis.

D445 ViscosityD4172 Wear D2783 EPD217 Penetration D566 Drop PointD664/D2896 TAN/TBN D2272 RPVOTICP-OES
05
Process Optimisation

Continuous review and improvement of your blending and saponification processes — yield improvement, batch cycle reduction, rework minimisation, and SOP refinement.

Saponification SOPYield Improvement Blending SequenceTemperature Profile Batch ConsistencyCost Reduction
06
Compliance & Full Documentation

All regulatory documentation, BIS/API/ACEA compliance work, TDS/MSDS preparation, and export market compliance for the duration of the partnership.

BIS IS 13656API SN/SP/CK-4 ACEA A3/B4/E6TDS / MSDS OEM SupportExport Docs
Formulation Requests
No cap on lubricant oil or grease formulation requests during the partnership year
8
Grease Types Covered
All soap and non-soap grease types — from calcium to food-grade — included in the partnership
12
Months of R&D Support
Full year of continuous, embedded R&D — not a fixed number of days or project slots
Deliverables

What You Receive During
the Partnership Year

Every formulation, test report, process document, and regulatory file produced during the year is formally handed over and becomes your exclusive property.

Formulation Documents
Complete bill of materials (BOM) for every formulation developed — base oil grades, thickener types, individual additive identities and treat rates, blending sequences, and quality targets. Presented in a standardised, production-ready format.
ASTM Test Reports
Written test report for every analysis conducted — covering test method (ASTM or BIS protocol), test conditions, measured results, specification limits, and pass/fail status. Signed and dated by LubeChem's testing team.
Manufacturing SOPs
Step-by-step Manufacturing Standard Operating Procedures for every formulation — including raw material specifications, addition order, mixing temperatures, time cycles, batch sizes, and in-process control parameters. Designed for direct use by your production operators.
Technical Data Sheets (TDS)
Professionally formatted Technical Data Sheets for every product developed — showing product name, viscosity grades, key properties (flash point, pour point, viscosity index, TBN/TAN, drop point), typical applications, and performance claims supported by test data.
Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
GHS-compliant Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) / Safety Data Sheets for all products — covering composition, hazard identification, first aid, fire fighting, handling and storage, and regulatory information for BIS/REACH.
Compliance Documentation
Complete regulatory documentation packages for BIS IS 13656/1012/7623, API SN/SP/CF/CK-4, ACEA specification compliance claims — with supporting test data and reference standards. OEM approval application support included.
Process Optimisation Reports
Written reports on every process improvement intervention — documenting the current state, root cause analysis, recommended changes, expected improvements in yield/consistency/cost, and implementation checklist.
Full IP Transfer
At the end of the partnership year (or on project completion), all documents, formulations, process data, and test results are formally transferred to the client as their exclusive intellectual property under the signed NDA and IP agreement. LubeChem retains no rights to any work product.
Why Partner vs Project?

Annual Partnership vs
Per-Project Engagement

Companies with ongoing R&D needs find the Annual Partnership significantly more cost-effective and strategically advantageous than commissioning individual projects one at a time.

Comparison Factor Annual R&D Partnership Per-Project Engagement
Formulation requests Unlimited — no caps One formulation per project
Grease types covered All 8 types — all year One type per project
Cost structure Single annual retainer Per-formulation / per-project billing
ASTM testing Included throughout year Quoted and billed separately
Process optimisation Continuous — full year access Separate engagement required
Additive package R&D Included — no extra charge Separate project required
BIS/API compliance docs Covered for all products Charged per product
Response time Priority — within 24 hours Standard queue
Relationship continuity Embedded team — deep context Fresh briefing each project
Cost certainty Fixed annual budget Variable — per project
How the Partnership Works

From Application to
Active R&D Partnership

Getting started is straightforward. From your first enquiry to active work on your formulations typically takes 7–14 days.

01
Enquiry

Submit your business details and R&D requirements via the contact form

02
Discovery Call

Free 60-minute call to understand your products, goals, and challenges

03
NDA Signed

Mutual NDA and IP agreement executed before any technical information is shared

04
Proposal

Written partnership proposal with defined scope, fee structure, and timelines

05
Agreement

Partnership agreement executed — including IP transfer clauses and confidentiality terms

06
R&D Begins

Active formulation work, testing, and process support begins — your embedded R&D team is live

Who Is This For?

The Annual R&D Partnership
Is Designed For...

Established Lubricant Manufacturers

Companies with an existing lubricant or grease product range that need ongoing R&D support — reformulating existing products, developing new grades, resolving quality issues, and staying compliant with updated API/BIS specifications.

Growing Lubricant Businesses

Businesses scaling up from 2–5 products to 15–30 products who need to rapidly develop a full portfolio — engine oils, gear oils, greases, specialty products — without hiring a full-time internal R&D team at large cost.

Grease Manufacturers

Dedicated grease manufacturers who need continuous formulation support across multiple grease types, NLGI grades, and application areas — with ongoing saponification process optimisation to improve yield and consistency.

Companies Building Export-Ready Products

Manufacturers targeting export markets in UAE, Nepal, or Bangladesh who need formulations that meet international specifications (API, ACEA, or country-specific OEM requirements) with complete TDS/MSDS and compliance documentation.

Partnership FAQs

Common Questions About
the Annual Partnership

How many formulations can we request per year?
Unlimited. There is no cap on the number of formulation requests under the Annual R&D Partnership. You can request engine oil formulations, grease formulations of any type, additive package designs, and product reformulations throughout the year with no per-item charges. The partnership is specifically designed to remove any friction around "how many requests can we make?"
Is testing really included, or does it attract separate charges?
ASTM product testing directly connected to formulation development, product validation, and process optimisation activities is included in the partnership. Scheduled QC testing of your production batches (incoming raw material testing, finished product QC) is also covered. Very large volumes of testing (e.g. testing hundreds of commercial production batches from an outsized production scale) are discussed and accommodated in the partnership agreement.
Who owns the IP created during the partnership?
100% of all IP created during the partnership — every formulation, process SOP, test data set, TDS, MSDS, and regulatory document — belongs exclusively to you. This is stated explicitly in the partnership agreement and signed NDA. LubeChem Consultant does not retain rights to reproduce, disclose, or use any work product developed during your partnership.
Is our information confidential from other clients?
Yes, absolutely and unconditionally. Every client operates under a completely separate, confidential engagement. Your formulations, product concepts, raw material sourcing, and business information are never shared with any other client. This is a foundational principle of how LubeChem operates — not just a contractual clause.
What is the typical partnership fee structure?
The partnership fee is a fixed annual retainer. The fee is discussed and agreed during the discovery call, based on the scope of your R&D requirements, estimated number of product categories, testing volume, and complexity of process optimisation needed. Typically, the annual retainer compares very favourably against what the same volume of individual project engagements would cost. Contact us to discuss the fee structure for your specific requirements.
Can we start with a single project and move to an annual partnership later?
Yes. Many of our long-term annual partnership clients began with a single formulation project. After experiencing the quality of work and the collaborative process, they moved to the annual model for the greater efficiency and cost advantages it provides. There is no obligation to commit to the annual partnership before you have experienced working with LubeChem.
Ready to Partner with LubeChem?

Apply for the Annual
R&D Partnership Today

Fill in the contact form and tell us about your business and R&D requirements. We will respond within 48 hours to arrange a free discovery call.

NDA signed before all technical discussions · Full IP ownership guaranteed · lubechemconsultant.com