Industrial lubricants can be found in most machinery performing one or more functions, including reducing friction and wear, preventing components from adhering to each other, distributing loads more evenly, dispersing heat away from moving parts, and preventing corrosion. Although many materials are used as lubricants, the most common are oil (also called fluid lubricants) and grease because of their versatility. Oil lubricants contain either a petroleum or synthetic base, the properties of which are modified by the addition of various additives. Grease lubricants, a mixture of oil lubricant and a thickening agent, have a thicker consistency than oil, enabling use wherever liquids cannot be retained and requiring less frequent changes.
SKF manufactures bearings, seals, and lubrication systems for automotive, energy, and other industrial applications. The company, founded in 1907 and headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, meets International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards 9001 and 14001 and ISO/TS 16949.