French performance lubricant company Motul has acquired Chem Arrow Corp., a move aimed at expanding its market reach and enhancing its industrial product portfolio in North America.
The United States is world’s largest consumer of metalworking fluids, a market that is currently worth U.S.$2.8 billion, and the acquisition gives the French firm unfettered access.
Chem Arrow makes metalworking fluids, industrial cleaners and niche application lubricants, particularly for the heating, ventilation and air conditioning sector. The company has operations in Canada and the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, Motul opened the first of three R&D centers at Vaires-sur-Marne, near Paris. The new facility will focus on sustainable lubricants and cooling fluids for electric vehicles and advanced thermal management systems, the company said.
By the end of 2025, another will open in India, where the company will develop thermal management for mobility and data centers. A third center in Vietnam will concentrate on the local automotive market.