OUR MISSION & PURPOSE
NLGI was incorporated in 1933 as the National Association of Lubricating Grease Manufacturers, Inc., for the purpose of writing a code concerning the NRA (National Recovery Act). In 1937, the name was changed to the National Lubricating Grease Institute. Its founders were J.R. Battenfeld, Battenfeld Grease & Oil Corporation; Guy Peters, Oil Craft Inc.; and W.H. Sauders, International Lubricant Corp. Another name change was made to NLGI in 2001.
The Institute’s member organizations are located in 26 different countries worldwide. Of the 2,000 readers of our technical journal, the NLGI SPOKESMAN, over 50 countries in every continent of the world are represented. This international representation is indicative of the universality of interest in lubricating grease.
The NLGI is a not-for-profit trade association, primarily composed of companies who manufacture and market all types of lubricating grease. Membership is by company rather than by individual. Associated with the manufacturers are companies who serve them with equipment, supplies, and services. Additionally, there are research and educational groups and member companies whose interests are primarily technical. Another category for membership – Consumer – is for organizations that are users of lubricating grease. The Institute thus works continuously to strengthen its association by rendering service to the end-user of grease as well as those on the manufacturing side.
The objectives of NLGI are to disseminate information that can lead to the development of better lubricating greases for the consumer and to provide better grease lubrication engineering service to the industry.
NLGI endeavors to promote these objectives in a number of ways, including the encouragement of research in the field of lubricating greases, the promotion of improved laboratory and field tests and improvements in the technique of lubricating grease manufacture. Forums for technical discussions between consumers and producers are provided, and the dissemination of technical data relative to improved manufacturing techniques, new products, new uses and new methods of application is fostered.
Today, NLGI continues to promote the technical advancement of grease lubrication, and contributes materially to greater production, increased machine life and a higher quality of machine performance through better lubrication.