Business areas
Lubricants
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Zeller Gmelin is an independent, medium-sized family-owned company that was founded in Eislingen in 1866. Over the decades, Zeller Gmelin has grown into an international partner for high-quality Lubricants, Printing Inks, and chemical products.
With around 1000 employees worldwide and 19 subsidiaries, Zeller+Gmelin delivers to more than 80 countries around the world and has several foreign production sites in addition to Eislingen. The high-quality products occupy a leading position on the international market. We value individual and holistic solutions and offer research, development and production – all from a single source – from experts.
The responsible use of resources and our commitment to future generations are central components of our corporate philosophy. At our Eislingen location, we operate an ISO 14001-certified environmental management system and an ISO 50001-certified energy management system. ISO 14001 requires us to identify the significant environmental aspects of our operations, set environmental objectives, monitor progress toward achieving them, and continuously improve the management system to enhance our environmental performance. ISO 50001 requires the continuous improvement of energy-related performance based on defined energy performance indicators. Both systems are audited annually by a certifier accredited by DAkkS.
We see innovation as a core competence. At our headquarters in Eislingen alone, around 20% of employees work in research and development. We are constantly striving to further develop and permanently optimize our products – and to bring new innovations to the market.
We are experts at understanding and solving problems—and have been for more than 160 years. We understand our customers and develop solutions—reliable, flexible, and tailored to their needs. We owe this to the quality of our work and, of course, to the experience, expertise, and passion of our employees.
We combine all of this in our brand promise:
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More Informationzeller+gmelin imagefilm
Our new corporate video takes you behind the scenes at Zeller Gmelin. Discover what drives us, how we work, and why we’ve stood for quality and innovation for over
160 years. Our employees share their very own personal stories—authentic, unvarnished, and filled with passion for
what they do. Dive into our world and discover what makes Zeller Gmelin special!
Our products in everyday life
We encounter Zeller Gmelin Lubricants, Printing Inks, and chemical products in many aspects of our daily lives—and surprisingly often. Our products are present in many unexpected places—whether during our morning routine, on the way to work, or during a cozy dinner for two.
Let our animation "A day with Z+G" surprise you with the applications in which Zeller+Gmelin is represented with its products.
Let our animation "A day with Z+G" surprise you with the applications in which Zeller+Gmelin is represented with its products.
You are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.
More InformationYou are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.
More Information160 Years of Zeller Gmelin
Three days filled with encounters, memories, and shared experiences. Together with customers, partners, employees, and numerous visitors, we celebrated our anniversary and looked back on our company’s eventful history.
Let our photos from the anniversary celebration at the Stadthalle take you on a journey.
Facts + figures
Overview of Fiscal Year 2025
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Employees worldwide
~ 0 M
Turnover in euros
0
Branches
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Countries supplied
Consistently high quality
Zeller+Gmelin has created a global production and service network to provide business partners with what they need most: consistently high quality!
The management
Together + Together
Siegfried Müller
Managing Director Marketing & Sales
alexandra scaglione
Managing Director Finance, Controlling & Human Resources
thomas alpers
Managing Director Technology
Success stories: The history of Zeller+Gmelin
Since 1866, Zeller Gmelin has been developing and manufacturing product and process solutions that set the standard in terms of performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. While our focus was initially on the production of lamp oil, today we offer both large corporations and small and medium-sized businesses an enormous variety of high-quality Lubricants, Printing Inks, and chemical products for countless applications.
1856
Ernst Gustav Zeller and Theodor Zeller found the company Zeller, Haltiner & Co. with partners in Groß-Eislingen to produce shale oil.
1858
Zeller, Haltiner & Co. ceases operations. The utilization of shale oil has proven to be uneconomical.
1863
Albert Zeller, Theodor's younger brother, resumes shale oil extraction.
1866
Albert Zeller and Paul Gmelin found Zeller+Gmelin. The company's products are primarily lubricating oils for industrial applications.
1898
Zeller+Gmelin relocates its headquarters to Schlossstrasse in Eislingen and builds a refinery for the production of gasoline, among other things.
1913
The Eislingen-based mineral oil company operates around 30 trading branches, including in Antwerp, Gdansk and Basel.
1926
The manufacture of products for road construction begins.
1930
Zeller+Gmelin starts production of cleaning agents.
1932
With the production of Printing Inks, Zeller Gmelin is once again expanding its product portfolio.
1945
A few weeks after the end of the war, the occupation of the Eislingen factory site by US troops ends. There was hardly any destruction.
1953
Zeller+Gmelin builds up a network of filling stations in southern Germany.
1983
On March 18, a new production center for technical oils, lubricating and drawing greases, drawing powders and care products is inaugurated.
1984
With the founding of Zeller+Gmelin of America in Richmond, Virginia, the first non-European subsidiary is established on August 31 (later renamed Zeller+Gmelin Corporation).
1987
Zeller+Gmelin acquires the majority of shares in Intercolor Limited in the UK (1998 acquisition of all shares; later renamed Zeller+Gmelin UK Limited).
1989
Zeller+Gemlin B.V., Netherlands, is founded together with a minority shareholder.
1996
Zeller Gmelin is implementing a strategic shift and repositioning itself as a manufacturer of specialty products in the Lubricants, Printing Inks, and chemicals sectors. As part of this process, the company is divesting numerous equity interests and subsidiaries.
1997
Following the closure of the Danish printing ink distributor, Zeller Gmelin established its own company in Denmark, Zeller Gmelin A/S.
2000
The construction of a new building will significantly expand research and development capacities in the areas of mineral oil, chemicals and analytical services.
2002
On July 22, Zeller+Gmelin is the first lubricant manufacturer to receive the Bosch Supplier Award.
2003
Zeller+Gmelin further expands its global presence and founds Zeller+Gmelin s.r.o., Czech Republic and Zeller+Gmelin S.A.R.L., France.
2004
Zeller+Gmelin Sp. z o.o., Poland is founded. The long-established Eislingen-based company is honored with the TOP 100 Award as one of the most innovative medium-sized companies in Germany. Three more TOP 100 awards will follow by 2009.
2005
ZG Fluidmanagement CZ s.r.o., Czech Republic, is founded.
2006
Zeller+Gmelin ventures further afield and founds Zeller+Gmelin (Suzhou) Co Ltd, China; Zeller+Gmelin ULC, Canada (2008) and Zeller+Gmelin Ltd Sti, Turkey (2006).
2011
Zeller+Gmelin de Mexico is founded as a subsidiary of Zeller+Gmelin Corporation.
2016
Zeller+Gmelin celebrates its 150th anniversary.
2018
Zeller+Gmelin invests in the expansion of lubricant and grease production
2019
The Digital Printing business unit is established
2020
Establishment of the e-mobility business unit and construction of the new QC laboratory.
2021
Establishment of a new production site in China and foundation of Zeller+Gmelin Italy
2022
Acquisition of the printing ink manufacturer LUXUL in the United Arab Emirates
Subsidiaries in Eislingen
Among other things, our subsidiary Südöl recycles used machine and engine oils and processes them into new base oils and fuels.
In this way, they are reintroduced into the production cycle instead of being disposed of at great expense.
As an expert in fluid management, ZG Fluidmanagement GmbH supports you in three core areas
- Fluid management: A stable and cleanly managed cooling lubricant circuit is crucial for process reliability, tool service life and component quality. ZG Fluidmanagement systematically analyses and optimizes your existing fluid processes.
- Filter management: We offer you customized filter solutions for oils and cooling lubricants – tailored to the degree of contamination, throughput and application. The aim: to reliably remove particles and contaminants, protect systems and ensure constant process conditions.
- Device management: Our range includes tried-and-tested devices and accessories for maintaining, monitoring and handling your fluids. This also includes the Fluid-Check-Pro, with which you can record important parameters quickly and reliably – as a basis for making informed decisions during operation.