Reduce Friction and Pollution in the Transportation Industry with EcoLine® Biobased Greases

July 7, 2021

Trucks and trains are integral to the transportation and shipping industry. Furthermore, lubrication of high-pressure metal-to-metal components is essential to efficient and prolonged equipment service life. This routine maintenance task has traditionally been done with petroleum-based greases, which unfortunately pose a greater risk of environmental pollution if spilled on the ground. When petroleum-based greases were the only option, this was a matter of fact. Today, however, the proliferation of renewably sourced products means new choices exist on the market. In particular, three Cortec® EcoLine® greases are designed to meet transportation industry needs for fifth wheel and rail curve lubrication with an eye to sustainability.

EcoLine® Fifth Wheel Grease
EcoLine® Fifth Wheel Grease is premium quality biodegradable grease formulated from vegetable oils and a lithium-based thickener. It is recommended for use in lubricating fifth wheel plates of semi-trucks, where a thin layer of lubrication is critical to safe semi-truck operation and to prevent binding of the fifth wheel to the trailer apron. It also serves as a replacement for petroleum-based all-purpose greases used in sliding or rolling metal-to-metal contact areas such as trailer hitches or other mechanical joints. EcoLine® Fifth Wheel Grease promotes longer equipment life by reducing friction and wear on extreme pressure points. It resists water washout by good adhesion and can be used under a wide range of operating temperatures. Sourced primarily from renewable resources, EcoLine® Fifth Wheel Grease contains 91% USDA certified biobased content and is a qualified product under the mandatory federal purchasing initiative of the USDA BioPreferred® Program.* It is a convenient biobased, biodegradable
substitute for a critical truck maintenance activity where it is easy to apply excess grease that could spill on the ground.†

EcoLine® Rail Curve Greases
When it comes to trains, wheels and rails are under extreme pressure especially when rounding curves. Lubricating these rail curves is therefore an important part of preventative maintenance to increase rail and wheel lifetime while reducing downtime and high costs associated with rail and wheel replacements. By applying EcoLine® Rail Curve Grease, rail companies can minimize friction and wear between railroad tracks and wheel flanges in an environmentally responsible manner.† Cortec’s EcoLine® Rail Curve Greases come in two seasonal versions— Winter and Summer—that are both USDA Certified Biobased Products. EcoLine® Rail Curve Grease, Winter, contains 80% USDA certified biobased content and is ideal for prolonged cold temperatures down to 0 °F (-17 °C). EcoLine® Rail Curve Grease, Summer, contains 86% USDA certified biobased content and is recommended for use in temperatures between 35 to 160 °F (2 to 71 °C). Both are qualified products under the mandatory federal purchasing initiative of the USDA BioPreferred® program.*

In addition to reducing the risk of pollution from petroleum-based greases, EcoLine® Rail Curve Grease, Winter/Summer, has certain performance advantages:

• Offers better gauge face coefficient of friction than most petroleum-based grease
• Resists migration better than major petroleum-based grease

EcoLine® Rail Curve Greases are recommended for heavy load applications (e.g., coal trains) and can be used with wayside applicators or hi-rail application. Many corporations and industries today are looking for ways to be more environmentally responsible and “go green.” EcoLine® biobased
greases present an easy means to do so, simply by substituting a biobased grease where a petroleum-based grease is already used. By implementing EcoLine® biobased greases in truck and rail applications, industry users can not only make use of renewable resources but also minimize the risk of pollution in outdoor environments.

Learn more about Cortec’s broad range of EcoLine® biobased greases here:
https://www.cortecvci.com//whats_new/announcements/Biobased_Grease_Sell_Sheet.pdf

Learn more about EcoLine® Fifth Wheel Grease here:
https://www.cortecvci.com/Publications/PDS/Ecoline_Fifth_Wheel_Grease.pdf

Learn more about EcoLine® Rail Curve Grease, Winter/Summer, here:
https://www.cortecvci.com/Publications/PDS/Ecoline_Rail_Curve_Grease_W.S..pdf

*For more information, go to https://www.biopreferred.gov.
†It is always important to ensure that use and disposal of all materials is in accordance with local guidelines.

For a PDF version please click here.