IIF 2026 - Indian Industrial Fair

Attendees, exhibitors & solutions

Who this event is for

Industry trends

Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.

Arrival airports

Choose from the following airports, with convenient access to the event and venue.

Hotel tiers

A range of accommodation options near the venue and across key areas.

Local transport

Get around the city with these convenient transport options.

Frequently asked

Glossary

1

Base oil (Group I, II, III)

The refined mineral or synthetic stock that makes up roughly 70 to 90 percent of a finished lubricant. Group I is solvent-refined with higher aromatics and sulphur, Group II is hydroprocessed with better volatility and oxidation stability, and Group III is severely hydroprocessed with viscosity index above 120 and is often marketed as synthetic technology. Buyers at the show typically compare Group II and Group III availability, volatility (Noack) and cold-flow behaviour before agreeing a blend recipe.

2

Base stock slate

The mix of base oils a blender keeps in inventory. A wider slate lets a plant serve several viscosity grades from fewer components but raises tankage, working capital and cross-contamination risk. Blenders discuss slate rationalisation with base oil suppliers on the show floor, usually alongside pricing formulas linked to import parity.

3

DI package (detergent-inhibitor package)

A pre-blended concentrate of detergents, dispersants, anti-wear, antioxidant and friction-modifier chemistry that a blender adds to base oil to reach a performance claim. Package treat rate is usually 8 to 18 percent for engine oils. Suppliers quote treat-rate cost rather than drum price, so formulators arrive with target specifications in hand.

4

ZDDP

Zinc dialkyldithiophosphate, the long-standing anti-wear and antioxidant additive used in engine oils, hydraulic oils and greases. It protects camshafts and valvetrains under boundary lubrication but contributes to phosphorus and sulphur limits in modern low-emission specifications, so formulators balance ZDDP against ashless anti-wear chemistry.

5

Viscosity index (VI) improver

A polymer, typically olefin copolymer or polymethacrylate, that resists thinning at high temperature and thickening at low temperature, letting one oil cover a multi-grade band such as 5W-30. VI improvers also affect shear stability and deposit tendency, which is why OEM approvals test both fresh and sheared oil.

6

SAE viscosity grade

The 0W-16 to 20W-50 naming system for engine oil and the 32 to 680 ISO VG naming for industrial oils. The W number describes low-temperature cranking and pumping behaviour, the second number describes kinematic viscosity at 100 C. Misunderstanding the pair is a common buyer error, and technical staff on the stands typically walk visitors through the temperature implications.

7

API service category

The American Petroleum Institute licence code for engine oil performance, for example API SP for spark-ignition engines and API CK-4 for heavy-duty diesel. An API licence can be verified in the online engine oil guide, and counterfeit or unlicensed claims are a recurring compliance topic for Indian blenders and distributors.

8

ACEA sequences

The European oil sequences (A/B for gasoline and light diesel, C for catalyst-compatible low SAPS, E for heavy-duty diesel) that many Indian OEMs reference alongside API. ACEA claims involve engine and bench testing rather than a simple additive package declaration, so blenders plan test slots months ahead of a launch.

9

OEM approval

A named specification issued by a vehicle or equipment maker, such as a Mercedes-Benz MB 229.xx, Volvo VDS or MAN M 3xx release, that a lubricant must hold to be used in warranty-covered or service-fill applications. Approvals are listed by the OEM and are frequently audit-checked, so exhibitors display approval letters and test reports on their stands.

10

Low SAPS

A formulation with reduced sulphated ash, phosphorus and sulphur, designed to protect diesel particulate filters and three-way catalysts. In India, Bharat Stage VI vehicles and after-treatment systems make low SAPS engine oils and low-ash gas engine oils a growing part of the blender product mix.

11

TBN (total base number)

A measure of an oil's reserve alkalinity, expressed in mg KOH per gram. High TBN helps neutralise acidic combustion by-products in gas engines and marine or heavy-duty diesel service, but excessive ash can foul spark plugs and after-treatment hardware. Buyers of gas engine oils compare TBN against the fuel sulphur and operating regime.

12

NLGI grade

The consistency classification for grease, from NLGI 000 semi-fluid to NLGI 6 block grease, measured by cone penetration. Most bearing and chassis greases sold in India sit at NLGI 2 or 3, while centralised lubrication systems often need NLGI 0 or 1.

13

Grease thickener system

The soap or non-soap structurant that holds base oil in a grease matrix, for example lithium 12-hydroxystearate, lithium complex, calcium sulfonate complex, polyurea or aluminium complex. Thickener choice governs dropping point, water resistance and high-temperature life, and mixing incompatible thickener systems in the field is a common maintenance failure discussed at technical counters.

14

Metalworking fluid (MWF)

Cutting, grinding, forming and quenching fluids used in machining operations, supplied either as neat (straight) oil or as a water-miscible concentrate diluted to an emulsion. Formulators balance cooling, lubricity, corrosion protection, tramp-oil rejection and microbial resistance, and Indian machine shops increasingly ask for boron- and formaldehyde-free options.

15

Re-refining

The process of reclaiming used lubricating oil into base oil through dehydration, vacuum distillation and hydrotreatment or clay finishing, removing metals, water and oxidation products. Re-refined base oil competes with virgin Group I and II stock, and the segment is driven by used-oil collection regulation, feedstock quality and the carbon intensity of the alternative.

16

Blending plant and homogeniser

The tank farm, dosing and inline or batch blending system that mixes base oil with additives, followed by homogenisation to stabilise the batch. Turnkey blending plants, automatic additive dosing skids and batch control software are core capital-equipment exhibits for mid-sized lube manufacturers setting up new capacity.

17

Filling line

The packaging end of a lube plant: drum, pail, jerrycan, pouch and bottle filling machines plus capping, labelling, checkweighing and palletising. Line speed, changeover time, drip-free filling and accuracy at 1 litre to 210 litre formats are the metrics buyers compare.

18

Oil analysis and condition monitoring

Laboratory and on-site testing of in-service oil for viscosity, water, wear metals, particle count and TBN/TAN, used to schedule drains and detect machine faults. Service laboratories and portable test-kit suppliers exhibit alongside test instrument makers, because fleet and plant buyers want a full sampling-to-report workflow.

19

Bench and rig tests (four-ball, FZG, SRV)

Standardised laboratory methods that screen wear, extreme-pressure and friction behaviour before engine or field trials. The four-ball wear and EP test, the FZG gear rig and SRV oscillation tests are commonly cited on technical data sheets and are the vocabulary buyers use when comparing formulations.

20

Bulk lubricant logistics

Bulk delivery of base oil and finished lubricant by tanker, ISO tank or flexitank into a plant tank farm, with quality retention, heating, metering and contamination control at each transfer. Buyers weigh bulk economics against packaging cost and the traceability demanded by OEM and API audits.