Lubrication Engineers Acquires SWEPCO
Lubrication Engineers (“LE”), a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of high-performance industrial lubricants and asset reliability solutions, today announced it has acquired Southwestern Petroleum Lubricants (“SWEPCO”), a leading developer and manufacturer of premium industrial greases and lubricating oils, from an affiliate of DalFort Capital Partners. This is Lubrication Engineers’ third acquisition in 2025.
Founded in 1933, SWEPCO offers a full line of specialty greases and lubricating oils for diversified industrial and food-grade applications. In addition to its flagship calcium sulfonate grease solutions, SWEPCO has a broad portfolio of branded and private label gear oils, industrial oils, engine oils, and other mission-critical lubricating products. Its products incorporate SWEPCO’s proprietary additives and are sold worldwide directly by SWEPCO as well as through its leading network of third-party distribution partners.
“SWEPCO’s highly engineered solutions, technological expertise, and leading manufacturing capabilities are highly complementary additions to LE,” said Eric Borland, CEO of Lubrication Engineers. “Like LE, SWEPCO has a 70-plus-year legacy of chemical innovation and commitment to asset reliability, and we are thrilled to work together to better serve our customers. LE is also pleased to now offer in-house calcium sulfonate grease manufacturing capabilities and further expand our global distribution footprint.”
“This partnership is a clear win for LE, SWEPCO and our respective end users, distribution partners, and suppliers,” added Craig Foster, CEO of SWEPCO. “LE’s long-standing leadership in industrial lubrication makes it the ideal steward to continue our legacy of innovation and excellence. We are excited to build on SWEPCO’s foundation to accelerate product innovation and enhance customer experience and equipment reliability.”
LE has been a portfolio company of Aurora Capital Partners since September 2023. During this time, LE has dramatically expanded its lubrication expertise with powerful new mineral, synthetic and sustainable product offerings.
About SWEPCO
Since its 1933 founding, SWEPCO has built a global reputation for engineering chemically superior lubrication solutions. Through its SWEPCO® brand, the company offers a comprehensive lineup of more than 100 formulations including greases, gear oils, engine oils, fuel improvers, hydraulic fluids, and industrial sprays – developed with proprietary additives such as Lubium® and Dimonyl® – to deliver unmatched extreme pressure and anti-wear performance. SWEPCO products are used by over 1,000 customers across 80 countries globally.
About Lubrication Engineers
Founded in 1951, Lubrication Engineers develops, manufactures and markets premium lubricants, which – together with its full line of reliability-enhancing solutions – are designed to extend equipment life, reduce energy consumption, and minimize maintenance costs. LE operates under an ISO 9001 Certified Quality System and services customers in more than 60 countries from its flagship 150,000-square-foot production facility in Wichita, Kansas. For more information, visit: www.LElubricants.com.
About Aurora Capital Partners
Aurora Capital Partners is a leading Los Angeles-based private equity firm with $6 billion in assets under management. Founded in 1991, the firm invests in middle-market companies with leading market positions, stable industry dynamics, attractive business model characteristics and actionable opportunities for growth in partnership with management. For more information about Aurora Capital Partners, visit: www.auroracap.com.