Customer Challenge
Company Overview: A leading U.S. automotive manufacturer implemented WD-40 Specialist® products across its molding, shearing, and assembly operations to reduce downtime, streamline maintenance routines, and standardize its preventative maintenance practices. By aligning with WD-40 Company’s four functions of Preventative Maintenance—Prep It. Clean It. Lube It. Protect It.—the company’s maintenance team reportedly achieved measurable improvements in labor efficiency, product utilization, and overall equipment reliability.
The Challenge: According to the company, maintenance teams were spending excessive time re-applying products and waiting for penetrants to take effect. Cleaning and lubrication tasks required multiple products from various suppliers, creating inconsistency and waste. Previously-used products delivered uneven results—causing longer dwell times, higher consumption, and more frequent equipment touchpoints. The maintenance team’s proactive approach was to find a cohesive product portfolio that would simplify preventative maintenance, reduce cost of ownership, and improve process efficiency.
WD-40® Brand Solution
Customer-Reported Results
The Solution: We supplied the company with complimentary samples for joint testing with maintenance and engineering teams by replacing multiple existing cleaning and lubricating products with WD-40 Specialist® products aligned to the four pillars of Preventative Maintenance. Based on an interview with the Maintenance Lead, the company reported the following results:
PREP IT
WD-40 Specialist Industrial-Strength Degreaser
- Cut cleaning time in half for molds, presses, and refurbished components—from 2 hours to 1 hour per cycle. $5,040 annual labor savings.
- Reduced wait time per application by 50% resulting in $2,520 labor savings annually. Used on pins, mold cylinders, and rusted fasteners.
.
CLEAN IT
WD-40 Specialist Electric Contact Cleaner
- $1,548 direct product cost savings. Delivers no-residue finish for electronics, sensitive components, and general cleaning.
PROTECT IT
- Provided smoother motion and cleaner operation on cylinder shafts and roller bearings, reducing unplanned maintenance.
