The story of Wolf: how a family-owned business revitalises the entire industry

Wolf has invested a lot in its branding in recent years. Do you see Wolf continue to invest in the brand in the future?

Yves Decat: “The role of branding is as important as ever to differentiate the Wolf brand from major actors in our industry. Although we are a comparatively small player, we have managed to build exceptionally strong foundations over a very short period of time. And we are particularly proud of that. 

I have no doubt that the majors of this industry are keeping a very close eye on the Wolf brand. I am convinced our brand has created a lot of disruption which many - if not all of these actors, didn’t anticipate. 

The thinking behind the brand positioning, the coherence of the approach, the differentiation it has established and the overall quality of the Wolf communication is really best in class. 

It’s what you would expect from a very large multinational corporation, not a comparatively small, family owned business. 

But that’s exactly the ingredient that has enabled the brand to be so disruptive; when you’re small you’re also lean and agile. You can take decisions quickly because you have a very small team at the helm with an extremely clear vision of where you want to go. That’s a definite advantage to many large actors. “

Building on the brand foundations

What has justified this change in tack and how do you see the Wolf brand evolving in the coming years?

Yves Decat: “What’s happened in recent years from a branding perspective is actually quite simple to explain. 

The first years of the brand’s development have been focused on establishing solid foundations for the future. These foundations are now in place, which gives us the opportunity to start building on them further. 

What that means is that we aren’t changing our brand positioning in the slightest way. Our aim is to build on this positioning by integrating all the fascinating developments and innovations that are happening in our field to make our promise and positioning all the more tangible. 

How trends in engines influence lubricants

As you know additive technologies have become increasingly sophisticated as engines become more efficient in the drive to cut-down on fuel consumption, reduce emissions, increase the longevity of engines and so forth. Developments in engine technology and lubricants actually go hand in hand. 

People don’t realize this, but there is as much innovation going on in our sector as there is in engine manufacturing. 

The average fleet owner or car driver isn’t aware how much impact the choice of a lubricant can have on the performance of an engine, and the potential savings that are associated to that. There’s a genuine education process that needs to happen to sensitize consumers to this reality. 

This is why we felt it was time to add a layer of depth to the Wolf communication by linking the theme of our brand platform, which is “Sustainable Mobility”, to the technologies that make this possible.”

And what exactly are these technologies?

Yves Decat: “The additive suppliers we work with give us access to the latest additive technologies. This means that from an objective technical point of view, Wolf lubricants are as good as they can get. 

This is confirmed in that all our lubricants meet the most stringent standards, and notably those established by world-class car manufacturers. And we all know how stringent these are. 

In touch with our customers’ needs

One advantage we have thanks to the lasting relationships with our additive partners, is that we regularly sit around the table to discuss our particular needs and those of our customers. 

These are very exciting developments for us as our product range will increasingly deliver on our commitment to achieve more sustainable forms of mobility. I don’t believe there are many actors in our field that are as dedicated as we are to play an active role in this ambitious objective. 

One of the fascinating evolutions we are actively investing in and supporting is the development of cutting-edge multifactor additive formulas. 

The huge impact of multifactor formulas

In the past, a class of lubricants would perform particularly well in a specific area such as keeping engines clean for example, by reducing the level of deposits. But today these multifactor formulas can really impact the efficiency of a lubricant on many different levels at the same time. 

It’s a bit far-fetched, but you could compare it to a multi-component vaccine that acts against several illnesses in one shot. 

This development is the result of the exponential speed at which new and cleaner engine technologies are being developed. 

Like more compact turbocharged direct injection engines, the standardization of automatic transmissions, improved ‘start-stop’ systems or the introduction of gasoline particulate filters. 

All these developments are putting greater strain on the longevity and lifespan of lubricants. And with the growing environmental concerns, the drive to cut CO2 emissions and the need to solve the many challenges of our future mobility, this new multifactor approach is really spearheading innovation in our sector. 

Introducing Oil Serums

In fact, Wolf is the first brand in the industry to formulate a leading-edge range of lubricants incorporating ‘Oil Serums'. These concentrated multifactor formulas help lubricants maintain their fluidity and properties longer. 

Our MultiFactor Oil Serums play a role in rejuvenating and revitalizing engines, and ensure the lubricants they rely on perform efficiently over more sustained periods. These serums improve fuel economy, lower emissions, and ensure engines remain cleaner by helping to reduce deposits. 

They also cut down wear and help extend service intervals. 

These important messages needed to be conveyed to our partners in the field, but also to end-consumers. We really saw it as an opportunity to add an extra layer to the strong branding we have established in recent years, and to add more tangible arguments to a positioning we are fully committed to in the future. 

Wolf has always been on top of the latest innovations and technologies in engine development and the field of mobility. This is why Wolf is committed to developing and formulating groundbreaking lubricants that can step-up the efficiency and protection of future engines. 

Our cutting-edge MultiFactor Oil Serums meet the latest norms and technical requirements. They also meet stringent environmental imperatives which is how they contribute to more sustainable forms of mobility. This is precisely what we have wanted to reflect in the latest evolution of our brand.”

Summary:

• Although we are a comparatively small player, we have managed to build exceptionally strong foundations over a very short period of time.
• Our aim is to build on our positioning by integrating all the fascinating developments and innovations that are happening in our field.
• We are adding a layer of depth to our communication by linking the theme of our brand platform to the technologies that make this possible.
• One of the fascinating evolutions we are actively investing in is the development of cutting-edge multifactor additive formulas such as ‘Oil serums’.