The figures above are based primarily on LIQUI MOLY’s current corporate information.

The name comes directly from the company’s original technology. “LIQUI” refers to the liquid form of the additive, while “MOLY” refers to molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), a solid lubricant. The original LIQUI MOLY product was an oil additive containing molybdenum disulfide.

Molybdenum disulfide is notable for its lubricating properties and ability to reduce friction and wear under certain conditions. This technology became the foundation of the company when it was established in 1957.

1957: Foundation

LIQUI MOLY was founded in Ulm, Germany, in 1957 by Hans Henle. Henle acquired the rights to the LIQUI MOLY name and a patent concerning an oil additive based on molybdenum disulfide. The company’s first products were automotive additives using this technology.

The original product concept was particularly associated with protecting engines under conditions of severe lubrication stress. The initial product range included:

• Oil additives
• Gear-oil additives
• Multipurpose grease
• Assembly paste

1970s: Expansion beyond additives

During the early 1970s, LIQUI MOLY began expanding outside Germany, initially reaching markets such as Austria, Switzerland, Hungary and Yugoslavia. It also began developing fuel additives and other automotive products.

A major turning point came toward the end of the decade when LIQUI MOLY entered the motor-oil business. This transformed the company from primarily an additive specialist into a broader lubricant manufacturer. The company’s recognizable blue, white and red corporate colors also emerged around this period.

1978: In-house production

In 1978, LIQUI MOLY made a major strategic decision to manufacture its own additives. The company moved its headquarters and production operations from central Ulm to Ulm-Lehr, where its manufacturing activities remain based. This emphasis on controlling production and product quality became an important part of the company’s later identity.

1980s: Building the modern brand

LIQUI MOLY expanded its lubricant portfolio and strengthened its position in Germany. In 1982, it entered Formula 1 sponsorship through the ATS team, marking an early connection between the brand and international motorsport.

In 1986, LIQUI MOLY introduced additional customer-oriented services around oil changes, including used-oil collection and workshop equipment concepts. In 1987, the company introduced its distinctive motor-oil container design. The recognizable canister subsequently became an important element of the LIQUI MOLY visual identity.

In the early 1990s, LIQUI MOLY began cooperating with Meguin, a lubricant producer based in Saarland, Germany. In 2006, Meguin became a 100% subsidiary of LIQUI MOLY.

Meguin provided LIQUI MOLY with additional manufacturing capabilities and helped support the company’s growth in lubricants and chemical products. In 2026, Meguin GmbH & Co. KG Mineralölwerke was renamed LIQUI MOLY Produktions GmbH & Co. KG. The company described this as a change of corporate name rather than a change in ownership.

One of the most influential figures in LIQUI MOLY’s modern history was Ernst Prost. Prost joined the company in 1990 in marketing and sales. Between 1996 and 1998, he acquired all LIQUI MOLY shares from the founding Henle family and became managing shareholder.

Under Prost’s leadership, LIQUI MOLY pursued aggressive expansion, marketing and internationalization. The company increasingly positioned itself not simply as an oil manufacturer but as a complete automotive-chemicals supplier.

A major corporate milestone occurred in 2018. Ernst Prost sold his shares in LIQUI MOLY to the Würth Group, bringing LIQUI MOLY under Würth ownership. The stated objective was to secure the long-term future of LIQUI MOLY and Meguin while allowing the company to continue operating with considerable independence.45

This distinction remains relevant today: LIQUI MOLY is a German brand and company, but it is not an independent family-owned company; it belongs to the Würth Group. The Würth Group is a much larger German multinational group whose businesses include fastening technology, assembly products and related industrial products and services.

LIQUI MOLY’s international growth accelerated particularly from the 2000s onward. The company established subsidiaries in markets including South Africa, Portugal/Spain, United States, Italy, France, Australia, United Kingdom, Austria, and Switzerland. Its products are now distributed in more than 150 countries.3

The company has evolved from a German lubricant manufacturer into a genuinely international automotive-chemicals brand.

LIQUI MOLY’s product portfolio is unusually broad for a lubricant company. The company describes itself as one of the world’s few automotive-chemicals suppliers offering a full range of more than 4,000 products.

Motor oils

Motor oil remains one of the company’s most important product categories. LIQUI MOLY produces oils for passenger cars, diesel engines, gasoline engines, motorcycles, commercial vehicles, classic cars, heavy-duty vehicles, agricultural equipment, construction machinery, and other specialized applications. Different products are formulated to meet particular viscosity requirements and manufacturer specifications.

Additives

Additives are arguably the product category most closely associated with LIQUI MOLY’s heritage. The company offers additives for engine oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, cooling systems, fuel injection systems, transmission systems, and other automotive applications. The original molybdenum-disulfide oil additive remains part of the company’s modern product portfolio in updated form.

Transmission and gear oils

The range includes manual-transmission oils, automatic-transmission fluids, gear oils, differential oils, and hydraulic fluids. These products are designed for different vehicle and mechanical applications.

Greases and pastes

LIQUI MOLY manufactures numerous specialized lubricating products, including greases, assembly pastes, copper-containing pastes, ceramic products, high-temperature lubricants, and specialty workshop lubricants.

Car-care products

The company has expanded heavily into vehicle appearance and maintenance. Examples include interior cleaners, exterior cleaners, glass cleaners, polishes, wax products, cockpit-care products, wheel cleaners, and detailing products.

Workshop products

LIQUI MOLY also sells products aimed at professional workshops, including cleaning chemicals, repair products, sealants, adhesives, service products, and workshop equipment and solutions. This means that LIQUI MOLY’s business model extends beyond simply selling oil in bottles.

One of LIQUI MOLY’s strongest brand messages is “Made in Germany.” Historically, the company’s motor oils and additives were produced in Germany, with manufacturing and R&D centered around its German facilities. LIQUI MOLY states that it develops its motor oils and additives in Germany and emphasizes German research, formulation and quality control.4

However, there is an important recent development regarding regional production.

Thailand production

In 2025, LIQUI MOLY announced local production of certain motor oils in Thailand for Asian markets. This was significant because the company had historically emphasized German production. The Thai operation was introduced primarily to shorten supply chains and respond more quickly to demand in Asia. LIQUI MOLY says the locally produced oils use the same recipes and raw-material requirements intended to maintain the company’s quality standards.5

In April 2026, LIQUI MOLY Thailand officially introduced its locally produced T-Series motor oils for cars and motorcycles to the market.

So today, it is more accurate to say: LIQUI MOLY is a German brand with German R&D and major German production, while selected products are increasingly manufactured regionally for specific markets.

Research and development is central to LIQUI MOLY’s positioning. The company operates an in-house laboratory in Germany and develops lubricants and automotive chemical products for specific technical requirements.

Modern lubricant development is much more complicated than simply producing “oil.” A modern engine oil must balance properties such as wear protection, oxidation stability, viscosity behavior, fuel efficiency, deposit control, cold-start performance, high-temperature stability, compatibility with emission-control systems, and compatibility with seals and engine components.

LIQUI MOLY therefore markets itself as a technical automotive-chemicals company, rather than simply an oil brand.

Motorsport is one of LIQUI MOLY’s most recognizable marketing strategies. The relationship dates back decades, with the company entering Formula 1 sponsorship as early as 1982.

Today, its motorsport activities include major international series.

Formula 1

LIQUI MOLY has been involved with Formula 1 in different forms for many years. It became an official sponsor in 2019 and an Official Partner of Formula 1 from the 2023 season. Its current agreement runs through the end of the 2026 season.

MotoGP

LIQUI MOLY has an especially strong presence in motorcycle racing. Its MotoGP involvement includes series sponsorship of MotoGP, title sponsorship of the LIQUI MOLY MotoGP event at Sachsenring, and sponsorship of the LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP team in Moto2 and Moto3. The company also uses racing as a development environment for motorcycle products.

Other racing

LIQUI MOLY is also involved with racing series including DTM, MXGP, FIA European Truck Racing Championship, IMSA, British Touring Car Championship, Canadian Superbike Championship, and other regional motorsport competitions.

This motorsport strategy gives LIQUI MOLY both brand visibility and a way of associating its products with extreme mechanical conditions.

LIQUI MOLY has one of the more recognizable visual identities in the lubricant industry. Its classic packaging uses blue, white, and red combined with the distinctive LIQUI MOLY logo and metal-style oil canister design.

The company has deliberately maintained a strong visual connection between its products, motorsport sponsorship and German industrial identity. Its marketing is also strongly focused on automotive enthusiasts rather than presenting itself solely as an industrial chemical manufacturer.

The company’s current brand positioning uses the slogan: “FOR THE DRIVERS.” LIQUI MOLY describes its brand around performance, quality, reliability, mobility and enthusiasm for driving.

LIQUI MOLY’s stated corporate values include:

Excellence

The company emphasizes quality, innovation, precision and solutions.

Integrity

It emphasizes reliability, honesty and keeping commitments.

Respect

The company promotes trust, equality and cooperation among its employees and partners.

A particularly revealing statement from managing director Günter Hiermaier is: “We want to be the best, not the cheapest.” That summarizes LIQUI MOLY’s premium positioning in the lubricant market.

LIQUI MOLY experienced substantial growth over the last several decades. Some notable milestones include:

• 2017: Monthly sales exceeded €50 million for the first time.
• 2017: The LIQUI MOLY group reached more than 800 employees.
• 2021: The company passed 1,000 employees.
• 2024: Annual sales exceeded €1 billion for the first time.
• 2025: Sales increased by approximately 8%, with approximately two-thirds of sales generated outside Germany.3

The company’s current corporate figures list approximately €1 billion turnover and 1,200 employees as of December 31, 2025.

As of 2026, the company’s management consists of Günter Hiermaier, Dr. Uli Weller, and Salvatore Coniglio. They form the current three-person management leadership team.

Günter Hiermaier has been associated with LIQUI MOLY since 1990 and became the company’s sole managing director following Ernst Prost’s retirement in 2022. Dr. Uli Weller joined the management structure in 2023, while Salvatore Coniglio was added in 2024.

The relationship with Würth is important when understanding the company today. LIQUI MOLY remains a distinct brand and operating company, but its ownership provides the company with the financial and organizational backing of the larger Würth Group.

This combination gives LIQUI MOLY something of a hybrid identity: German specialist brand plus global corporate group. That has allowed LIQUI MOLY to maintain a strong specialist/entrepreneurial brand identity while benefiting from the resources of a much larger organization.

LIQUI MOLY competes in a highly competitive global lubricant market against companies such as Shell, Mobil, Castrol, TotalEnergies, Motul, Valvoline, Ravenol, Fuchs, Petronas, Gulf, and Rowe.

Its differentiation is not primarily based on being the cheapest oil. Instead, LIQUI MOLY combines German engineering, broad product range, additives expertise, motorsport marketing, workshop support, and strong brand recognition. This has helped it establish a particularly strong reputation among automotive enthusiasts and professional workshops.

There are several reasons the brand has become so recognizable:

1. Distinctive packaging: The blue/red/white branding and unusual oil containers are instantly recognizable.
2. Additive expertise: Unlike some major lubricant companies that are primarily known for engine oils, LIQUI MOLY has historically built its identity around additives and automotive chemicals.
3. Motorsport: Its extensive presence in Formula 1, MotoGP and other racing series gives the brand enormous visibility.
4. German positioning: “Made in Germany” has historically been an important part of the company’s premium image.
5. Huge product range: With more than 4,000 products, LIQUI MOLY can serve not only ordinary passenger cars but also motorcycles, trucks, classic cars, boats, bicycles, agricultural machinery, construction equipment and industrial applications.
6. Workshop relationships: The company sells not only products but also technical support, training, equipment and service concepts to professional workshops.

Thailand is becoming particularly important to LIQUI MOLY’s Asian strategy. In 2025, the company started local motor-oil production in Thailand, primarily to supply Asian markets more efficiently. The company specifically cited the size of the Asian automotive and motorcycle market and the need to reduce long-distance supply chains.

In 2026, LIQUI MOLY Thailand introduced its locally produced T-Series oils for Asian cars and motorcycles, with a major dealer event in Bangkok attended by approximately 600 guests.

This suggests that Thailand is not simply a sales market for LIQUI MOLY anymore; it is becoming part of the company’s regional manufacturing and distribution strategy.

LIQUI MOLY has increasingly emphasized reducing unnecessary transport and improving resource efficiency. The decision to manufacture selected oils in Thailand is one example. The company argues that regional manufacturing can reduce long-distance ocean transportation and therefore reduce associated emissions.

Historically, the company also introduced reusable oil-container concepts for workshops, which reduced the amount of disposable packaging generated by professional oil changes. The company has additionally developed products using renewable raw materials and other specialized formulations.

A useful way to understand LIQUI MOLY is to think of it as three businesses combined:

1. Lubricant company: It develops and sells engine oils, transmission fluids, hydraulic oils and greases.
2. Automotive-chemical company: It produces additives, cleaners, sprays, sealants, maintenance chemicals and specialty products.
3. Automotive service brand: It supports workshops with technical advice, training, equipment, service concepts and marketing.

That combination is one of the reasons LIQUI MOLY has been able to build such a broad product ecosystem.

As of 2026, LIQUI MOLY can be summarized as follows:

A German automotive-chemicals company founded in 1957, headquartered in Ulm, owned by the Würth Group, and internationally recognized for motor oils, additives and automotive maintenance products.

It has:

• 4,000+ products
• 150+ countries of availability
• ~1,200 employees
• ~€1 billion annual turnover
• Major production operations in Germany
• Growing regional production, including Thailand
• A major international motorsport presence
• A broad network of subsidiaries and distributors
• A strong premium German-brand identity

1. General press information | LIQUI MOLY
2. About us | LIQUI MOLY
3. LIQUI MOLY closes financial year 2024 with record sales of one billion euros – IAAF
4. Würth Group takes over lubricant specialist Liqui Moly
5. Würth-Gruppe übernimmt Schmierstoffspezialisten Liqui Moly