German lubricant supplier Addinol sees Russian profits soar thanks to its products’ critical importance for defense enterprises

Addinol, a German manufacturer of lubricants and coolants for machine tools, continues to operate in Russia, supplying its products to a range of government-affiliated entities, including law enforcement agencies, The Insider discovered. Orders for Addinol coolants have been listed in Russia’s public procurement system at least 19 times since March 2023. Among the buyers are entities of the Prosecutor's Office, the Federal Penitentiary Service, the Ground Space Infrastructure Facilities Operation Center JSC, and an organization in occupied Crimea.

Advertisements in Russia for Addinol coolant lubricants refer to Russian-based Addinol LLC as “the representative office of Addinol Lube Oil GmbH on the territory of the Russian Federation.”

The Insider examined government procurement data from before 2022 — when military procurement orders were not yet classified — and discovered that Addinol products had been in high demand from a range of defense enterprises, including the V. V. Chernyshev Moscow Machine-Building Enterprise JSC (part of the United Engine Corporation) and the Central Design Bureau of Automation JSC, which manufactures missile homing heads.

The Estonian entity of the Addinol Group (a subsidiary of the German Addinol Lube Oil GmbH) continues to own 50% of Russia's Addinol LLC. In addition, Alexander Tiblen, CEO of Addinol LLC, owns entities whose names indicate a connection with the German parent company: Addinol Moscow and Addinol SPb.

The net profits of Addinol's Russian subsidiary have grown more than fivefold since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine (when compared to 2021 levels). In the first six weeks of 2025 alone, Russia imported $1.5 million worth of Addinol products. In 2024, such imports totaled $7.5 million. The leading importers are St. Petersburg-based Industrioil LLC and Prom Oil Service LLC (the latter of which is owned by the aforementioned Alexander Tiblen). The suppliers were Turkey's Mix Oto Parcalari and Germany's Badico Trading GmbH.

Lubricating and cooling fluids are indispensable for metal processing on high-precision modern metalworking machines. They prevent tool overheating, ensure machining accuracy, and maintain the cleanliness of the processed surface.

The Insider has submitted an inquiry to Germany's Addinol Lube Oil GmbH.