39 www.drivesncontrols.com January 2026 GEARS AND GEARBOXES n Unit 3B, Lythalls Lane Industrial Estate, Lythalls Lane, Coventry CV6 6FL UNITED KINGDOM T. +44 2476 30 7722 | E. sales@andantex.co.uk www.andantex.co.uk Biomass lubricant takes off at London Gatwick London Gatwick has become the first airport to upgrade to a sustainable biomass lubricant which is helping to reduce its carbon emissions, extend the service lives of its mechanical drives and increase its efficiency. The airport handles almost 12 million bags every year, transporting them on a baggage-handling system that spans a total length of almost 13km, across its 674-hectare site. The upgrade is in line with its aim of becoming Europe’s most sustainable airport. The baggage-handling system is powered by more than 3,000 gearboxes and motors supplied by SEW-Eurodrive, which has been working with the airport for around 15 years. Under a new contract, SEW will upgrade the equipment to its GearFluid lubricant, with each Movigear geared motor needing about one litre of the fluid. “We are working to make sustainability part of everything we do at London Gatwick,” explains Stevie Summers, senior engineering manager at the airport. “We’re proud to be one of the first to roll out GearFluid, and we’re looking forward to seeing the benefits over the next few years as we implement our Decade of Change, where we are working to be net-zero for our own emissions (Scope 1 and 2) by 2030.” According to Piers Todd, area sales manager at SEW-Eurodrive UK, the biomass lubricant “has been developed to reduce friction and wear, extending the service life of the gears. Compared to conventional biodegradable oils, GearFluid extends the interval between lubricant changes by up to 300%, massively reducing cost, down time and environmental impact.” SEW is rolling out the lubricant as standard for its Movigear range. Other SEW customers will be transitioned to the lubricant as their gearboxes are replaced or serviced. London Gatwick is the first to switch fully, in an effort to help meet its sustainability goals. London Gatwick is retrofitting sustainable gear fluid across its baggage operation
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