NYCO had plenty to announce at the 55th edition of the Paris Air Show. The French specialist in aeronautical lubricants is now present on a wide range of military and civil aircraft and helicopters worldwide, whether through its engine oils, hydraulic fluids, or greases. This list of aircraft is expected to grow even further. With the expansion of air transport, rising defense budgets, sovereignty concerns, and the development of future civil and military programs in the coming decades, NYCO has a busy road ahead. But the French group is also looking further ahead, envisioning new avenues for growth.
Turbonycoil® 600 synthetic turbine oil celebrates its 40th anniversary
Qualified in April 1985 to meet the needs of the U.S. Navy, NYCO’s flagship product has proven itself in both military and civil aviation. Its adoption by airlines came later, due to the more restrictive qualification and certification processes in the civil sector. Today, Turbonycoil® 600 is used by more than 70 air forces and has been contracted by over 110 airlines worldwide, including major operators such as Air France, EasyJet, and Transavia.
Although NYCO was founded in 1929 as a specialist in synthetic esters, its involvement in the aeronautics sector dates back to the late 1950s, driven by France’s desire for independence in lubricant supply. The company began supplying turbine oils to the French Air Force with its initial qualification on the Mirage III ATAR engine. In the 1970s, it expanded to include qualifications for Soviet and American aircraft.
Turbonycoil® 600, the most widely used grade in both civil and military aviation, is recognized for its operational efficiency and versatility. It can be used across a wide range of aircraft, offering a major advantage to airlines seeking high commonality in consumables, such as using a single oil across their entire fleet. The product is compatible with many engines (CFM, GE Aviation, Pratt & Whitney) and auxiliary power units (APUs).
Pedro Dasi, NYCO’s Director of Civil Aviation, notes that Turbonycoil® 600 entered commercial aviation later, with its first application on the Airbus A320 in 2003. “With the military specification, we could access many markets directly. But in civil aviation, our products must be qualified by each OEM, which takes more time,” he explains.
In the military sector, this synthetic turbine oil is used on European combat aircraft, transport aircraft, and pilot training platforms. “Once we have the military specification, we can access more markets because we don’t necessarily need to be listed in every aircraft manufacturer’s manual. They refer to the military specification,” explains Sébastien Garcia, Director of Defense & AGT at NYCO.
Aeroderivative turbines, another strong area of development for NYCO
Aeroderivative gas turbines (AGTs) represent another key growth area for NYCO, particularly for Turbonycoil® 600. This market is closely tied to the oil and gas sector and the broader energy industry, with aeronautical engine derivatives installed on offshore platforms for continuous power generation, as backup systems, or in power plants to manage peak demand. These engines require the same qualifications and, therefore, the same type of lubricants, which opens up significant opportunities for NYCO beyond civil and military aviation.
“We are not directly visible in this market, as we have established partnerships with national oil companies in countries like France, Brazil, and Malaysia. They sell our products under their own brands,” says Garcia. “Working with major players in this sector is a source of growth and development for us,” he adds.
NYCO recently opened a new production facility in Newnan, near Atlanta, Georgia, to better serve the North American market. “Our goal is to better serve customers worldwide and ensure global availability of our products,” Garcia explains. While NYCO operates several production centers globally, its main facility remains in Tournai, Belgium, which opened in 1997. The company has also been active in India for over 30 years through a joint venture with Indian Oil and Balmer Lawrie, primarily serving the Indian military market.
“We are expanding internationally and plan to regionalize certain operations to be more efficient and closer to our customers,” Garcia says. “This also provides a continuity plan in case of unforeseen events at industrial sites.”
Added to this are the logistics challenges that have been a particular concern for NYCO products in commercial aviation for over a decade, given the inherently international nature of operations. “For airlines, oil is the second most important consumable after fuel. Therefore, it must be available everywhere,” Dasi emphasizes. “We rely on our subsidiaries to deploy NYCO products globally, and we also have a robust distribution network,” he adds.
New civil and military engines on the horizon
NYCO, a leader in high-performance lubricants and synthetic esters, closely monitors the evolution of civil and military fleets. But it also anticipates regulatory changes and the emergence of new platforms in the coming decades. Its R&D laboratory in Neuville-sur-Oise, near Paris, is central to developing new technologies and products. NYCO is actively working on reducing carbon footprint and environmental impact, improving product performance, and refining production processes for future products.
“We must support existing equipment – Mirage aircraft still fly worldwide using Turbonycoil 13B, developed in the late 1950s – but we also need to prepare for future systems and qualifications. That’s part of NYCO’s DNA,” Garcia explains. The arrival of new platforms such as Europe’s SCAF program, other military initiatives in North America, and the future single-aisle aircraft to succeed the A320neo family will be key topics for NYCO in the years ahead. “These will be challenges for us, and we are already in contact with the relevant teams,” he adds.
“These engines will be hotter and more compact, with lower oil consumption,” Dasi notes. “We believe a technological leap will be made at some point. That’s why we aim to be integrated with OEMs from the start of the project. We can contribute our expertise in chemistry; we are specialists in high-performance synthetic lubricants for aviation,” he concludes.
NYCO’s aerospace leadership is fully aligned. Maintaining its leading position in synthetic lubricant supply across both civil and military sectors will require innovation, reinvention, diversification, and the pursuit of new growth drivers. In short, the French aerospace lubricant specialist is steadily expanding its global footprint…
