Fuel Ox LLC, a maker of next-generation fuel additives and lubricants that help industrial fleet operators improve the sustainability of their equipment and operations, announced it has named Harold “Howie” Damron as head lubrication specialist. In this role, he will lead the continued innovation, product development, testing and expansion of Fuel Ox Infinity Lube as part of a comprehensive suite of industrial sustainability solutions that increase equipment longevity and fuel efficiency while reducing greenhouse gases and other harmful emissions.
Damron, who brings to the Fuel Ox management team more than 30 years of experience as a tribology consultant, is the inventor of Fuel Ox’s Infinity Lube, the company’s newest product in a line of sustainability-focused solutions, which improves friction performance and substantially extends the life of heavy equipment and machinery.
“Howie’s creation, Infinity Lube, is a disruptive technological breakthrough that can save heavy equipment operators millions of dollars, and we are proud to offer it along with Fuel Ox’s family of fuel additives as part of a total sustainability solution,” said Rand Taylor, co-founder and CEO of Fuel Ox LLC. “But now, having Howie himself as part of our team means we have a level of expertise that delivers extraordinary value and insights to our customers while helping to accelerate the expansion of Fuel Ox into new markets in the U.S. and around the world. We couldn’t be more pleased to have him join us on this journey.”
Damron’s experience includes working on industrial project sites and in materials and surface friction testing labs to help companies operating some of the world’s heaviest machinery solve performance and wear challenges that cannot be addressed with conventional lubrication. Following an early career as a maintenance director for a large, Ohio-based coal mining excavator, Damron later served on a team responsible for maintaining NASA’s crawler-transporter for the mobile launcher platform and space shuttle.
Inspired by early experience in blade smithing and forging, as well as ongoing tribological research and education, Damron worked to identify solutions to wear and tear and fretting of metal services that cause machine degradation and failure. This led to his formulating, testing, perfecting and patenting a proprietary blend of natural botanicals and essential oils that went beyond traditional lubrication to condition metal friction points through the process of carbonitriding.
Drawing from the heat generated by friction, carbonitriding diffuses carbon and nitrogen into metal to create a smooth, super-hard protective alloy surface that reduces friction, lowers operating temperatures and substantially decreases wear and tear of vital machine components while improving operational efficiency and sustainability. The formulation, HDI-2500, became the active ingredient in Fuel Ox Infinity Lube which was introduced last month in liquid, spray and grease formats.