When consumers purchase a bottle of Kixx lubricant, they know they are getting a precisely engineered product with trustworthy quality. But how much time and effort goes into bringing such a product to market? 

Kixx’s lubricant technology, now recognized not only in Korea but across the globe, wasn’t built in a day. It was forged through dozens of ingredient reviews, hundreds of laboratory experiments, and the analysis of thousands of data points. Behind it all is the unwavering dedication of researchers who dig deep—even down to the smallest decimal. Their relentless pursuit of precision is what brings Kixx’s high-quality, high-performance lubricants to life. 

The third installment of My Kixx Story features Rae Wook Cho, a researcher who digs tirelessly into every detail until he finds the perfect solution.  

 

What kind of work do you do on the Finished Lubricants R&D Team? 

“I’ve been involved in the development of a wide range of products, from automotive lubricants such as Kixx HYBRID—specifically designed for hybrid vehicles—and EV battery coolants to industrial lubricants like immersion cooling fluids for data centers. Currently, I’m managing the engine oil portfolio.” 

After earning a degree in chemical engineering, Rae Wook began his career at GS Caltex, gaining experience across various departments including polymer planning, sales and lubricant business operations. Now in his ninth year at the GS Caltex R&D Center in Daejeon, Korea, he is actively involved in the development of a wide range of lubricant technologies. Rae Wook brings a hands-on experience spanning from business operations to R&D, which serves as the foundation for his deep understanding of the division’s dynamics. It also plays a key role in bridging technology and industry with a broad, strategic perspective. 

The Finished Lubricants R&D Team, where Rae Wook takes on a key role in pushing technological boundaries, is responsible for identifying the optimal combination of raw materials and refining the formulations through repeated testing and performance evaluations to meet customer performance requirements and market demands. 

“Before any specific development on a project begins, the Finished Lubricants Technical Solution Team analyzes market and technology trends to set the initial development direction,” Rae Wook explained. “Then, the Finished Lubricants R&D Team designs technical solutions to realize those goals.” 

 

Please explain the process of turning the product development goals of Kixx into reality. 

Rae Wook explains that one of the main roles of the Finished Lubricants R&D Team is to evaluate raw materials in line with the target material properties and to identify the optimal formulation, taking into account functionality, cost, and supply stability. 

“When we try out various combinations to achieve the target material properties, we often run into trade-offs. For example, improving A might worsen B, or vice versa,” Rae Wook noted. “Sometimes, this process leads us to conclude that the raw materials we initially chose are no longer suitable, and we have to go back to square one.” 

The technological development process is complex and multi-dimensional. To achieve target performance, the team first defines the overall development direction and scope—such as reviewing raw materials and setting the range of material property combinations. Then, within that framework, they meticulously compare and evaluate the intricate details, such as the correlations between, and effects of, different raw material combinations, changes in material properties, and costs in order to find the perfect material formulation. In other words, it’s a continuous process that requires both a wide perspective to see “the forest” and a close-up view to examine the “trees.” 

 

From a technological development perspective, what do you consider the most important factor? 

“There are many factors to consider when trying to meet the performance standards required by the equipment, but I believe the accuracy of experimental data is especially important,” Rae Wook stated. “If the earlier experimental results, which serve as the foundation, are inaccurate, it becomes difficult to identify correlations with subsequent outcomes, and the entire direction of development can go off track. Even if we eventually reach the goal after a long detour, it results in a significant waste of resources.” 

Rae Wook explains that in order to produce accurate data, a number of factors must be taken into account, such as the condition of the testing equipment, the operator’s proficiency with the tools, and the overall experimental environment. 

“As we continue testing, there are times when we get results that are hard to understand. In those cases, we have to trace everything back step by step to find the cause. Whether it’s an equipment error, a discrepancy in the amount dispensed by the pipette, or a variation in the raw materials—we have to keep all possibilities open and carefully examine each one.” 

 

We’re curious about the procedures or tests that are carried out during the development process. 

Kixx offers a diverse range of lubricant products and is continuously expanding its portfolio. Since each lubricant is used in different types of equipment and components with varying requirements, the types of performance tests conducted are equally varied. Among them, Rae Wook notes that tests for some performance factors are conducted most frequently. 

“One of the most well-known properties of lubricants is viscosity. To measure it, we conduct a viscosity test, which involves dropping the liquid and measuring the speed at which it flows,” Rae Wook explained. “There are also low- and high-temperature tests to assess whether the product maintains its lubricating performance under extreme temperature conditions, such as minus 30 to 40 degrees Celsius.” 

“We also conduct wear resistance tests to evaluate how well the lubricant protects the surface of components that are continuously subject to friction,” Rae Wook continued. “There’s the oxidation stability test as well, which measures how much the lubricant degrades over time, and the anti-foaming test, which assesses how effectively the lubricant suppresses foam that could interfere with equipment operation. And those are just a few examples—there are many more. Our lab is equipped with hundreds of testing instruments.” 

Rae Wook explains that a product’s quality can only be fully verified after it undergoes both laboratory and bench tests in a controlled environment, as well as field tests using actual equipment. However, he also notes that it is not always possible to follow the full process. 

 

Are there cases in which it is difficult to carry out development according to the established procedures? 

The lubricants industry is currently undergoing significant change. As a leading brand in Korea’s lubricants market, Kixx is quick to identify emerging needs and to develop advanced technologies to meet them. However, for some of the newly developed product lines with no precedents, the required performance specifications are not always clearly defined. 

“As technology advances, the requirements placed on lubricants are becoming increasingly complex. One project that stands out in my memory is the development of immersion cooling fluid,” Rae Wook commented. “Since it was a brand-new product rather than an off-the-shelf solution, we had no established standards to work from. I also recall that each client had different requirements, which made the process even more challenging.” 

 

How do you respond to situations like that? 

“We start by forming hypotheses about the operating conditions and consulting theoretical papers to develop multiple candidate formulations for each case,” Rae Wook explained. “Alongside lab-based material property evaluations, we also test the formulations in real customer environments, repeating the process of identifying and resolving issues. Communication with related departments within the company and maintaining close collaboration with our clients is therefore a crucial part of the process.” 

Rae Wook emphasizes that developing a product that hadn’t existed in the world means working in a space in which no one has the answers, and where close collaboration among various stakeholders is essential. The process involves seamless cooperation between the Finished Lubricants Technology Solution Team, which analyzes market trends and sets clear objectives; the Sales Team, which listens closely to customers and communicates their needs and feedback; and the Production Team, which brings the developed formulations into actual production. This collaborative effort is what truly drives the successful creation of a new product. 

“Lubricants aren’t developed by a single team alone. We need to understand market needs and identify potential customers who will actually use our products with people holding different roles and responsibilities across departments working together,” Rae Wook clarified. “In the case of immersion cooling fluids, I believe the role of Woo Kyoon Shin was especially important. He reached out directly to companies across a wide range of industries, from construction to IT, that rely on data centers and successfully brought in new clients. I’d like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude.” 

 

Could you share an example of Kixx’s initiative aimed at strengthening the technological development and quality assurance process? 

The quality management approach of the Kixx lubricants development team is not about simply following fixed routines, but rather continuously evolving through ongoing reflection and improvement. 

“Recently, GS Caltex developed and began using an in-house IT tool called the LubeData (Lubricant Product Development System),” Rae Wook noted. “It is a data-driven system that digitizes the entire engineering process, including raw materials inventory management, formulation design, experiment requests, and test results. All related data is stored and shared so that anyone can access and refer to it when needed. In the past, experimental data had to be saved separately on spreadsheets, and we had to manually search through old files when working on similar development projects, which took a lot of time. The new system has significantly reduced that inefficiency.” 

“We can now quickly check which combinations produced which performance outcomes in the past, and which approaches were effective in achieving the target properties,” Rae Wook continued. “The data is accumulated like a shared resource—something we all use together. By leveraging this, we’ve been able to reduce trial and error and respond in a more agile manner to rapidly changing industry trends.” 

Rae Wook adds that while improvements such as system upgrades are important, it is ultimately the people who use the system that matter most. 

“Even when the framework is in place, it’s ultimately people who bring it to life. Mastery of each piece of lab equipment and the ability to interpret data—these all depend on individuals. At Kixx, the Finished Lubricants R&D Team is constantly working to enhance their capabilities through self-directed learning, internal research projects, and academic seminars, which are all aimed at improving the accuracy of experiments.” 

 

Lastly, what does Kixx mean to you as a brand? 

“I see Kixx as a brand that should never stay stagnant but keep moving, just like lubricants that continuously flow to keep machine parts running smoothly.” 

Rae Wook shares that it’s this mindset of constant movement, along with a dynamic work environment, that has earned the trust of customers and shaped Kixx into the brand it is today. 

“Every year brings new challenges, and the performance requirements keep getting tougher. But to me, that’s a sign that the brand is alive and evolving. Thanks to our team leader, who constantly brings new energy into our work, we’re able to keep pushing forward without losing momentum.” 

 

What powers the performance of Kixx lubricants ultimately comes down to the determination and expertise of each team member, the spirit of collaboration and synergy across departments, and the motivation that keeps driving them forward. To uphold the trust of customers who rely on the brand, Kixx continues its search for the next solution every day. 

In the next edition of My Kixx Story, we’ll meet the Finished Lubricants Technical Solution Team, who are working to shape a more sustainable future. 

Catch up on the previous episode with the link below.

My Kixx Story #1: Ji Seon Park

My Kixx Story #2: Hyun Wook Kim