Stopping spills, sustainably.

As excavators tirelessly perform their demanding tasks with precision on construction sites, the hydraulic lines of their attachments face various unforeseen challenges. Hose ruptures leading to uncontrolled oil leaks are an unfortunate inevitability, and the consequences can be dire.

It's time for the innovative soilution: OILFIX.

Protecting the environment
Reducing costs and downtime

Aging, weather conditions, and unforeseeable external impacts expose hydraulic hoses of attached equipment to substantial threats.

The outcome? Unpredictable ruptures causing uncontrolled oil leaks.

With every additional second, hydraulic oil relentlessly streams from the ruptured hose and typically seeps into the soil.

Until now, addressing these leaks required lowering the excavator boom and shutting down the machine, a process that could take up to thirty seconds, depending on the excavator's size.

The so(i)lution: OILFIX

The OILFIX valve blocks are mounted on both sides of the excavator boom, transforming the previously existing mechanical shut-off valve into the remote-controlled innovation: By pressing the OILFIX button in the operator's cab, the machine operator can intervene directly in the event of a leakage and stop the oil flow instantly.

OILFIX radically minimizes oil pollution. And despite the burst hose, the excavator remains fully functional and can easily be moved into a repair position without further leakage.

stopping spills, sustainably

preventing pollution

Handling hydraulic fluids requires special care: Just one liter of hydraulic oil can contaminate up to 1,000,000 liters of groundwater. The penetration of oil into soil and water must be prevented at all costs, not only due to legal regulations but also in the interests of sustainability. In the event of a leak, every second saved is valuable, and each oil drop avoided is crucial to significantly mitigating ecological repercussions.

reducing costs

Each leakage results in costs for refilling spilled hydraulic fluid. Moreover, the professional removal of damages and contaminated soil are also relevant cost items. The resulting downtimes are particularly costly for the construction site. OILFIX siginificantly reduces ecological damage on the construction site. Consequentially, it minimizes downtimes and subsequent costs.

enhancing workplace safety

Occupational safety is the top priority on construction sites. However, an active leak poses a health risk to personnel. Skin contact with hydraulic fluids must be avoided, especially as the oil can reach high temperatures during excavator operations. An active leak also increases the risk of injury by hectic actions. With OILFIX, health risks are averted by immediately stopping uncontrolled oil leaks.

We're looking forward to hearing from you!

The origin of OILFIX? Construction sites.

OILFIX inventor, Berthold Winz, has spent over three decades working with construction and agricultural machinery, specializing in delicate demolitions and complex inner-city deconstruction projects. As a passionate machinist and successful entrepreneur, he has witnessed numerous costly oil leakages firsthand. Unwilling to accept the environmental pollution, financial burdens, and safety risks caused by hose bursts, Berthold, a trained machinery mechanic, took matters into his own hands and developed the so(i)lution: OILFIX.

To further develop and market the product successfully, Berthold Winz combines his practical construction site experience with the commercial acumen of Christoph Sauer. The tech-savvy logistics specialist quickly became enthusiastic about the innovative idea and took over the realization of market maturity. Together, the managing director duo established OILFIX GmbH in 2023 with the aim of making construction work more environmentally friendly and economically viable. With a skilled team in place, OILFIX offers the viable answer to the age-old problem of hose bursts.

key questions answered

What is a hose burst? What happens if a hose bursts?
Hydraulic systems turn various machines into valuable commercial vehicles for construction, agriculture, forestry, or transport. For power transmission into motion, the required hydraulic oil is pumped through dedicated lines, either pipes or hoses. Hydraulic hoses in moving parts of machines age naturally due to sunlight, dirt, or material fatigue. The DGUV (German Statutory Accident Insurance) recommends maintenance intervals to prevent hose bursts during ordinary operations. However, most hose bursts in practice are caused by external influences; for example, when a demolition excavator gets caught on a piece of steel and individual hoses are torn off. Uncontrolled oil leaks from defective or torn pipes can lead to environmental damage, consequential costs, and increased health risks. OILFIX can significantly reduce oil leakage in the event of a hose burst. The operator can move the excavator to a suitable location without further oil leaking, limiting contamination and speeding up clean-up operations. The innovation minimizes downtime and significantly reduces the negative impact on the construction site's processes and performance.
How exactly does OILFIX work?
OILFIX is mounted on both sides of the excavator boom instead of the ball valve and connects to an emergency stop button in the driver's cab via an electrical cable. In the event of a hose bursting or a hydraulic hose breaking entirely in the area of the attachments, the machine operator can intervene directly. When the driver in the cab presses the blue OILFIX button, an electrical impulse is sent to the valve blocks, promptly shutting off the hydraulic lines to the attachment. This swift response allows for a rapid containment of the oil leak, minimizing damage. Although the impacted lines are closed, the excavator retains enough functionality for the operator to restore it to a repairable condition without additional oil leaks. In a suitable repair or parking position, defective hose material can be replaced as usual in order to return the excavator to regular operations on site. By electrically releasing the lines at the touch of a button, OILFIX is ready for use again and can thus prevent the consequences of prospective hose bursts.
What is the difference between OILFIX and a line rupture protection valve?
Current pipe rupture devices serve as essential safety valves for load holding, preventing uncontrolled lowering of the boom in case of a pipe rupture on the excavator. While effective in safeguarding against injuries to site personnel, these devices do not halt uncontrolled oil leakage. During a pipe break, a fixated excavator arm can still lead to potential ecological and economic damage within seconds. OILFIX addresses this limitation as a crucial enhancement to existing excavator safety mechanisms and enables immediate spill containment.
How often can I use OILFIX?
Despite preventive measures and careful working methods, hose bursts remain commonplace on construction sites. OILFIX is designed to significantly mitigate the consequences of a hose burst and ensure a swift return on investment. Post-installation, OILFIX consistently fulfills its purpose: an electrical impulse triggered by the emergency stop button in the driver's cab closes the lines to the attachment. After a successful hose repair or replacement, the machine operator can reopen the previously impacted lines at the touch of the blue button, restoring the original hydraulic circuit. OILFIX again empowers the machinist to alleviate subsequent hose bursts immediately.

Intrigued to learn more?

Let‘s talk about saving (s)oil. We look forward to hearing from you!