Liqui Moly (100% Würth Group) is a German brand of engine oils, lubricants and car-care chemicals. It’s based in Ulm and has been around since 1957. The name comes from its first product - a liquid oil additive based on molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂). Legally it runs as Liqui Moly GmbH, its own company inside the group.
Liqui Moly at a glance
| Full name | Liqui Moly GmbH |
|---|---|
| Country / HQ | Germany, Ulm |
| Founded | 1957 |
| Originator | Hans Henle (acquired the name rights and the MoS₂ additive patent) |
| Owner | Würth Group (100%) |
| Name origin | LIQUI - liquid additive, MOLY - molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) |
| Range | engine and gear oils, additives, car care and workshop products - over 4,000 items |
| Scale (2023) | ~1,100 employees, ~€917 million revenue |
Where the Liqui Moly brand comes from
It starts with molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), a solid lubricant that keeps working under extreme pressure. In post-war Germany a liquid MoS₂ additive went on sale under the name “Liqui Moly”. Hans Henle bought the rights to that name and the additive patent in 1957, then started the company in Ulm.
From that one product the catalogue grew past 4,000 items - engine oils, additives, car-care chemistry, workshop gear. Today the Würth Group owns the whole thing, but the name stays and the company still runs its own show.
Liqui Moly and engine flushing - what the safety data sheets show
Liqui Moly sells a wide spread of oil-system flushes, from mild to strong. Our SDS database has about a dozen of them. Here are the main families and what actually sits inside each one:
| Product | Base (per SDS) | Strength | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liqui Moly Pro-Line Engine Flush (workshop) | isoparaffinic, C10-C13 (light aliphatic) | mild | the gentlest in the range; low seal risk |
| Engine Flush / Plus (consumer) | isoparaffinic, C10-C13 | medium | ZDDP anti-wear additive + calcium detergent |
| Liqui Moly Oil-Schlamm-Spülung 5200 (sludge) | hydrocarbons + 2-butoxyethanol (10-20%) | strong | glycol-ether solvent for stubborn sludge; medium seal risk |
| Liqui Moly Motorbike Engine Flush | isoparaffinic, C11-C13 | medium | motorcycle variant |
The pattern is easy to read. Most Liqui Moly flushes pair an aliphatic paraffinic base (C10-C13) with a calcium detergent, and plenty of them also carry a ZDDP anti-wear additive. That ZDDP puts a bit of wear protection on the parts while the flush does its job. The full Liqui Moly Pro-Line composition sits in the safety data sheet.
Frequently asked questions about the Liqui Moly brand
Who owns Liqui Moly?
Germany’s Würth Group owns Liqui Moly GmbH outright. The brand keeps its own name and runs independently inside the group.
Where is Liqui Moly from and where is it made?
German brand, based in Ulm, going since 1957. Head office and production are both in Germany.
What does the name “Liqui Moly” mean?
It’s built from the two words behind the first product: LIQUI for the liquid additive, MOLY for molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂).
Last updated: July 2026.
Sources: official Liqui Moly company history (liqui-moly.com), Wikipedia (Liqui Moly), Würth Group acquisition press release.
