SALINE - Manufacturing and industrial plant owners want their machinery's gears to mesh properly, they don't want their drill bits to overheat, and they want their motors to operate at peak efficiency.

The right lubricant and metalworking fluids for the job makes all that happen.

The U.S. market is about to get another major player in the lubricant industry: Condat Corp. is opening a 75,000 square-foot facility here that will allow the French company to put more than 200 of its own "specialty blend" lubricant and metalworking fluids on the market.

New technology and the firm's proprietary lubricant blends that will be manufactured at the plant "will technically put us a step ahead of the competition," said Jeff Milligan, manufacturing and transportation manager for Condat Corp. in the U.S.

The building trades began construction of the plant in the fall of 1998, and work is expected to wrap up next spring. The building contains numerous tanks that are holding areas for processed and to-be-processed lubricants. Servicing the tanks are thousands of feet of precisely placed pumps and piping, installed by mechanical contractor John E. Green and Plumbers and Pipe Fitters Local 190 members.

"It's beautiful work," said Local 190 Business Manager Ron House.

Milligan said while the labor market has been tight for some trades, "the work has been fantastic."

John E. Green foreman Gary Stalker said a crew of about 10 plumbers and pipe fitters have installed the pipe. For the first time, he said Local 190 members have used the orbital welding process to install some of the piping, a machine process that results in better, faster welds.

"Any surprises?" Stalker said. "I'd say it's been a pleasant surprise how well the project has gone," he said.

DIGITAL CONTROLS on a pump serving the Condat plant are checked by electricians Dave Sisk (left) of IBEW Local 252, and Tom Cummings of Local 25, Long Island.

AN ORBITAL WELDER is set up by fitter Mike "No-Leak" Seyfried at the Condat plant.