Walk into a coolant catalogue and you will see the same product offered two ways: as a concentrate and as a ready-to-use liquid. They are not two different chemistries — they are one chemistry at two stages. A concentrate is the full inhibitor package in pure glycol with no water; a ready-to-use (premix) product is that same formula already diluted to a fixed glycol ratio. Which one you buy changes your freight cost, your storage, and the chance of a dilution mistake reaching an engine. For a distributor or importer, the choice also decides how much you pay to move it and how much trust you place in whoever does the mixing.
The two forms at a glance
| Form | What it is | Dilution before use | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concentrate | Pure ethylene-glycol base with the full inhibitor package, no water added | Yes — mix with water to reach the target glycol ratio | Exporters, blenders, private-label and fleets that mix their own |
| Ready-to-use / premix | Already diluted to a fixed glycol ratio (commonly around 33–50%) | None — pour straight into the system | End users, small workshops, and uniformly hot markets |
Why the mix ratio decides protection
The freeze and boil protection of coolant comes from the glycol concentration, not from the colour or the brand. Too little glycol and the liquid freezes too easily and boils over sooner; the right ratio gives the engine its margin. Our ready-to-use coolant is formulated and measured at a boiling point of 101°C, and diluted to its rated freeze point — the number on the specification is the number in the drum. For the exact ratio that suits a given climate, see our freeze-point guidance. Push the glycol too high and heat transfer actually falls, so more is not automatically better.
How to dilute concentrate correctly
- Aim for 33–50% glycol by volume. 50/50 with water is the common all-round default; hotter, never-freezing markets can sit toward 33–40%.
- Use deionised or distilled water only. Tap water carries calcium and magnesium that form hard scale on metal surfaces and block narrow passages.
- Mix in a clean container first, then fill the system. Do not pour water on top of concentrate already in the radiator and hope it blends.
- Verify the ratio with a refractometer or hydrometer. Never trust colour or guess by eye — the dye tells you nothing about strength.
Concentrate or ready-to-use — which to buy
| Choose concentrate when… | Choose ready-to-use when… |
|---|---|
| You ship in bulk and want to cut freight weight and cost | You sell to end users who will not dilute it themselves |
| You blend, private-label or adjust the ratio per market | You want zero mixing error at the point of use |
| You have clean mixing and storage space | You want the simplest, lowest-risk product on the shelf |
| Your climate range varies and you tune each batch | Your market is uniformly hot and one fixed tropical spec fits |
Freight, storage and shelf life
Concentrate carries no water, so every litre you ship is active chemistry — that lowers freight weight per litre of protection and saves cost on long routes. Ready-to-use is heavier per unit of protection but needs no mixing on arrival. Both forms share the same storage and stock-rotation rules; the concentrate itself is stable for a long time before water is added, while a premix follows the normal shelf-life window once diluted. A drum of concentrate also occupies less warehouse space per litre of protection than the same protection shipped as premix.
Documents: TDS and MSDS
For any product you plan to import, ask for the TDS of the exact formulation — it lists measured values such as freezing point, boiling point, pH and reserve alkalinity. Our TDS set is available to download. The safety document (known as MSDS in many markets, and as SDS under the GHS system) is provided on request and should match the formula you receive.
Request TDS and samples
Ask us for the TDS set (ready to download), MSDS on request, and normal-production samples of both concentrate and ready-to-use so you can compare them side by side.