An innovative entrepreneur and chemical engineer, William (Bill) Kiefer started the company in his family's suburban New Jersey garage, specializing in high temperature bakery lubricants.

Bel-Ray's first product was a specialty lubricant manufactured for Nabisco for use in high-temperature bakery ovens. This launched the company's Industrial Division. The company's goal: to provide industrial customers with new, inventive products that offered optimum performance and measurable value.