Lubricant sales and marketing managers can count themselves among the best-paid professionals in the United States, according to a recent survey by LubesnGreases magazine. Over 200 sales and marketing managers responded to the publications exclusive 2018 Lubricants Industry Salary Survey, and they reported taking home an average $150,429 a year - 7 percent more than the $140,413 shown in its 2016 survey.

Europe, Middle East and Africa together consume 25 percent of the worlds finished lubricants, yet the region packs on more weight when it comes to base oil supply. It is home to 17.4 million metric tons a year of mineral base oil refining capacity - 30 percent of the global supply - with more coming soon, research from LubesnGreases shows.

Does the global lubricants industry really need 1.12 million barrels a day of mineral base oil manufacturing capacity? Because thats how much it has, finds an annual tally from LubesnGreases. The United States controls 23 percent of this supply, the most for any single country.

Global base oil refining capacity has climbed above 57 million metric tons a year, according to the new 2018 Global Guide to Base Oil Refining from LubesnGreases. Asia-Pacific controls 42 percent of this supply and has more on the way.

Engine sludge remains a common problem in Africa because of lubricant oxidation, soot contamination and water in engines, often exacerbated by poor maintenance and usage of obsolete engine oils, a Total Cameroon official said at a tribology conference last week.

Ted Selby, a lubricant testing pioneer whose inventions are used worldwide to unlock the secrets of oil rheology, oxidation, deposits and more, next month will receive STLEs highest technical honor, the International Award. The accolade will come during the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers annual meeting, which expects to draw some 1,600 delegates to Minneapolis, May 20-24.

Global lubricant demand reached 35.7 million metric tons in 2017, neck-and-neck with the year before, indicates an initial tally from Fuchs Petrolub SE. Perhaps 900,000 tons or more of that could evaporate in the coming decade, however, due to electric vehicles and other disruptive technologies, a company executive warned.

Global base oil manufacturing capacity now tips the scales at roughly 55 million metric tons a year (1.11 million barrels a day). And while the building frenzy of the past decade seems to be easing, Asias refiners still aim to stream nearly 2 million new tons of capacity - the equivalent of two world-class base oil refineries - by the end of 2019.

With fresh plants springing up to make high-grade products, China has boosted its total mineral base oil capacity to over 8.3 million metric tons per year - nearly double what the country could make 10 years ago, according to data published this month by LubesnGreases magazine.

More than 75 percent of the worlds lubricating grease is thickened with lithium hydroxide or lithium complex soap - but over 90 percent of the grease made each year in India is. Now Indias grease manufacturers say lithium hydroxide has been priced beyond their grasp, as electric cars and consumer electronics devour every available kilogram.