Volume 10 Issue 06

US Pauses Canadian, Mexican Tariffs

The United States on Tuesday walked back tariffs scheduled to take effect that day on goods imported from Canada and Mexico – at least delaying what would have included a 10% levy on imports of Canadian base oils and finished lubricants.

Pilot Undertakes Surfactant Expansion

Pilot Chemical Co. said last week that it will significantly expand its capacity to produce anionic surfactants at its specialty chemical factory in Middletown, Ohio. The project will double the site’s capacity to make alpha olefin sulfonates, according to a Jan. 23 news release. The company did not disclose specific volumes nor the cost of the project.

US Base Oil Output Dipped in November

United States refiners produced a modest 4.4 million barrels of base oil in November, according to new data from the federal Energy Information Administration, the lowest monthly output so far for 2024 year but still 3% more than the same month of 2023.

Career Moves: Who’s Working Where

There has been lots of HR movement at grease maker Axel Christiernsson. After almost 25 years as CEO, Johan Stureson is retiring. Stureson started at Axel when the company was had a couple European plants and was in the red. Today, the company has six plants across Europe and the United States and robust financial performance.

Singapore Base Oil Exports Drop Again

Weekly base oil exports from Singapore slumped to their lowest in 11 months, while imports surged, according to data complied by the state trade statistics body Enterprise Singapore.

From the Previous Edition

VLS Closes Certas TBN Claim Case

2024: Bumper Year for Brazil Base Oils

Fuchs Inks Peru Joint Venture

Two New Substances on ECHA Concern List

Briefly Noted

San Joaquin Refining, a United States-based naphthenic base oil producer, plans to temporarily shut down its refinery in Bakersfield, Calif., for maintenance according to industry information provider Polymerupdate. According to the report, the work was expected to start at the end of last week. San Joaquin Refining told Lube Report that the shutdown will last up to three weeks. The refinery has processing capacity of 5,800 barrels per day.

Americhem’s new EcoLube MD is a PFAS-free internally lubricated compound for delicate and crucially sterile healthcare applications, such as minimally invasive surgical devices, syringe pumps, prosthetics and surgical robots. Americhem is based in Ohio, U.S.A.

Thai Oil’s lube base oil division Thai Lube Base will shut down its base oil production unit from early July to mid-August for 45 days.

Two of the industry’s major testing and certification players, SGS and Bureau Veritas, called off merger talks after failing to reach an agreement on how to consolidate their market positions. SGS had previously jilted U.K. testing company Intertek.