A new feedstock agreement with state-owned Saudi Aramco ensures operations at Luberef’s API Group I base oil unit in Jeddah, western Saudi Arabia, until 2030, the company said in a statement to the Saudi stock exchange. The agreement underscores Saudi Arabia’s role as a long-term supplier of Group I base oils, even as the global lubricants industry shifts toward Group II and III grades. The new supply contract strengthens Group I base oil supply in the Middle East at a time when older plan...

Almost 18 months after initiating an investigation, the United Kingdom’s Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) issued its final determination on dumped lubricant imports from Lithuania and the United Arab Emirates, recommending UK lubricant anti-dumping duties following findings of injury to domestic producers. In its final report, the UK trade watchdog concluded that the domestic lubricants industry in the United Kingdom has suffered material injury and recommended that the UK government impo...

The European Commission published its automotive package, outlining initial measures aimed at aligning the bloc’s decarbonization goals with competitiveness and industrial resilience, a move that could shape compliance pathways for vehicle manufacturers over the next decade. The package signals a shift toward greater flexibility and technology neutrality, as the European Union seeks to balance emissions targets with market realities, according to industry representatives. The proposals arrive ...

The American Petroleum Institute (API) Lubricants Group has agreed to move forward with balloting on three proposals tied to the next heavy-duty engine oil category, API PC-12, a step that would allow first product licensing in the United States beginning Jan. 1, 2027. The decision was taken during a Dec. 11 meeting in Houston, Texas, where the U.S.-based standards body approved a 30-day ballot period covering incorporation of PC-12 into API 1509, the Engine Oil Licensing and Certifica...

SK Enmove Opens China Technology Center in ShanghaiSK Enmove held an opening ceremony on Dec. 15 for its China Technology Center in Shanghai, China, marking the company’s first overseas technical center as it deepens its presence in the Chinese lubricants market. Speaking at the ceremony, Wonekee Kim, Global President of SK Enmove, said the company is focused on developing high-quality lubricant products based on Yubase, its Group III base oil ...