ExxonMobil has begun construction on a major expansion of API Group III base oil production at its Baytown complex in Texas. The expansion is aimed at meeting growing global demand for high-performance base oils used in automotive and industrial applications. The project is expected to add about 8,000 barrels per day of Group III capacity once completed, increasing ExxonMobil’s supply of Group III material and strengthening availability in the North American market. Demand for Group III base o...

The United Kingdom Lubricants Association has published new guidance governing how performance and safety claims are marketed for metalworking fluids, marking the first industry-led framework of its kind. The guidance was developed by the association’s Metalworking Fluid Product Stewardship Group in response to concerns raised by the UK Health and Safety Executive about potentially misleading product claims. The guidance sets out expectations that marketing claims must be evidence-based, techn...

Liz Cisneros, base oils technology manager at Motiva Enterprises, has been appointed chair of the American Petroleum Institute (API) Base Oil Interchange (BOI) and Viscosity Grade Read-Across (VGRA) Task Force. The API BOI and VGRA Task Force is central to the engine oil licensing framework, evaluating technical data that support base oil interchangeability and viscosity grade read-across. These guidelines are essential to reducing redundant engine testing while ensuring compliance with OEM perf...

Co-developed by Tongyi Lubricants, the group standard “Technical Specification for Green Design Product Assessment of Degradable Lubricants for Hydraulic Systems” was officially released in January in China, reported China’s Sinolub. A group standard is a voluntary, industry-led technical standard developed by trade associations to address emerging technologies not yet covered by national standards. Recognized under China’s Standardization Law, group standards define technical and evalua...

Mercedes-Benz Engine Oils for the Senior AutomobileMercedes-Benz Classic has introduced a new range of engine oils designed for vintage and young classic vehicles, developed with German independent lubricant company Fuchs. The oils address material and operating needs of Mercedes-Benz models built from the 1950s through the 2000s. The range includes a 10W-40 oil for vehicles produced from 1971 onward, focusing on cold-start performance and low-friction operation for models such as the R107 and ...