London – Global base oil demand growth remains modest in aggregate but hides divergent regional shifts, Michael Connolly of ICIS said at the 30th ICIS World Base Oils Conference last week. “Demand on a global basis is a boring story. A little bit of evolution with growth in Group II and Group III offsetting decline elsewhere,” he told attendees. “But it’s a very different story depending on where you look! Where it is interesting is regionally.” While North America, Northeast As...

An email seen by Lube Report indicates that U.K. trade remedy duties on certain lubricants may be unenforceable in Northern Ireland because of the unique arrangements governing the U.K.-EU land border. The U.K. Trade Remedies Authority addressed the issue in response to an Aztec Oils complaint that Mannol products were being sold below cost in Northern Ireland after being imported from Ireland. A spokesman for the Department for Business and Trade told Lube Report the rules are clear: “Bus...

Germany-based Fuchs SE will take full control of its lubricants joint venture with Opet in Turkey, the company announced. Upon closing, expected by the end of April, the business will be renamed Fuchs Lubricants Türkiye. Financial terms were not disclosed. The country is a growing lubricants market, supported by a large industrial base, a developing automotive sector and solid long-term demand fundamentals. Automotive lubricants account for the largest share of consumption in the country, estim...

China’s base oil imports totaled 1.46894 million metric tons in 2025, a decline of 4.4% from the previous year, according to data from the General Administration of Customs. The figures underscore a gradual contraction in overseas purchases as domestic supply expands and market dynamics shift. China is the world’s largest base oil consumer, driven by its automotive, industrial and manufacturing sectors. Demand has shifted in recent years from API Group I toward higher-quality Group II and Gr...

Petrolimex Rebrands to Highlight Digital and Green Energy ShiftVietnam National Petroleum Group, known as Petrolimex, has launched a new brand identity as part of a broader shift toward digital transformation and cleaner energy. The rebranding was unveiled at a ceremony in Hanoi, where company leaders outlined plans to evolve from a conventional fuel supplier into a technology focused energy group. The updated logo preserves the familiar “P” symbol while adopting cleaner lines and brighter c...