It has been a much quieter week throughout Europe. The recovery in the U.S. market appears to have stalled, with a large number of sophisticated vessels laying idle. The situation in Asia is stable, but is far from perfect.-by Adrian Brown

Japan-based Yushiro Chemical Industry Co. and American metalworking fluid supplier QualiChem Inc. announced an agreement yesterday for Yushiro to acquire a stake in QualiChem and for the companies to help each other enter new markets.

Sales by automotive oil change and lubrication shops in the United States are projected to grow by a compound annual rate of 4 percent from $6.1 billion in 2017 to $7.1 billion in 2021, according to a report jointly published by the Auto Care Association and the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association.

Valvolines operating income was down slightly, HollyFrontiers lubricants and specialty products posted a decrease in net income, and Clean Harbors Safety-Kleen segment posted improved revenue, all for the quarter ending June 30.

Editors at Lube Report's sister publication, Lubes'n'Greases magazine, have just capped off a decade of producing our yearly Lubricants Industry Factbook. The 10th edition of this valuable guide is packed with eye-opening information about lubricant industry trends, statistics and standards.