Adrian Brown is away. His column will reappear in the January 9 edition of Lube Report Americas.

Automaker and oil company representatives say their biggest concerns about European use of engine tests developed in North America have been alleviated and that they are now confident that major problems should not arise from those tests being used on both sides of the Atlantic.

The trade war between the United States and China was one of the major events of 2018 - a year that otherwise was relatively quiet for the lubricants industry in the Americas. The industry launched a supplemental passenger car engine oil category but executed just a few acquisitions and avoided major disruptions caused by weather events or accidents.

Major oil companies are loosening their grip on the western South American lubricants market, shifting their strategy and allowing regional players to seize more control, according to an industry insider.