Demand for vessel space in the primary hubs of the United States Gulf, Europe and Asia can be described as steady, but falls short of the levels of business that are usually associated with the end of February.-by Adrian Brown

Government application of economic sanctions is on the rise, and that can create complications during an age of global trade. Companies in a wide range of industries - including base oils and finished lubricants - need to keep abreast of both financial and trade sanctions and account for them in their operations and business planning, according to speakers at a conference in London last week.

HollyFrontier Corp.s lubricants and specialty products segment reported a decline in income from operations for its fourth quarter ending Dec. 31 and the full year, and Milacron Holding Corp.s Fluid Technologies segment posted higher operating earnings and sales for the fourth quarter and the year.

There is increasing talk in the lubricants industry about a range of technologies collectively referred to as Industry 4.0 and how they can be used to improve operations. An oil analysis company offered concrete examples during a conference last year.