Volume 3 Issue 6

Base Oils Burgeoning in Brownsville

Base oil trade through the U.S. border city of Brownsville, Texas, is booming, thanks to growing demand in Mexico and a lack of supply base in that country. Lube Report visited a terminal for an up close view.

Afton Posts Strong 2019, Valvoline Sales Up

NewMarkets Afton Chemical reported lower operating profit in the fourth quarter but stronger full-year results, while Valvoline posted increases in sales and operating income for its fiscal quarter ending Dec. 31.

Car Sales Mixed in Latin America

Vehicle sales for last year were up in Brazil and Colombia but down in Mexico, Argentina and Chile, according to data from a variety of automotive associations and agencies. The five countries have the largest national fleets among Latin American countries.

From Other Editions of Lube Report

Briefly Noted

Citgo notified customers of a general price increase of up to 12 percent on branded and unbranded finished lubricants effective March 4, citing continued escalations in component, manufacturing, transportation and warehousing costs. Dallas-based private equity firm CenterOak Partners LLCs portfolio company FullSpeed Automotive acquired American LubeFast, a quick lube services provider with 50 locations in Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Alabama. MFG Chemical is improving its manufacturing capabilities in dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate as part of its current upgrading of its three plants in Dalton, Georgia, under its multi-million dollar Project Odyssey capital investment project. The chemical is a specialty surfactant used in many products, including lubricants.