Volume 5 Issue 9

Contractor Fined in Wake of Chemtool Fire

A subcontractor is contesting a nearly $10,000 fine by the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration for its alleged role in a June 2021 fire that destroyed Lubrizol’s Chemtool grease factory in Rockton, Illinois.

U.S. Base Oils Complete Rebound

The United States produced 61.2 million barrels of base oil in 2021, a 10% increase from 2020 and 1% above 2019’s production, according to data released Monday by the U.S. Energy Information Agency. In December, the country produced 5.3 million barrels, virtually unchanged from the same month in 2020 and 2% less than the December 2019 total.

Calumet Posts Bigger Losses

Calumet Specialty Products Partners L.P. reported a steeper net loss for the quarter ending Dec. 1 and the full year of 2021, despite large increases in sales for the quarter and year. Quaker Chemical reported lower earnings, while results improved at HollyFrontier and Safety-Kleen.

From Other Editions of Lube Report

Pull-outs from Russia Exclude Lube Plants

Spain’s Lube Demand Up in 2021

Mitsubishi Aims to Make MMAs from Plants

Briefly Noted

Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. announced that co-founder Fred Fehsenfeld, chairman of the board of The Heritage Group – the general partner of Calumet – will retire effective May 1. On that date, current Calumet CEO Steve Mawer will become executive chairman of the board; Todd Borgmann, currently executive vice president and chief financial officer, will assume the role of CEO; and Vince Donargo, currently chief accounting officer, will assume the role of EVP and CFO.