In step with central government goals for a wide range of sectors, China’s lubricant industry is in a hurry to develop domestic replacements for imported raw materials, including chemical additives.

Chinese lubricant marketer Lopal Tech Co. reported a 9% increase in first quarter sales revenue for its lubes segment despite a 6% decrease in sales volume and a 33% drop in production.

The July issue features a Special Report on Electric Vehicles that explores how the grease industry is adapting to the electrification wave, why lubricant manufacturers are entering the emerging market of thermal management fluids, and how the fast-paced world of Formula E motorsport lubricants may be opening up doors for passenger EV fluids.

Shell said last month that it will sell its controlling stake in Shell Pakistan Ltd., divesting a lubricants business that is among the country’s biggest, along with other operations. The company disclosed its plan in a short statement that did not provide a reason for its decision, but earlier this year it reported losses after tax for 2022 and the first quarter of 2023.