Oil depot operator Linxan Petrochemical opened a blending plant Friday in the port city of Tianjin, China, with capacity to make 200,000 metric tons per year of lubricants. The facility cost 400 million, according to a press release from the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area.

Founding members of major Japanese oil company Idemitsu Kosan Co. expressed opposition to the companys merger with Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K., during Idemitsu Kosans ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders last week.

GTS Chemicals lubes division recorded significant gains in both profit and revenue in 2015, thanks to a new blending plant, an expanded domestic distribution network and a concentrated push to market its premium brand, Ogistar, the Chinese specialty chemicals firm said in its annual report last week.

Japans sales of base oils used in the production of lubricants fell 0.24 percent in 2015 to 2.4 million kiloliters due to a soft domestic market, according to data released by the countrys Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

For decades, motor oil marketers got by with just two segment strategies: one for customers who changed their own engine oil, another for those who had installers do the job. Big data now promises a more intimate connection with each customer - but are marketers ready to make the leap?