Volume 3 Issue 6

Does China Need Better Greases?

The Chinese grease market, the worlds largest, needs to undergo a significant shift in coming years toward high-performance, high-temperature products, industry insiders and analysts say. That presents opportunity and challenge for suppliers.

Japan's Base Oil Output Down in 2015

Base oil production in Japan fell 3.4 percent in 2015, part of a continuing trend of shrinking demand for petroleum products by Asias third-largest economy. Meanwhile, major Japanese lubricant blenders have been expanding plants and sales overseas.

Auto Sales Slide in Japan

After rebounding in 2014, automobile production in Japan dropped 5.1 percent in 2015, according to the latest data from the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association. The group pinned some of the blame on what it views as excessive taxation on vehicles.

Profits Up at Tide Water, Flat at SK

Tide Water Oil and Apar Industries Ltd.s specialty oils and lubricants business both posted big earnings increases for the three months ended Dec. 31, while profits fell for GS Caltexs lubes operation and were flat at SK Lubricants.

Briefly Noted

Bangladeshs state-owned Eastern Lubricants said it has not retained any price sensitive information, responding to the Dhaka Stock Exchanges query about its 592 percent jump in second-quarter earnings. Totachi Industrial Co., of Japan, named Cambodias LSTK Lube International Trading Co., Hong Kongs Polymate Industries Ltd. and the Philippines PPC Asia Corp. as product distributors.