BASF and Sinopec last week announced plans to expand their 50-50 joint venture Verbund site in Nanjing, China, to increase capacities of several downstream chemical plants, including some producing materials used in lubricants. The expanded and new plants are planned to launch in 2023.

An operator of a chain of automobile maintenance stores announced last week that it has opened one of the largest privately owned lubricant blending plants in China. Jiangsu Laya Technology said its plant in Suzhou, China, has capacity to manufacture 250,000 metric tons of finished lubes per year, much of which will be supplied to its maintenance centers.

India’s GP Petroleums reported a steeper net loss for the quarter ended June 30, while the lubricants unit of Balmer Lawrie and Savita Oil posted huge increases in profits, compared to the same period last year. Profits were also up for the first half of the year for Singapore’s United Global and AP Oil.