Japanese specialty lubricant maker Moresco Corp. reported higher sales for its fiscal year that ended in February for specialty lubricants, driven by recovery in automobile production, and in synthetic oils sales, driven by recovery in demand both domestically and in China. In its fourth fiscal quarter, specialty lubricants sales were up, while synthetics were flat.

An expansion of the Nanjing, China, petrochemical joint venture between BASF and Sinopec will bring the site’s capacity for ethanolamine production to 55,000 metric tons per year, according to a statement this week by the local government. Last August the companies announced they would increase output of several chemicals produced at the site, but they had not disclosed capacities.

Although India’s domestic automotive sales remained below pre-pandemic levels for the fiscal year ended March 31, passenger car and three-wheeler sales showed signs of recovery, although motorcycle sales fell, according to data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers. Two-wheelers sales slid 11%, while passenger cars climbed 13% compared to the previous year.