Volume 2 Issue 32

SSY Base Oil Shipping Report
August 6, 2019The U.S. market is not overtly strong, yet vessels are quietly fixed away and at rates that are not especially competitive. The European coastal market is making steady progress, but deep-sea is slow. Asian markets are rather slow all around.-by Adrian Brown

ExxonMobil Expands PAO Plant
August 6, 2019ExxonMobil announced last week that it has increased low-viscosity polyalphaolefin production capacity at its Gravenchon, France, plant by 19 percent to 105,000 metric tons per year.

Russia Veers to Group II and III
August 6, 2019Like others around the world, Russias lubricant market is shifting toward API Group II and Group III base oils, and a consultant predicts that this will lead to further Group I rationalization and reduction of Russian Group I exports.

Earnings Fall for Fuchs, BP Lubes
August 6, 2019Independent lubricants blender Fuchs Petrolub SE posted decreased profit and sales, and BPs lubricants business reported a slight decline in profit for the second quarter, compared to 2018s second quarter.
From Other Editions of Lube Report
August 6, 2019Briefly Noted
August 6, 2019A portion of Krusevac, Serbia-based lubricants producer Famchanged its name toHemofluidlast week. A Valvoline subsidiary acquired the other, majority portion of Fam in February and plans to maintain the Fam brand name.Total Lubrifiants acquired the aluminum hot rolling oil, steel cold rolling oil and tinplate rolling oil activities of Houghton International in North America and Europe.