Metalworking fluid suppliers are facing challenges from changes in the raw materials they are able to use and also from shifts in the type of metal forming operations employed by industry, Lanxess officials told a conference last month. As a result, they predicted that formulators will lean more heavily on certain types of chemistries, such as sulfur-carrying extreme pressure additives.

Russia exported less base oil in June and July, compared to February, as shipments to Europe dwindled under the barrage of sanctions by the United States and Europ, according to a report by Argus. At the same time, internal demand dropped because of the economic slowdown caused by the Ukrainian War.

The emerging era of new ship engine designs and the mosaic of interim and future fuels that are part of shipping’s transition towards decarbonization pose a variety of performance challenges for marine lubricants, a lubricant additives company official said during an online webinar earlier this month.