German lubricant demand fell 24% in March, a second consecutive month of declines following two months of healthy gains.
Domestic lubricant sales were 55,187 metric tons in March, down from 72,407 tons during the same month of 2022. Several categories of industrial lubes also saw double-digit percentage decreases, including metalworking fluids, machine lubricants and turbine oils, according to data released June 16 by a government agency.
All segments in the metalworking oils category experienced drops of more than 60%, the country’s Federal Office of Economics and Export Control reported. Sales of non-water miscible oils fell plummeted 85% to 780 tons, anti-corrosion oil sales fell 75% to 175 tons, hardening oils demand slid 71% to 80 tons, and water-miscible oils dropped 64% to 978 tons.
Other segments with deep declines included machine oils, falling 57% to 1,306 tons and turbine oil, down 38% to 204 tons.
Motor oil sales, the highest volume demand category, slipped 19% to 19,631 tons.
Greases demand declined 10% to 2,233 tons, while consumption of greases for cars decreased 6% to 584 tons.
The only categories showing double-digit percentage demand growth were transformer oils, up 27% to 1,117 tons, and transmission fluids, which rose 16% to 5,495 tons.
Other categories with rises in demand included compressor oils, with a 4% uptick to 1,237 tons and car gear oils, rising 5% to 3,715 tons.
The total for March includes process oils demand, which fell 25% to 9,469 tons.