Lubricant consumption in France fell 9% to 41,317 tons in November, compared to the same month last year, Paris-based Professional Lubricants Center reported in data released on Monday.
Automotive lubricants consumption declined 8%, industrial lubricants demand dropped 16% and process oil consumption rose 9%.
France’s automotive lubes consumption decreased to 21,716 tons in November, compared to 23,565 tons in the same month in 2021. Demand for passenger car engine oils fell 11% to 11,847 tons, and sales of engine oils for commercial diesel vehicles tumbled 37% to 870 tons. Sale of automatic transmission fluids increased 6% to 816 tons, and consumption of automotive greases decreased 2% to 369 tons.
Industrial lubricants demand – not including process oils – declined to 13,864 tons, down from 17,250 tons.
Hydraulic oil demand declined 10% to 5,660 tons. Within its three categories, non-flammable oils experienced sharpest decrease, 27%, to 590 tons, followed by standard-viscosity-index oils’ 15% drop to 1,546 tons and high-viscosity-index oils’ 3% decline to 3,524 tons.
Consumption of industrial greases decreased 7% to 1,484 tons.
Among metalworking fluid types, consumption of non-soluble types fell 40% to 1,075 tons, and demand for soluble types dropped 47% to 913 tons.
Turbine oil consumption declined 30% to 203 tons. Compressor oil demand fell 22% to 153 tons. Within the category, refrigeration compressor oil consumption decreased 18% to 41 tons, and demand for other compressor oil types dropped 24% to 112 tons.
Process oil consumption climbed 9% to 5,737 tons, rising from 4,638 tons.
Inventories are increasing and were at a level considered high in November, according to a survey of business leaders conducted by the Bank of France during Nov. 28-Dec. 5. The bank suggested the increase could be attributable to a drop in demand in segments such as machinery and equipment, rubber and plastic products, or to increased delivery of finished products in industries such as automotive and aeronautics.