This is in addition to capital investment in operations, including the Wickliffe, Ohio-based companys new $200 million lubricant additive production plant in Zhuhai Gaolan Port Economic Zone in southern China announced last year.

Chemical synthesis and applied sciences laboratories at Lubrizols Wickliffe facility are undergoing extensive modernization. Lubrizol said the renovation began in 2007 and is proceeding in stages with the final phase to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2012. Up to 100 researchers and scientists will be based in the facilities. Additional investments include multi-million dollar rigs to measure transmission efficiency, and safety and environmental upgrades.

Investments in Lubrizols global technical center in Hazelwood, U.K., include recently completed major upgrades of chemical testing laboratories as well as ongoing improvements to the Hazelwood chemical synthesis facility. The company has invested in infrastructure and equipment, including nuclear magnetic resonance capabilities on site. The NMR suite will accelerate development of new molecules and provide faster analysis in problem-solving. Many updates to the Hazelwood technical facility will be complete by the end of this year, with further upgrades anticipated in the next two years. Beginning later this year, we are also expanding our laboratory blend room capabilities, said Phil Shore, Lubrizol vice president of testing.

The companys previously announced laboratory on the campus of Jilin University in Zhuhai, Guandong, China, will offer advanced technical services for lubricant, fuel and industrial additive customers and OEMs throughout Asia. Capabilities will include additive and lubricant blending, physical and chemical analyses, as well as performance testing. Construction on the new technical services laboratory is complete, and the lab is expected to be functional later this year.

Updates to blending and testing service capabilities at Lubrizol Japan Ltd.s technical facility in Kinuura, Japan, were recently completed. New viscometers and friction and shear stability testing equipment are among the improvements.

Renovations in Mumbai, India, include consolidation of several existing labs into a modern lab facility and is expected to be completed in mid 2012. Improvements include purchase of new testing equipment, and the addition of meeting space for customer training.

All the technical facilities will be linked as part of Lubrizols global R&D and testing capabilities, with access to the companys advanced computer network, providing immediate, 24-hour access to global data.