Indianapolis-based Calumet Specialty Products Partners reported $61.4 million in operating income for the third quarter, a strong turnaround from a $19 million operating loss in 2013s third quarter. Sales in this years third quarter reached almost $1.7 billion, up 11.3 percent.

Strong system reliability and seasonally robust refining economics, were among the key factors that contributed to our strong third quarter results, stated Bill Grube, vice chairman and chief executive officer.

Third quarter specialty products sales volumes totaled 27,888 barrels per day, down 2.3 percent from a year earlier. Calumets third quarter specialty products sales volumes included 14,303 barrels per day of lubricating oils, 8,836 b/d of solvents, 1,538 b/d of waxes, and 1,904 b/d of packaged and synthetic specialty products for the third quarter.

In an Oct. 28 Securities and Exchange Commission filing,the board of directors of Calumet GP, LLC – the general partner of Calumet Specialty Products Partners – said it approved a realignment of senior executive-level responsibilities, effective immediately. Calumets board said the actions will help the senior leadership team to actively manage the significant growth and increasing complexity of Calumets business in recent years.

The board streamlined the companys management structure to include four executive vice presidents who will report directly to CEO F. William Grube.

Jennifer G. Straumins was appointed executive vice president – strategy and development. Since 2011, Straumins had served as the companys president and chief operating officer, positions eliminated under the realignment.

R. Patrick Murray II was appointed executive vice president, chief financial officer and secretary. Murray previously served as the companys senior vice president, chief financial officer and secretary and served as the chief financial officer of the company or the partnerships predecessor since 1999.

Timothy R. Barnhart was appointed executive vice president – operations. Barnhart previously served as the companys senior vice president – operations and has led oversight of the partnerships plant operations since 2009.

William A. Anderson was appointed executive vice president – sales. Anderson previously served as vice president – marketing and new products since October 2012 and as vice president – sales and marketing from September 2005 through October 2012.

Valvoline

Ashland reported $77 million in operating income for its Valvoline segment during the three months ending Sept. 30 (the fourth quarter of Ashlands fiscal year), up 5.5 percent from $73 million in the year-earlier quarter. Valvolines sales for the quarter reached $323 million, up 9.5 percent from $295 million.

For its fiscal year ending Sept. 30, Valvoline posted operating income of $520 million, up 2.4 percent from $508 million for the previous fiscal year. The segments sales for the 2014 fiscal year reached $2 billion, up 2.3 percent.

The company said overall sales were led by a solid performance at Valvoline Instant Oil Change, where same-store sales at company-owned sites grew 5 percent. That growth was fueled by increased oil changes per day and higher average ticket price, the company said in its earnings news release.

Good performances from the do-it-for-me and international channels offset year-over-year declines in sales and volumes in the do-it-yourself channel, Ashland stated. The international channel reported mixed results, with strong performance in Asia and Latin America being offset by weak sales in Europe.

Lubricant sales volumes inched up to 41.5 million gallons this quarter compared to 40.8 million gallons in the corresponding quarter in 2013. Sales volumes added up to 162.6 million gallons for the 2014 fiscal year, up from 158.4 million gallons.

Across all its segments, Covington, Ky.-headquartered Ashland reported sales of $1.5 billion for the quarter and $6.1 billion for the companys 2014 fiscal year. Ashland took a fourth quarter operating loss of $175 million, and reached more than $1 billion in operating income for its 2014 fiscal year.

Clean Harbors

Norwell, Mass.-based Clean Harbors oil rerefining and recycling business segment posted $140.3 million in third party revenues for the third quarter, up 6.4 percent. Third party revenues represent the rerefining groups sales of base oil, blended and reclaimed fuel oil and a small contribution of byproducts to the outside world.

Within oil rerefining and recycling, we are focused on lowering [pay for oil] costs, capturing greater transportation efficiencies and pursuing product differentiation and blended opportunities to help offset the recent declines in base oil pricing, Chairman and CEO Alan McKim said in the companys third quarter earnings release.

In its third quarter investor reviews outlook, the company said it would lower transportation costs through highest margin routing; expand its sales pipeline for blended products, particularly Safety-Kleens EcoPower motor oil brand; and focus on optimizing operations at the Evergreen Oil rerefinery in Newark, Calif.

Clean Harbors acquired rerefiner Evergreen Oil out of bankruptcy for $60 million in 2013 and Safety-Kleen for $1.3 billion in December 2012.Evergreen Oils Newark, Calif., rerefinery – now considered part of Safety-Kleen operations – has 1,150 barrels per day of API Group II capacity. Safety-Kleens East Chicago, Ind., rerefinery has 800 b/d of Group I and 4,200 b/d of Group II capacity. Its rerefinery in Breslau, Canada, has capacities of 700 b/d of Group I and 1,200 b/d of Group II.

Cosan

Net revenues from sales of lubricants, resale of base oil and other products and services of Cosan Lubrificantes reached nearly 430 million Brazilian reais (U.S. $171.7 million) for the third quarter, up 5.5 percent. Factors cited included an increase of 4.2 percent in volumes sold, principally due to increased base oil volumes of 29.7 percent, which the company said offset the drop in sales of finished lubricants.

The company said in its earnings release that the cost of goods and services it provided increased 7.1 percent in the third quarter. The increase was caused mainly by higher volumes sold and the foreign exchange rate impact, which affects the costs of importing base oil and additives.

According to Cosan, its lubricants segment results include the manufacturing and distribution of Mobil and Comma lubricants, and the resale of base oil and automotive specialties in Brazil and in 40 other countries through two plants located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and in Kent, United Kingdom.

Sao Paulo, Brazil-based Cosan, a producer of sugar and ethanol products since 1936, expanded through acquisitions beginning in 2008 to become a distributor of fuels and lubricants.

Novvi, a joint venture between Cosan and U.S. research firm Amyris, develops renewable synthetic base oil from sugarcane.