Walmart recently reached a $27.6 million settlement with state and local authorities in California over improper handling and dumping of hazardous waste, including motor oil, at stores and facilities throughout the state. On April 2, the state attorney general and 19 district attorneys offices in California filed a civil complaint alleging each of the 236 Walmart stores, Sams Club stores, distribution centers and storage facilities in California violated environmental law and regulations. Accor...

SK Lubricants plans to begin building a lubricant blending plant with 80,000 metric tons per year capacity in Tianjin, China, this month with completion expected in December 2011, according to its parent companys recent first quarter earnings presentation. The SK Energy presentation noted the Tianjin plant is part of an accelerated global expansion into China. SK established a local lube marketing entity in Tianjin in March 2003. SKs ZIC-branded motor oils, made with the companys API Group II/II...

The European Commission may extend an anti-dumping fee on furfuraldehyde imports from China to address producer concerns that dropping the levy would swamp the EU market with lower-cost imports of the solvent, which is used in lubricant base oil production. The EU defines dumping as exporting a product to the EU at prices lower than the normal value of the product – the domestic prices of the product or cost of production – in its own domestic market. Anti-dumping measures consist o...

Calumet Specialty Products reported increased revenue but a net loss for the quarter ending March 31, while SK Lubricants posted rises in operating income and sales, compared to year-earlier results. Independent refiner Calumet Specialty Products LP reported a $13.1 million net loss for the first quarter, down from net income of $75.6 million in the year-earlier period. First quarter sales revenue rose 17 percent to $484.6 million, compared to 2009s first quarter. Indianapolis-headquartered Ca...

Vehicle inspections done for an aftermarket automotive group found consumers falling behind on maintaining fluids, including engine oils, coolants, transmission fluids and brake fluids. The Aftermarket Automotive Industry Association, in conjunction with a coalition of aftermarket companies and organizations, created a public relations campaign to educate consumers under the theme, “Be Car Care Aware,” which includes the National Car Care Month inspection program. Volunteers across ...

There is very little happening out of the Americas just now, and space is freely available. European coastal markets are satisfactory, but exports are flat. Asian trade lanes are stable, though not as tight as before. U.S. Gulf of Mexico Rates have not changed by any great amount on any of the routes out of the Americas, but spot activity is thin, and it is not difficult to secure space for most requirements. Contractual volumes underpin the U.S. Gulf-to-Caribbean route, although at least one s...