Lubrizol Corp. said yesterday that it is moving ahead with a 10-year, $1 billion plan to upgrade operations and increase global additive capacity. The plan includes $200 million for a new wholly-owned plant in southern China, scheduled to break ground later this year. Originally announced in March 2008, Lubrizols 10-year phased investment plan was placed on hold last year due to the global recession. Worldwide additive demand recovered significantly in the second half of 2009, the company said,...

Castrol is developing a dedicated lubricant technology center in Shanghai, China, scheduled to be fully operational by the end of 2010, initially employing up to 20 Chinese and international scientists and engineers. The center will develop lubricant technology for theautomotive industry, as well as Castrols offshore, aviation,marine and industrial business units. Castrol said the center will also support Chinese businesses that operate overseas. Located in Jinqiao Science Park, the technology c...

Additives maker Infineum International on Monday outlined new assignments for its senior leadership team, including Mark Struglinski, Trevor Russell and Sara Lefcourt, that will go into effect Feb. 1. The Milton Hill, U.K.-based company appointed Mark Struglinski, currently vice president of sales and marketing, to succeed Shaun Kennedy, who is retiring, as vice president of technology. Struglinski will continue to work out of Linden Business and Technology Center in Linden, N.J. Struglinski jo...

Waste management officials in Japan have given Hydrodec approval to use its technology to treat PCB-contaminated transformer oils in the country, a key step in the companys plans to build a rerefinery there. London-based Hydrodec Group plc and its Japanese partner Kobelco Eco Solutions have been investigating candidate sites, and have several under consideration. The approval from the Waste Management Foundation, on behalf of the Japanese Environment Ministry, allows Hydrodec to formally apply ...

Kenyas KenolKobil announced Monday it acquired from Chevron 10.5 percent of the shareholding of Lublend Ltd., a lubricants blending company in Ndola, Zambia. Financial terms were not disclosed. The addition increased KenolKobils stake at Lublend to 25.5 percent; it initially acquired 15 percent from Total Zambia Ltd. in 2008. It will also give KenolKobil Group more control of the plants management, and give it more representation on Lublends board. Nairobi, Kenya-based KenolKobil said the purc...

After the initial rush of the new year, activity seems to have declined in most areas, but not massively. Rates on some routes out of the United States and Europe fell, but higher levels are being paid from Asia and the Middle East Gulf to India. U.S. Gulf of Mexico The number of smaller units open in the U.S. Gulf has declined, which has prompted a slight increase in freights from the Gulf to the east coast of Mexico and also in the Caribbean. Furthermore, freezing temperatures in the U.S. Gu...