The U.S. lubricant industry last week urged the Federal Trade Commission to clarify its consumer product warranty rules under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, to prevent automakers from conditioning coverage onthe purchase of the automakers own branded lubricants. The comments responded to an FTC request in August. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act prohibits tying arrangements that require the warranted consumer products purchaser buy a particular brand item or service to use with the product to be...

Shell was tops in global finished lubricants market share in 2010 for the fifth straight year, at 13 percent, reported Kline & Co., which estimated worldwide demand at 37.4 million metric tons in 2010, up 6.9 percent from 2009. According to Klines study, Global Lubricants 2010: Market Analysis and Assessment, Shell remained ahead of its largest competitors, ExxonMobil, which had an estimated 11 percent global market share in 2010, and BP, at 7 percent. Rounding out the top five were Chevro...

New Markets Afton Chemical additives subsidiary, Quaker Chemical and South Korean companies SK and S-Oil all reported strong increases in sales and operating profit for the third quarter, compared to the year-ago quarter. Afton Afton Chemical posted operating profit of $122.7 million in the quarter ending Sept. 30, which includes a $38.7 million gain from a legal settlement. That is up 53.4 percent from $80 million operating profit in the year-earlier period. Revenues for the additives segment ...

TNK Lubricants recently completed modernization work on its 25,000 ton per month lubricants blending plant in Ryazan, Russia, to compete against international brands. The company is the lube arm of TNK-BP, a joint venture between the British oil major and a group of Russian oligarchs, represented by Alfa-Access-Renova consortium. TNK-BPs Ryazan lubes and emulsions production facility now has three upgraded units, Maria Pumo, the companys spokeswoman, told Lube Report last week. The high-tonnag...

Oxea plans to build its first chemical plant in China in 2012 for production of oxo derivatives, some of which are used in lubricants. Scheduled to come on stream in 2013, the new plant in Nanjing, China, will serve the fast-growing demand for oxo derivatives in China and Asia. The companys oxo derivatives segment includes carboxylic acids, polyols, higher aldehydes and specialty derivatives, amines and specialty esters. According to Oxea, carboxylic acids are mainly used as raw materials for ...

Tide Water Oil (India) has acquired BPs Veedol lubricants brand, including registered trademarks and logos. Tide Water Oil (India) Ltd. has informed [Bombay Stock Exchange] that the company has acquired 100 percent shares of Veedol International Ltd., a company registered in United Kingdom and a wholly owned subsidiary of BP Plc on Oct. 19, 2011, the Indian company stated in an Oct. 24 regulatory filing. Tide Water said it had built a substantial lubricant business in India using the Veedol br...

A defective oil cooler line led British automaker Lotus to recall 5,037 model year 2005 to 2006 Elise and Exige sports cars in the United States. The imported vehicles were manufactured from June 1, 2004, through Nov. 30, 2006. Lotus has identified that there has been a small number of instances of oil cooler lines detaching from their fittings occurring as regards a group of vehicles built over a limited period of time, Lotus Cars USA stated in its Oct. 14 letter to the NHTSA. According to Lo...

Business is looking better in the Americas with fewer idle ships around. Europe has entered a spell of steady activity too. Asia is a bit quieter however, especially in domestic trades. U.S. Gulf of Mexico It is apparent that that the pool of open tonnage in the U.S. Gulf has finally melted away, and there are reports of firmer freights being paid in the Gulf-to-Caribbean markets for example. There are quite a number of small clean petroleum product cargoes, mostly under 15,000 tons in size, an...