LONDON – With the help of lubricants ally BP Castrol, Ford has created a proprietary engine oil for its innovative 1.0-liter, three-cylinder EcoBoost engine. It has begun recommending the SAE 5W-20 oil now for virtually all gasoline-fueled Fords in Europe. This is the first time Ford has developed a new oil in conjunction with engine architecture,” stated Robert Haigh of Ford in a presentation to the ICIS World Base Oils & Lubricants Conference here on Feb. 24. The new specifi...

The Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association and WD-40 are at odds over a California Senate bill to amend South Coast Air Quality Management Districts Rule 1144 to exempt consumer products like WD-40 that are regulated by the California Air Resources Board. Californias South Coast Air Quality Management District Rule 1144 aims to reduce volatile organic compounds emissions from metalworking fluids and rust inhibitors. The rule applies to all industrial users of the products in California...

HollyFrontier may add API Group III base oil production using black wax crude oil at its Woods Cross, Utah, refinery, and the project would take three years to complete, a company executive revealed during a conference call last week. On Jan. 4, the company had announced plans to expand capacity at its 31,000 barrels per day Woods Cross fuel refinery to 45,000 b/d with expected completion in late 2014. In conjunction with the expansion, HollyFrontier signed a 10-year 20,000 b/d crude oil supply...

Milacron and subsidiary Cimcool have sued Stough Tool Sales for marketing pink industrial fluids, alleging trademark infringement and unfair competition. Stough filed a counterclaim Monday seeking cancellation of two trademarks for the color pink in such fluids. Filed Feb. 9 in the U.S. District Court in Cincinnati, the initial Milacron lawsuit seeks a jury trial and recovery of damages and/or Stoughs profits received as a result of using pink dye in its products. It also seeks to prohibit Stou...

Brazils Cosan announced last week it is acquiring U.K.-based Comma Oil and Chemicals Ltd., staking a foothold in the European lubricants and specialties market. Details of the transaction were not disclosed but a company statement said the value of the purchase will not exceed $100 million. Cosan, a producer of sugar and ethanol products since 1936, has expanded through acquisitions beginning in 2008 to become a distributor of fuels and lubricants. Comma, located in Kent, England, and a wholl...

Mared Iraqiya, a member of Malia Group, will distribute Shell Lubricants products in Iraq. Iraq is an important market for Shell, said Amr Adel, general manager for Shell Lubricants Middle East, Central and South Asia, and Pakistan region. We see sizable opportunity and a potential in reaching to both business and customer segments, and most importantly we see evident development happening, Adel said in a statement. In partnering with Mared Iraqiya, our aim is to ensure a good supply of qualit...

Henkel, Oxea and Kraton Polymers will increase prices for lubricants and lubricant-related chemicals. Henkel raised prices in North America on its industrial products for the automotive and metals industries. Product categories that will be affected are lubricants, adhesives, sealants and surface treatment products. The increases are a result of ongoing escalation of raw material and energy costs, the D sseldorf, Germany based company said. The first increases were implemented in January, and ...