Over the next five years, the lube industry will see a fierce battle between API Group I and II base oils for market dominance, and the smart money is betting on Group II. Sustainable global base oil capacity will increase by a staggering 11 million tons per year through 2017, with little or no growth in demand, Stephen B. Ames of SBA Consulting told the recent ICIS Pan-American Base Oils & Lubricants Conference. Undoubtedly, some plants will close, but almost certainly not enough to bring s...

Additive maker R.T. Vanderbilt Co. yesterday announced a new organization structure, and that it plans to complete the $30 million expansion of its Murray, Ky., chemical manufacturing operation by this summer. Completion of this project will significantly increase capacity and capabilities for future growth of [our] chemical products, R.T. Vanderbilt said in a statement yesterday. Company officials previously said the 21,600 square foot expansion announced in June 2010 was primarily to meet th...

The troubles over the Mizushima plant continue to build for Japanese petroleum company JX Nippon. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) imposed a host of administrative sanctions on the company on Dec. 25 after revealing that JX had failed to adequately maintain inspection records at its Mizushima B refinery in Okayama prefecture. Last August, METI officials conducted an onsite inspection of Mizushima B, and discovered that the company was violating laws and regulations under the ...

Net income for WD-40 totaled $10.9 million for the quarter ending Nov. 30, up 61 percent from the prior year period, while net sales were up 12 percent at $95.3 million. Earnings per share rose to 69 cents per diluted share in WD-40s fiscal first quarter, compared to 42 cents per share in the year-ago period. San Diego-based WD-40s fiscal year goes from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31. WD-40 President and CEO Garry Ridge said the fiscal first quarter was the best sales quarter in company history. We are pl...

Martin Midstream Partners L.P. acquired lubricants distributor Talens Marine and Fuel for $47.4 million. Martin purchased Jennings, La.-based Talens membership interests from various subsidiaries of Quintana Energy Partners, L.P. The acquisition adds 10 marine terminal locations between Houston and Galveston in Texas, and Port Fourchon, La., with total tankage of 300,000 barrels. We expect stable and growing throughput throughout our entire marine terminal system, as current forecasts show fav...

MOSCOW-Russias fast growing vehicle market is causing significant changes in the country’s motor oil sales, stricter compliance by lube manufacturers with OEM standards and automakers’ development of private lube labels, according to an industry expert. In the last 12 years Russia has developed a huge car industry, with international automakers such as Ford, GM, Toyota, Kia and Nissan-Renault seizing the opportunity of the fast growing market, Andrey Yasnovskiy, LLK-International...

Jergens Industrial Supply acquired John M. Allen Co. for an undisclosed amount. Both companies distribute metalworking fluids. By bringing together JIS and the John M. Allen Co., we will be able to leverage the knowledge, experiences and relationships both companies have within the marketplace to better serve manufacturing end users not only in northeast Ohio, but nationwide, said Matt Schron, JIS general manager. Schron said the acquisition also gives Jergens the opportunity to partner with an...

It has been a sedate start to the year in Europe and the Americas, whereas the market in Asia continues to record high levels of demand. U.S. Gulf of Mexico The spark behind the U.S. market fizzled out during the holiday period and has as yet failed to re-ignite. The last day or so has produced a small number of cargoes on the Gulf to Far East route, which is at least some improvement on the beginning of the week. Styrene, ethanol, glycols and some aromatics such as paraxylene have started to s...