Starting July 1, Metall-Chemie Technologies will conduct chemical research and development to support Metall-Chemie Groups manufacturing companies, including a lubricant additives manufacturer. Based in Hamburg, Germany, Metall-Chemie GmBH & Co. KGs product range includes lubricant additives for oil- and water-based applications as well as numerous chemicals for specialized applications. According to its web site, its lubricant additives function as corrosion inhibitors, metal deactivators,...

Dubai, United Arab Emirates-based Mag Lubricants plans to double its international workforce and penetrate new geographical markets. Following the recent start of operations at its new $50 million blending plant, the company announced at last weeks Middle East Automechanika in Dubai that its aiming to employ 250 staff members at the Jebel Ali factory by 2015 and that it plans to expand its international reach to 50 countries within an undisclosed time frame. We are well-placed to move into new...

Rowe Mineralolwerk reports progress on its new $53 million lubricants plant in Germany, which will have 120,000 metric tons per year production capacity and serve as company headquarters when completed at the end of 2013. Construction began on an 82,000 square meter site in Worms in December 2012, the lubricant producer stated in a June 11 news release. On June 5 Rowe completed the shell of its new headquarters. It will include four halls, which will accommodate production and filling systems, ...

The European Lubricating Grease Institute and the European Committee for Standardization both want to create a standard for greases to reduce noise and wear on railways. They disagree, however, about the best way to do that. Members of an ELGI committee contended recently that a railway grease specification adopted by the Committee for Standardization, known as CEN, last year does a poor job of addressing its main goals. As a result, the associations Railway Lubrication Working Group decided to...

The U.S. Department of Agricultures BioPreferred program finalized its 10th round of procurement regulations, which specify that engine crankcase oil with at least 25 percent bio-based content will receive federal procurement preference. The new rule is effective July 11, 2013. By June 11, 2014, federal agencies and government contractors must ensure their relevant procurement specifications require the use of bio-based engine oils. USDA has received information from a major marketer of engine...

The U.S. federal court of Charleston, S.C., sentenced former Delfin Group USA president Markos Baghdasarian to three years in prison for exporting lubricants to Iran and lying to authorities. In December 2012, Baghdasarian, age 49, pled guilty to exporting more than $2 million worth of aviation oils, lubricants and polymers to customers in Iran – including the Iranian governments Pars Oil – in violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran. On June 12, he was sentenced to three years impr...