It has been very quiet in the European market the last few weeks. The U.S. is not very busy either, but there are splashes of activity. Asian markets are steady but lack sparkle. U.S. Gulf The most interesting of the United States routes is probably the one into Asia. There have been plenty of requirements, but the number of fixtures reported is still pretty lean, suggesting that much is being done off-market. Further proof of this is the amount of prompt open space that has gradually reduced. R...

While U.S. quick lubes average ticket totals crossed the $70 mark for the first time, average yearly sales per store declined almost 11 percent from 2013 while net profits increased, National Oil & Lube News reported. Published in NOLNs September issue, the 2014 Fast Lube Operators Survey compiled data from 3,243 facilities in all 50 U.S. states, examining quick lubes operations, prices, demographics, employees, sales, products and services. NOLN asked three new questions in its demographic...

U.S. demand for full synthetic lubricants and functional fluids will increase 6.8 percent per year by value, to $6.3 billion (and 555 million gallons) in 2018, driven by increasingly demanding equipment specifications in several lubricant categories, Freedonia Group found. The projection is up from 5.7 percent annual sales growth between 2008 and 2013. Growth will result from increasing market penetration of synthetic products at the expense of conventional fluids, analyst Jason Carnovale said i...

Chevron U.S.A. Inc.s Brazilian affiliate has established the companys first API Group II base oil supply hub in South America. Located at Rio de Janeiro, its Chevrons 14th such hub globally. The Rio de Janeiro hub will carry viscosity grades 100R, 220R and 600R, according to a news release issued yesterday. The company said its growing Group II base oil presence in South America will give finished lubricant producers more formulating flexibility in meeting tightening specifications for better fu...

LAGOS, Nigeria – Nigerian lubricant blenders proposed a unified body to enforce standards and meet the demands of original equipment manufacturers. At the First Nigerian Lubricant Summit in Lagos, National Automotive Center Director-General Aminu Jalal told blenders that OEMs setting up car manufacturing plants in Nigeria have been mandated to patronize indigenous blenders. However, he noted that it would amount to a sad tale if local blenders are unable to meet OEMs lubricant specificatio...

VOLGOGRAD, Russia – Russian grease maker Intesmo pledged to reduce Russias reliance on imported grease and to also export its grease products during the opening ceremony of its plant here on Monday. Intesmo (Innovative Grease Technologies) is a 75-25 joint venture between Russian Railways (RZhD), a state transportation monopoly, and Lukoil, the largest privately owned oil company in Russia. The Russian government considers RZhD important to the country’s economy and strategically val...