Adrian Brown is away.

While most stakeholders acknowledge that the next generation of heavy-duty engine oils cant roll out sooner than March 2017, representatives from the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association are continuing to press for the PC-11 category to launch during 2016. At the Sept. 25 meeting of the PC-11 New Category Development Team, the subject of when the American Petroleum Institute could begin licensing the new oils took center stage. The likely deadline, March 1, 2017, has been acknowledged by l...

Lukoils refinery, lubricant blending plant and other production facilities in Ploiesti, Romania, were shut down the past few days by authorities probing allegations of massive tax evasion and money laundering. Subsidiary offices of the Russian oil major, including its Eastern European lube arm and four companies that manage production, logistics and security for the refinery and auxiliary facilities, were raided by Romanian law enforcement officers last week. A team of prosecutors, police and cu...

Specialty chemicals manufacturer Trecora Resources closed last week on a $73 million acquisition of Schumann/Steiers Texas subsidiary, SSI Chusei, which manufactures polyethylene wax and wax derivatives. SSI Chusei has a 21-acre plant in Pasadena, Texas. Coral Gables, Fla.-based Schumann/Steier completed the acquisition of Chusei Oil Co.s Pasadena, Texas, polyethylene wax and custom processing facility in July 2010. Custom processing is chemical toll manufacturing. Peter Loggenburg, SSI Chuseis ...

Distributor PetroChoice acquired LubriCorp and opened a hub in Ohio last week. The company did not disclose costs, but said the moves will help expand its reach to most of the southeastern United States and additional areas in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Effective Oct. 1, Knoxville, Tenn.-headquartered LubriCorp merged into PetroChoice, which is based in Avoca, Pa., and Superior, Wis. LubriCorps former president, Mike Foltz, has been retained as vice president and general manager of PetroChoic...

The Georgia Department of Agricultures Fuel and Measures Division issued a stop sale order on several motor oils, automatic transmission fluids and an antifreeze under the U.S. Economy, Bullseye, Super, Ever Clear and Black Knight brands. An Oct. 7 report by the Petroleum Quality Institute of America lists the individual products.