Volume 15 Issue 39

SSY Base Oil Shipping Report
September 30, 2015It was another very slow week in all corners of the world, which is understandable given that a large portion of the global chemicals and oils market has been on holiday. Americas U.S. Gulf-to-Europe rates took a tumble over the past week or two thanks to an injection of fresh tonnage. That now seems to have ceased and the situation is again looking tighter on vessel space for early October loading. Styrene, glycols, acrylonitrile, methanol, ethylene dichloride and phenol have all featured this ...

Far East to Continue Leading Demand
September 30, 2015VIENNA – China is expected to hold its position as the worlds largest lubricant market in the decade to come as the United States market stagnates and Europes shrinks, said an industry insider. In 2012, the worlds lubricant market was projected to expand at a 2.7 percent compound annual growth rate in the years to come. Last year, the growth rate dropped to 1.6 percent, and so far it is on pace for 0.7 percent in 2015, said Alain Mathivaud, a business analyst for French energy giant Total,...

EPA Gives Ground on CP Deadline
September 30, 2015The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced yesterday a postponement of about a year to the beginning of a ban on production and import of mid- and long-chain chlorinated paraffins. The decision, which delays the ban until mid-2017, was disclosed by an EPA official addressing the Metal Removal Fluids conference convened outside Chicago by the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association, attendees told Lube Report. In January, EPA sent letters to three chlorinated paraffin manufacturer...

Industrial Lubes to Take Off in Smaller Markets
September 30, 2015Global general industrial oils and grease demand reached nearly 6.5 million metric tons in 2014, led by Asia-Pacific, while the highest demand growth through 2019 is expected in South America, Africa and the Middle East, according to consultancy Kline & Co. Regions In North America, Kline noted a shift towards Group II base oils in formulating industrial oils and grease. This is because of increasing availability as well as increasing competitiveness of Group II base oil compared to Group I...

Kraton to Absorb Arizona Chemical
September 30, 2015Kraton Performance Polymers Inc. plans to acquire tall oil products maker Arizona Chemical Holdings Corp. for $1.4 billion. The markets and customers that the two companies have in common include lubricants and oilfield chemicals. According to Kratons acquisition presentation, its own products include viscosity modifiers for oils and lubricants, as well as viscosity modifiers in oil-based oilfield fluids. Arizona Chemicals products includes tall oil fatty acids used in metalworking fluids, corro...

Tough Half Year for Hydrodec
September 30, 2015Transformer oil rerefiner Hydrodec Group posted a $7.5 million loss for the six months ending June 30, compared to a $3 million loss during the first half of 2014. The ramp-up of key projects has been slower than expected, Hydrodec noted in its interim results report issued Sept. 23, adding that it continues to face, and react to, oil price volatility and difficult market conditions in the United Kingdom, where the company is based. Total sales volumes increased to 33.2 million liters for the fi...
Briefly Noted
September 30, 2015Smittys Supply named Chad Tate – executive vice president and chief operating officer the past year – as its new president, and said Ed Smith will remain CEO and chairman. Sea-Land Chemical expanded the role of business development specialist Rob Stubbs to manager, Sea-Land Chemical Europe, which Stubbs helped found as a wholly owned subsidiary.