It has all been rather slow this week. The U.S. Gulf is the region in which space is tightest and there is the most potential. Europe is strangely quiet. Asia has made little progress. Americas There have been many cargoes from the U.S. Gulf to Europe quoted throughout the week, causing freight rates to stiffen. Space is generally tight – the issue regarding glycol production in the U.S. Gulf has not had any noticeable impact so far, although this could still change. Indeed, there have sti...

Chemical distribution giant Brenntag is shifting its North American industry mix to finished lubricants in a big way with the acquisition of mega-distributors J.A.M. Distributing in Texas and G.H. Berlin-Windward in New Hampshire. The acquisitions are expected to close in the coming weeks, subject to contractually agreed conditions. According to Brenntag, each ranks among the top five lubricant distributors in the United States. The deals followed a strategic review and represent a shift in emph...

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – The global shift in base oil production away from API Group I will compel African blenders to consider using higher grade base oils, industry experts said here at the ICIS Africa Base Oils and Lubricants Conference. The big question is, when? In a presentation, Valentina Serra-Holm, technology and marketing director for Sweden-based Nynas AB, said, The reluctance to reformulate will be challenged by the increasing difficulty of accessing Group I capacity. She p...

Calumet Specialty Products Partners posted a net loss, Clean Harbors made less money off rerefined and blended products and Milacron reported lower operating income for its Industrial Fluids segment, all for the third quarter, compared to the year-earlier quarter. Calumet Calumet Specialty Products Partners L.P. posted a $48.9 million net loss for the third quarter, down from $9.4 million net income in 2014s third quarter. Excluding four special items, Indianapolis-based Calumet reported adjuste...

Russian owners of the two key Balkan lube makers, Rafinerija ulja Modrica and Naftna Industrija Srbije, are slashing their base oil development programs due to low sales and Western sanctions, according to industry insiders. The lack of funding and access to new technologies is the reason why Modrica already reduced its research and development activities, Zorica Davidovic, general manager of Bargos Loa, a Belgrad-based consultant and management firm, told Lube Report at the Croatian Society for...

Average yearly sales for oil change-plus facilities – places that change oil, but not as their primary business – topped $867,000, down 9.8 percent from 2014, National Oil & Lube News Reported. Published in NOLNs November issue, the second Oil Change-Plus Operator Survey compiled data from 2,864 facilities in all 50 U.S. states. Examples of such locations include full-service auto care centers, lube and tire stores, tune-up shops, repair shops and muffler shops. The survey paral...