Volume 15 Issue 50

SSY Base Oil Shipping Report

Adrian Brown is away. Adrian Brown is a senior market analyst for chemicals and base oils with SSY Shipbrokers, London. Information about SSY can be found atwww.ssyonline.com. Adrian Brown, in the U.K., can be reached atfix@ssychems.comor by phone at +44 12 0750 7507. In the London office SSYs Ian Roberts can be reached atfix@ssychems.comor +44 20 7977 7560 and in Singapore Jordi Maymi at +65 6854 7127.

PC-11 Gets Green Light

AUSTIN, Texas – PC-11, the next heavy-duty engine oil upgrade, received the go-ahead from ASTM here last week. The new category, which the American Petroleum Institute is expected to officially call CK-4 along with its fuel economy version, FA-4, now seems on track to be available for licensing on Dec. 1, 2016. Products meeting API CK-4 will continue to be backwards compatible with earlier categories, such as CJ-4 and CI-4PLUS. However, API FA-4 may have only limited backwards compatibilit...

Ashland Absorbs Oil Can Henrys

Ashland entered the quick lube space in several Pacific Northwest markets by snapping up the 89-site Oil Can Henrys chain. The acquisition of the Portland, Oregon-based chain is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2016. Financial terms were not disclosed. Oil Can Henrys has a great brand, and has built its business over more than 30 years, Ashland spokesman Gary Rhodes said. Rhodes noted Ashland doesnt plan to change the Oil Can Henrys brand over to Valvoline Instant Oil Change with...

Chemtura to Double Italy Additives Output

Chemtura Corp. will build a second lubricant antioxidant plant at its Latina, Italy, site, doubling its capacity there by the end of 2016. The Philadelphia, Pa.-based specialty chemicals provider did not disclose the projects cost or capacity, but said the expansion will double the sites output of Naugalube-branded alkylated diphenyl amine liquid antioxidants, which are specifically formulated for lubricants. The project, which Chemtura announced yesterday, is driven by market demand for lube an...

Bolivia Polices Lubricants Quality

Bolivias National Hydrocarbons Agency began lubricant quality control operations last month, sampling and testing lubricants in mobile laboratories to ensure that products meet government standards. The agency, known by its Spanish acronym as ANH, conducted tests of lubricants from 338 service stations across Bolivia, and seized 617 liters from an unidentified importer for failing onsite tests, ANH technical director Northon Torrez said in a written statement. The agency vowed to continue making...

DuPont, Dow to Join Forces

DuPont and Dow Chemical Co., both involved in the lubricants industry, announced plans Friday to merge to form DowDuPont, which would separate into three independent, publicly traded companies. Dow manufactures polyalkylene glycol and silicones, and its Microbial Control business provides biocide and antimicrobial technologies. DuPont, according to its website, offers lubricants and greases formulated with its Teflon fluropolymer for use in cars, boats, tractors, power tools and industrial equip...

Siberia Fights Fake Motor Oil

Russian authorities and a civil organization have uncovered a pattern of illegal production and sale of fake motor oils in the city of Novosibirsk. Separately, Irkutsk police announced a large seizure of counterfeit lubes. Officials from the Russian Ministry of Transportation and the Moscow-based Association of Auto-Moto Professionals conducted surprise checks during visits earlier this month to several fuel stations and retail sites in Novosibirsk. Novosibirsk is a large industrial center in So...