(SAN DIEGO, Calif.–) Truckers are challenging the grease industry to extend lubrication intervals and to better protect their fleets. Truckers see short grease intervals as a major limiting factor in their push for more cost-effective preventive maintenance schedules. And in North America, 70 to 80 percent of automotive greases now go into heavy-duty fleets, but today’s grease specs were developed primarily for passenger cars and light trucks. At this week’s National Lubricatin...

The wind appears to have gone out of the sails of GF-4, the proposed new gasoline engine oil scheduled for introduction into commercial service in spring 2004. Development of the specification has hit two sticking points: phosphorus limits and category life. The Oct. 15 meeting of the ILSAC/OIL committee – created specifically to get GF-4 approved, and composed of representatives of oil,additive, and automobilecompanies- was cancelledby GMs Bob Olree, ILSAC/OILs chairman. No new meeting da...

Moving quickly to consolidate after its acquisition of Pennzoil-Quaker State Co., Shell Oil Products US said last week that it will sell or close seven lubricant blending and packaging plants by the end of 2003. The announcement came just over three weeks after Shell purchased the automotive consumer products marketer. Our goal was to identify these synergies and announce this plan as soon as possible, Vice President of Lubricants David Pirret said. Moving fast not only helps us realize the effi...

Lubrizol Corp. said last week that its third quarter earnings jumped 60 percent from the same period a year earlier, thanks to increased sales and the benefits of a weaker dollar. But the Wickliffe, Ohio, additive maker also warned that profits will probably fall next year, partly because it has lost a customer because of a recent merger. Consolidated earnings for the period ended Sept. 30 were $36.5 million, or 71 cents per share, up from $22.8 million and 45 cents per share during the third qu...