Last Wednesday ILSAC/Oil approved the final draft limits for GF-4, and on Monday unveiled the new passenger car engine oil specification to all interested parties. Barring any roadblocks, very unlikely at this point, this clears the way for the new specification to be published by the American Petroleum Institute and for licensing of the new oils to begin in time for the 2005 model year vehicles. Two documents relevant to the new specification were distributed on Aug. 4 by ILSAC/Oil Chairman Bo...

Shifting exchange rates boosted the second quarter performance of Quaker Chemical Corp. and Milacron Inc.s Industrial Fluids business, according to financial statements released last week. Quaker Chemicals net income for the three months ending June 30 was 9.4 percent higher than the same period of 2002, thanks in part to acquisitions and new contracts for chemical management services. Operating earnings by Milacrons fluids segment grew 12 percent year-to-year, but would have been flat if not fo...

The Industrial Division of Graphics Technology Inc. has been bought out by a team of current and former executives. The operation, which markets labels and labeling equipment to the lubricant, petroleum and chemicals industries, now does business as Reliance Label Solutions Inc. The new owners agreed to buy the division after GTI decided to sell or close it, said President Jay Frankenberg, former president and chief executive officer of GTI. RLS officials said they are convinced the company can ...