The Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association filed a complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission last week, accusing DaimlerChrysler Corp. of unfair trade practices for the handling of its most up-to-date automatic transmission fluid specification. The association said the automaker has blocked blenders from making and selling its ATF+4 fluid – which was adopted in 1999 and is now recommended for most Chrysler vehicles. In addition it accused the company of leveraging its monop...

Lubricant sales volumes in the United States dropped 0.4 percent in 2002, falling to the lowest level in a decade, according to the latest report from the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association. The associations annual Report on U.S. Lubricating Oils and Wax Sales showed a slight increase in sales of automotive lubes and a somewhat larger increase for greases, but they were outweighed by a drop in sales for the industrial segment. The new report, which was released yesterday, pegged to...

Even with the GF-4 passenger car engine oil upgrade way into the homestretch, the latest meeting of the ILSAC/Oil committee in Romulus, Mich., attracted more than the average number of attendees. When ILSAC/Oils chairman, Bob Olree of General Motors, called the meeting to order 36 industry representatives were present. At the Oct. 22 meeting, no tests or limits were changed from the original draft specification issued Aug. 4. However, two of the engine test requirements were shifted around withi...

A subsidiary of Cargill Inc. and Hatco Corp. parent company Kaufman Holdings said Monday that they have broken ground on a synthetic ester plant being built in Mairinque, Brazil. The announcement came a year after the companies formed an alliance to produce biobased lubricants for South America. Mondays statement said the companies have also solidified that alliance by forming a joint venture – Innovatti-Industria e Comercio de Esteres Sinteticos Ltda. The new factory, which is being built...

Subsidiaries of Koch Industries Inc. have agreed to buy DuPonts Textiles & Interiors subsidiary for $4.4 billion, the companies announced Monday. The business, which has been renamed Invista, sells corrosion inhibitors for the lubricants industry, among a wide variety of products. The announcement came as little surprise, since DuPont had announced earlier this year that it was trying to sell the subsidiary, and later that it was in exclusive negotiations with Koch subsidiaries. Koch said i...