Fast-growing Warren Oil Co. last week completed its biggest acquisition yet, buying Coastal Unilube from El Paso Corp. for $34 million. The deal more than triples the size of Warren, likely making it one of the largest independent lubricant manufacturers in the United States. Coastal Unilube, which is based in West Memphis, Ark., had sales of $213 million in 2003, according to Warren Oil President and Chief Executive Officer Irvin Warren. Warren Oil, of Dunn, N.C., had sales of $90 million. Besi...

Ethyl Corp. announced Monday that it is entering the metalworking fluid additives market, one of the first major launches from its product pipeline since the company downsized three years ago. The Richmond, Va., company has long been one of the worlds biggest suppliers of additive packages for automotive and industrial lubricants, but has not previously created products specifically for the metalworking industry. Now the company will sell a line of emulsifiers, extreme pressure and antiwear agen...

Dover Chemical Corp. yesterday named eight distributors to carry its products throughout the United States and Canada – a move taken to streamline channels in the wake of two acquisitions. Eastech, TH Hilson, Kohl Marketing, Petroleum Quality Resources, TCR, Hall Technologies, and Palmer Holland will distribute Dovers lubricant additives in the United States. Brascorp will sell Dover metalworking fluid additives in Canada. Dovers distribution channels had become more cluttered in the past ...