The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association on Monday announced an alliance aimed at promoting practices that avoid health risks posed by lubricants. Agency and association officials called the program a way for them to pool their resources to help show industry how to use lubes safely. Workers in manufacturing and other industries are exposed to a wide variety of metalworking fluids and lubricants, said OSHA Administrator John L...

Lubrizol Corp. announced last week that its earnings for 2003 were down 23 percent from 2002, mostly due to lower sales volumes and the cost of job cuts. Revenues rose 3 percent to $2.05 billion. While reporting that business now appears to be improving, officials also cautioned that the company now faces the challenge of passing through product development expenses and manufacturing cost increases. Lubrizol said Friday that it recorded consolidated earnings of $90.8 million or $1.76 per share i...

Myers Container Corp. announced Friday that it has begun building a 100,000-square-foot steel drum factory in City of Industry, Calif. The facility, which will replace an existing plant in nearby Los Angeles, is scheduled to open by the end of the year. The company did not disclose the price of the project except to describe it as a multi-million dollar investment. Officials said Myers is building the new plant to avoid problems that the existing factory would have encountered over state and fed...

Chevron Oronite Co. is in the process of moving its leadership from Houston to San Ramon, Calif., the home of parent company ChevronTexaco. Up to 20 people will be relocating, including President Ron Kiskis, vice presidents and global managers reporting to him, and support staff. Management for North and South America will continue to be based in Houston. A Chevron Oronite spokesman said the company wanted to move its leadership closer to its Global Technology Center, which is located in Richmon...