Ford Motor Co. says it is seeking greater assurance that automatic transmission fluids bearing its Mercon trademark are worthy to bear its seal of approval. Lubricant blenders are not happy about the costs they will incur for that peace of mind. In conjunction with its launch of a specification for low-viscosity fluid, the automaker recently amended its Mercon program to require companies producing any Mercon-licensed ATF at multiple plants to obtain approvals for each plant. Market sources say...

A British agency concluded last month that grease may have played a role in four recent incidents in which landing gear on commercial planes operated by a Pakistani airline caught fire during landings. The agency did not venture an opinion, however, about whether the fires were more likely caused by application of too much grease or by use of an unapproved product. The grease supplier maintained that its product was not a primary cause. According to a September bulletin posted by the Air Acciden...

Everyone notices that gasoline prices are high, and Calumet Lubricants Co. is no exception. Fuels are profitable enough these days that the company has decided to have its Shreveport, La., refinery start making them again. Calumet told Lube Report yesterday the Shreveport refinery will start making fuels next January. In doing so, the complex will produce a full range of refined products, as it did before Calumet bought it from Pennzoil-Quaker State in 2001. The operational changes will also boo...

Competitive Technologies Inc. announced last week that it has granted EIB Group Inc. a nonexclusive license in the United States to use its lubricant and specialty cleaning chemical formulations. EIB will market the compoundsto the food, beverage and brewery industries. Competitive Technologies compounds are sprayed on conveyors used in the food and beverage processing and packaging industry, where they simultaneously clean and lubricate. They also have applications in business sectors such as f...