ATIEL, the organization that establishes quality standards for automotive lubricants in Europe, amended its rules for motor oil formulations last month to allow temporary use of substitute base oils or additives in cases where suppliers declare force majeure. The change mimics a similar provision adopted in October by the American Petroleum Institute. ATIEL, the Technical Association of the European Lubricants Industry, described its action as largely a precautionary measure taken to stay in ste...

Proprietary specifications – on top of industrywide standards – are becoming a way of life for heavy-duty engine oil marketers. While vowing support for the American Petroleum Institutes engine oil classification system, heavy-duty engine builders continue to pile their own tough standards on top of the accepted industry categories for heavy-duty engine oils. Latest sign of this trend was Caterpillar Inc.s announcement last month that it would issue two new proprietary heavy-duty die...

It may be a new year but it still looks like 2005 to those paying bills for chemicals used in the manufacture of lubricants. Prices continue to rise as they did throughout last year, with markups right out of the gates by Dow Chemical Co., Chemtura Corp. and Southern Clay Products Inc. Dow imposed a 10 percent worldwide hike Sunday on its entire line of biocides, including those used in metalworking machine lubricants. The Midland, Mich., chemical giant blamed the increases on the costs of bring...

Lubrizol Corp. on Thursday said it has sold its Engine Control Systems business to a Cleveland investment firm for an undisclosed amount. It is the specialty chemical companys third spinoff since announcing plans in July to sell five non-core businesses. ECS designs and manufactures exhaust aftertreatment performance systems designed to reduce emissions in mining, materials handling and off-road vehicles and equipment, stationary engines, and truck and bus fleets. It has annual sales of approxim...