Volume 6 Issue 5

ISP Buys French Biocides Maker

Specialty chemical maker International Specialty Products Inc. announced Jan. 20 that it has purchased Progiven, a French manufacturer of biocides. ISP, which is based in Wayne, N.J., bought the company from Paris-based investment firm Banexi Capital Partenaires for an undisclosed amount. Progivens products are used in metalworking fluids, as well as paints, coatings, detergents and other applications. ISP already produces biocides – along with a wide variety of other chemicals – but...

Uniqema Expands Surfactants Plant

Uniqema on Monday announced the start-up of new production lines of specialty surfactants at its factory in New Castle, Del. The lines are part of a broader project to improve manufacturing efficiency as well as to expand capacity. The new capabilities at this facility will be evident in both qualitative and quantitative terms, Vice President of Sales and Marketing Rick Hanson said. Uniqema did not disclose the cost or size of the project or discuss specifics except to say that it installed adv...

Valvoline's Earnings Plummet, Afton's Rise

Financial results posted the past week spotlighted diverging fortunes for two of the lubricant industrys major players. Valvolines earnings for the three months ended Dec. 31 dropped 93 percent from the same period of a year earlier. Meanwhile, Afton Chemical Corp. helped the continued recovery of its parent company by recording a 44 percent earnings gain for all of 2005. Valvoline parent company Ashland Inc. said Jan. 25 that the motor oil marketer had operating earnings of $1 million for the t...

Asia Paces Global Growth for Lubes

OSTFILDERN, Germany – The worlds appetite for lubricants has begun growing again, but only because Asias emerging markets are far outstripping the mature, flat-lining markets of North America, Western Europe and Japan, according to data presented here last month. Updated figures for 2004 show 1.8 percent growth in worldwide lubricants demand including marine oils – a clear recovery over the prior year, says Georg Lingg of Fuchs Petrolub AG. Speaking to the 15th International Colloqui...

GF-5 Targeted for 2009

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – With their eyes on a projected launch date of 2009, the motor oil and auto industries are sharpening their efforts to define and create GF-5, the next generation of gasoline engine oils. Bob Olree of General Motors, who chairs the inter-industry ILSAC/Oil Committee that is developing the new oils technical specifications, noted at the groups Jan. 11 meeting here, Were one year into GF-5 and not in bad shape. Im quite satisfied with progress at this point in the process...