A massive blaze last week at the Valley Center, Kan., plant of industrial chemicals wholesale distributor Barton Solvents forced evacuation of the surrounding rural town for two days and resulted in the loss of 235,000 gallons of industrial chemicals and base oils stored in a tank farm at the five-acre site. The company primarily handles industrial lubricants, including some base oils, hydraulic oils and food-grade oils. David Casten, president of Des Moines, Iowa-based Barton Solvents, said the...

National oil company Pertamina of Indonesia last week announced its initial export to Pakistan from its Cilacap refinery, of co-branded lubricating oil produced in cooperation with SK Energy of South Korea. Thomas Chang, a member of SKs lubricants overseas marketing team, told Lube Report the two companies began developing their co-branding cooperation early this year. In April 2006, SK Corp. announced it had signed an agreement to build a $175 million Group III base oil plant in Indonesia wit...

An explosion and fire in February at Chemcentrals Kansas City, Mo. plant involving polybutene has drawn the wrath of two U.S. government agencies that investigated the incident for possible violations of environmental and public health laws. Together the agencies are proposing penalties of more than $560,000 and have announced citations and a federal complaint against the industrial chemicals distributor. The U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Friday cite...

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – In 2006, demand for vehicles in China exceeded 7 million units, making China the worlds second-largest market, and a major automaker predicted that 10 million vehicles will be sold annually by 2010. The countrys automotive lubricant industry is running fast to keep up. Dai Fuming, manager of the fuels and lubricants department at Dongfeng Motor Co. Ltd. – Chinas third largest automaker by volume, and number one in commercial vehicles – gave an overview ...

Chemtura Corp. on Thursday announced that effective immediately or as contracts allow, it will increase prices for all Chemtura fatty acid-based products – including Hystrene, Industrene, Neustrene and Kemester brands – by at least 5 cents per pound on all non-formula based products and by at least 2 cents per pound on all formula based products. The Middlebury, Conn.-based company said it was raising prices as a result of escalating raw material costs, including tallow, palm oil an...

French lubricant producer Condat announced last week that it has purchased Henkels wire drawing lubricants business for an undisclosed amount. Condat already sells products in that market and stated that the acquisition will strengthen its position as world leader in the supply of wire drawing soap lubricants. The deal gives Condat several new brand names – Steelskin, Galvasmooth, Stearlube and Steagel – to supplement its existing Vicafil brand. The company, which is based in Chasse...