National-Spencer Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of petroleum and lubrication equipment, recently acquired California-based MTN Pump Products, which imports and distributes a variety of specialty hand pumps that can be used for lubricants and other chemicals. Under the terms of the agreement reached Jan. 22, Wichita, Kan.-based National-Spencer will assume responsibility for the sales and support of MTNs product line of specialty hand pumps. Customers use the pumps primarily to dispense ch...

Metalworking fluid supplier Houghton plc in the United Kingdom has found that a briquetting press can recycle metalworking fluids, saving money on fluid and waste disposal costs along with providing environmental benefits. Houghton recently installed such a press at Continental Teves in Ebbw Vale, Wales, U.K. Continental Teves manufactures vehicle safety and powertrain systems. Houghtons support on site includes swarf management using a briquetting press that dries and compacts swarf generated ...

Financial results for the quarter ending Dec. 31 reflected a strong fourth quarter and 2006 for Lubrizols Lubricant Additives segment, though net income for the company as a whole was down for the quarter and year. The Lubricant Additives segment reported operating income of $70.1 million in the fourth quarter, up 45 percent from $48.4 million in the same period of 2005, which the company attributed to progress in addressing higher raw material costs, legal settlements with suppliers and operat...

Process oils could be the key to growth for Universal Oil Inc., an industrial lubricants and petroleum products supplier recently sold by its longtime owners to its employees through an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). The company has 25 full-time employees. On Jan. 31 brothers Bob and Tim Mendelsohn, who had owned the privately-held, Cleveland-based company for 30 years, signed papers to sell Universal Oil for an undisclosed amount. The Mendelsohns will remain involved with the company as ...

Lubrizol Corp. on Feb. 7 agreed to purchase a broad line of metalworking additives from Gibsonia, Pa.-based Lockhart Chemical Co., a longtime competitor. Terms of the transaction were undisclosed. Lubrizol acquired Lockharts entire metalworking product line, which includes natural, synthetic and gelled sulfonates; emulsifier packages; corrosion inhibitors; lubricity agents; grease additives; oxidates; esters; soaps; semi-finished coatings; and rust preventives. The products see use worldwide. I...