Risk of fire from a speed control deactivation switch leaking hydraulic fluid led Ford to recall 4.5 million model year 1992 to 2003 vehicles, beginning on or about Oct. 26. A Texas Instruments switch in the vehicles may leak internally and then overheat, smoke or burn, Ford told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in a letter dated Oct. 9. The models recalled include Econoline, Excursion, Explorer, F Super Duty, F53, Ranger, Windstar and Mountaineers over various ranges of mode...

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A quality testing program conducted by the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association found that six of 20 engine oils samples it checked, and 11 of the 20 tractor hydraulic fluids, were misrepresented, with deficiencies ranging from labeling mistakes to viscosity errors to mishandling of additives. In most cases the ILMA members voluntarily reformulated and/or relabeled the lubricants; four claimed they were misled by their additive supplier. Jim Taglia of NL G...

Nynas Naphthenics plans to increase supplies from its existing production sites to offer its customers alternatives to Tufflo naphthenic products, following LyondellBasells cancellation of its contract with Nynas in favor of Calumet. On Oct. 1, Nynas was informed that LyondellBasell had decided to reject the long term contract for the Tufflo products, which are hydrotreated naphthenic process oils used in coatings and inks. In a statement, Nynas noted it had offered to modify terms for Lyondell...

Ahli United Bank will provide a $120 million loan to finance Oil and Gas Holdings stake in the Bahrain Lube Base Oil Co. joint ventures $430 million API Group III base oil plant, state-run Bahrain News Agency reported Monday. Oil and Gas Holding and Bapco together hold a 55 percent stake in the joint venture, called Bahrain Lube Base Oil Co. Espoo, Finland-based Neste Oil holds the remaining 45 percent in the joint venture. The plant is expected to produce 400,000 metric tons per year (7,700 ba...

Quaker Chemical Corp. on Monday said it is nearing completion of a 16-month expansion project at its Middletown, Ohio, manufacturing facility, including a new plant for hydraulic and metalworking fluids. The Middletown expansion includes a new 12,000 square foot production building which houses state-of-the-art, computer controlled blending and transfer systems. Well be producing all of our ester-based hydraulic fluids, rolling oils and just a few metalworking fluids, at the new production bu...

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Californias move toward adoption of a test for volatile organic compounds in metalworking fluid mist, and the impact of OSHAs proposed new chemical hazard communication rules top the list of issues challenging independent lubricant manufacturers. At the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Associations annual meeting here this week, the trade groups Safety, Health, Environmental and Regulatory Affairs Committee highlighted the industrys top issues. Committee chairman J...

The global shipping market took time out for the duration of the European Petrochemical Association Conference in Berlin last week and is now only slowly trying to sort itself out. In terms of fixing, no single region or route was that busy over the past week. U.S. Gulf of Mexico Freight rates on all the major trade lanes out of the U.S. Gulf rolled over from the previous week without any significant changes. Space tends not to hang around in the area, however, as transatlantic eastbound is pro...