Omni Specialty Packaging is doubling in size, undertaking a 75,000-square-foot expansion at its Shreveport, La., manufacturing site. While the new space is largely devoted to warehousing, it will allow the company to add and expand production lines. A laboratory is also being built.

Officials say the company needs more space to accommodate growth, which has been fast and steady since the business opened in 2000. Sales have increased by double-digit rates in every year of operation, they say, with two-cycle motor oils being the biggest part of their business. The project will increase the companys pay roll by 15 to 20 people, bringing average employment to approximately 90. Omni received economic support for its expansion from the Port of Shreveport, but did not disclose its overall cost.

Trio Buys Chem Distributor

Chemical distributor Ivanhoe Industries Inc. has been purchased by three former employees of Totals former chemicals business, now known as Arkema. Jeffrey M. Snyder, William Tuszynski and Rafael A. Valle bought Ivanhoe from founder and president John S. Hoegl, who is retiring. Based in Tullytown, Pa., near Philadelphia, Ivanhoe distributes specialty and intermediate chemicals. Tuszynski, who has responsibility for sales into the lubricants industry, said up to 20 percent of Ivanhoes total sales are corrosion inhibitors, esters and other lubricant additives. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Clark Oil Acquired

Texas oil jobber United Fuel & Energy Corp. last month said it had acquired Clark Oil Co., a fuels and lubricants distributor based in Ada, Okla. United said the deal will allow it to expand beyond its traditional markets of Texas and New Mexico into southeast Oklahoma, where Clark serves the mining, quarry, agriculture and trucking industries. Clark sold approximately 800,000 gallons of lubes last year. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Seminar: Safety First

Product and plant safety are the focus of a seminar organized by the Philadelphia section of STLE, Sept. 15 in Brooklawn, N.J. The event will feature Phil Miller of Lubrizol, a past STLE president, speaking on health and safety of biocides in metalworking fluids. Other speakers will address common plant hazards, case histories, an overview of product safety, and a review of the ILMA/OSHA metalworking fluids safety initiative. Registration fee is $85 and includes lunch and training materials. Contact: George Arbocus, 205 Bergen Ave., Bellmawr, NJ 08031. Phone: (856) 931-4063.

New Parent for Panef

Lubricant supplier Acrotech Industries recently acquired Panef Corp., a 60-year-old Milwaukee-based packager of oils and greases. Acrotech said it was attracted by Panefs ability to fill small containers, which suits its own strategy of catering to small volumes. Our strategy is to service those companies who are looking to have a professionally packaged product but cannot meet the minimum volume levels required by high-volume contract packagers, Acrotechs Mike Schmidt told online newsletter Lube Report.

The companies did not disclose terms of the transaction. Panef will remain housed in its Milwaukee plant and will operate as a division of its new parent.

Additive Firms Name UK Rep

Marketing of Adichem AG and Hornett Bros. & Co. Ltd. lubricant additives within the United Kingdom has been taken on by Midlands, U.K., based Nimac Ltd., effective last April. Included in Nimacs brief are Adichems high-performance, thin-film rust preventives and tackifiers, Hornett Bros. Epoil range of sulfur- and chlorine-based extreme pressure additives, Miscol emulsifiers, and the Cognis Synlubes technologies supplied by Hornett Bros., according to Nimac Director Nigel McDonald. McDonald, previously the U.K. manager for Adichem UK Ltd., set up the company to offer representation to manufacturers of lube additives and associated chemicals and products in the U.K.

Motiva Taps ExMo Technology

ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co. has confirmed that the third lube train being built by Motiva Enterprises (which is owned by affiliates of Shell Oil and Saudi Refining) will use ExxonMobils catalyst technology. The project will make Motivas Port Arthur, Texas, facility the worlds largest Group II base oil plant and enable it to produce an additional 15,000 barrels per day of Group II base stocks, for a total capacity of over 13 million barrels per year.

The new lube train will upgrade heavy gas oil using ExxonMobils proprietary lube catalyst technology, including MSDW catalytic dewaxing and Maxsat hydrofinishing catalysts. Completion is slated for the end of this year, and production for early 2006.

Simons Says: Trevcos Mine

Oklahoma City-based Simons Petroleum Inc. recently purchased Colorado petroleum marketer Trevco, one step toward its declared goal of becoming the largest oil jobber in the United States. Simons did not disclose terms of the deal, but said it plans to use Trevco as a vehicle to expand sales in the Rocky Mountain region. Trevco already served as a delivery agent of lubricants, fuels and other products for Simons.

Already one of the nations largest oil jobbers, Simons said it has lined up $112 million in financing for acquisitions. We have a couple more in the works and hope to have some more announcements before too long, Financial Projects Manager Janet Schisser told the e-newsletter Lube Report.

Lube Jobbers to Meet

Pacific Oil Conference and Petroleum Trends International have joined forces to offer a comprehensive program for U.S. lubricant distributors, Monday, Sept. 19, in Reno, Nev. Topics for the day-long seminar include the state of the U.S. distribution business and its future; costs and productivity; private labeling dos and donts; benchmarking; coop buying schemes; mergers and acquisitions, and more. Registrants for this lubes-focused event can then participate in the Sept. 20-22 Pacific Oil Conference and its popular trade show, this year to feature a special Lube Alley. For information, log on to www. petroshow.com or phone (916) 646-5999.

Faces in the News

Michael P. (Mike) Smith has joined Unisource Energy as business development manager, based at the companys W. Chicago, Ill., offices. Formerly with Motivas base oil marketing group, Smith will focus on expanding UniSources specialty process oil and solvents business.

Teresa Eury recently joined label supplier Custom Printed Products of Bossier City, La., where she leads national account development, and assists with R&D of new products for the petroleum and other industries. She has 12 years of printing industry experience, most recently with Seneca Printing & Label.

OM Group has promoted James E. Reddy, who joined the company in 2000, to be research and development manager for its newly formed Overbased Metals Technology Department. His responsibilities include commercial and technical development of additives for lubricants and greases.