Cross Oil Refining & Marketing Inc., best known as a naphthenic base oil refiner, continues to enlarge its lubricant blending and packaging capabilities. This month it is adding two high-speed filling lines (one for quarts, the other for pails), which will more than double the packaging capacity at its Smackover, Ark., facility. Cross is also installing three 120,000-gallon tanks for base oil storage and eleven 30,000-gallon blending tanks.

Denman Shaffer, director of sales and marketing, said more growth is to come, too. Shaffer envisions adding another 100,000 square feet to the Arkansas facility, perhaps in 40,000-sq.ft. increments. Crosss packaged lubricant division now employs 35 people.

ITW Picks Up Metal Mates

Glenview, Ill., based ITW (Illinois Tool Works) has acquired Metal Mates Inc. of Waterford, Mich., and will be adding it as an independent product line of its ITW ROCOL North America segment. Metal Mates was formed in 1975, and specializes in products for the metal stamping industry.

The Metal Mates line of water-based lubricants for stamping and forming joins ITW Rocol N.A.s extensive line of branded coolants and metalworking fluids, such as Accu-Lube, Rustlick, SafeTap, Duraclean and Cedar Lubricants. All are made at the companys blending plant in DeWitt, Iowa.

Learn About Lubes

STLEs Chicago Section is offering a two-day technical seminar, Lubrication: The Lifeblood of Modern Production, March 15 and 16. Leading industry experts will explain lubrication fundamentals and best practices, as well as conduct targeted sessions on selecting, applying and maintaining hydraulic fluids, metalworking fluids, industrial gear oils and greases, synthetic lubricants, and more. Seals, filters and tests also will be covered.

The training is designed for individuals and professionals involved in the selection, application and maintenance of all types of lubricants as well as individuals involved in the formulation, technical service and sales of lubricants – that is, anyone who would like to learn more about in field applications and the environments associated with these applications.

The program will be at Argonne National Laboratories, near Chicago. Preregistration for the event is a must, as there is no on-site registration, and security clearances are required to enter the Argonne facility.

For details or to register for the seminar, contact Ted McClure, at tmcclure@tribsys.com. Phone: (219) 531-2583. Web: www.chicagostle.org

Supply Issues, REACH Top UKLA Agenda

Peter Vickers, managing director of Benjamin R. Vickers & Sons, Ltd., Leeds, England, was elected president of the United Kingdom Lubricants Association in November. UKLA is working to represent and inform its members in three principal areas, Vickers told LubesnGreases: first is issues of supply and pricing in the present base oil crisis; second is the implications of REACH, the stringent chemical industry legislation approved by the EU parliament in November. Third are changes to the European Waste Oil Directive that took effect at the end of December.

UKLA plans a seminar early this year to inform members about the issues underlying the present base oils supply and pricing crisis, Vickers said. Regarding REACH, the group held a highly regarded seminar last fall, and will follow up in 2006 as details become available. Its already clear, said Vickers. Companies must start planning now. Some key raw materials may be withdrawn if sales dont justify the REACH registration costs.

With 100 member companies, UKLA represents virtually the entire lubricants industry in the U.K., including independent manufacturers and marketers, major integrated oil companies, and key suppliers to the lubricant industry. UKLA was formed last year by a merger between the British Lubricants Federation and the U.K. delegation to the U.E.I.L., the European trade association for independent lubricant manufacturers. UKLA automatically became the U.K. representative to UEIL as a result.

Vickers is the fifth generation of his family to head Vickers Oil, a manufacturer of specialty lubricants for the shipping and textile industries. Established in 1828, the company has 50 employees and sells lubricants to 70 countries.

Faces in the News

Lubrizol has tapped Dan Sheets as vice president, sales, for its additive business, responsible for global sales efforts for the business segment. He joined the Wickliffe, Ohio, company in 1984, and most recently was vice president, engine additives. Sheets replaces Jeff Cash, who has moved to a business leadersip role in Noveons Specialty Materials business.

Replacing Sheets as vice president, engine additives, is 16-year Lubrizol veteran Greg Ondercin. Ondercin previously was global business manager for viscosity modifiers.

Andres Ginez has been named Latin American sales manager at Ultra Additives, Bloomfield, N.J. He comes to the company from Degussa, and will be responsible for sales of its specialty additives to the worldwide industrial fluid market.