Will GF-4 Oils Play Nice With Others? Automakers have completed the "needs" statement defining what they want from GF-4, the next gasoline engine oil category. They acknowledge, however, that the thorny issue of backward compatibility with earlier products may be a "category breaker" for engine oils. [Click here to view FULL STORY]
Mexican STLE Section Hosts Symposium With its newly established formal standing, the first Latin American affiliate of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers is preparing to host its first symposium in Mexico City next month. [Click here to view FULL STORY]
4 Dead as Barge Hits Bridge in Oklahoma The marine transport company operating a barge that struck a bridge on Interstate 40 in Oklahoma Sunday is owned by Ergon Inc., one of the largest U.S. suppliers of naphthenic base oils. Ergon this week referred questions about liability for the accident to Magnolia Marine Transport Co. A Magnolia spokesman said the subsidiary could not comment because it is cooperating with an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. An empty Magnolia barge struck a bridge over the Arkansas River, causing a 500-foot section to collapse and a dozen vehicles to plunge into the river. At least four people died.
New Standards for Fire-Resistant Fluids Manufacturers of fire-resistant industrial fluids have a year and a month to receive Factory Mutual Research Corp. approval of their products, under Factory Mutual’s new Standard 6930 for flammability classification of industrial fluids. [Click here to view FULL STORY]
Base Oil Price Report Crude oil and base stock prices went their separate ways this past week, with crude dropping sharply while paraffinic base oil postings rose for the first time in three weeks. ExxonMobil announced a base stock price hike late last week and several other suppliers followed with their own increases. Note: Lube Report's price table now includes Group III postings. [Click here to view FULL STORY]
Correction A May 22 article about Mecom Investment Group's acquisition of Hi-Port Inc. incorrectly identified the owner of a Baton Rouge, La., plant. The plant was owned by Hi-Port.
