Base Oils Shrank 23% in 1st Half
U.S. base oil production in the first half of the year sank to its lowest level in more than two decades -- the worst volume, in fact, since 1983, according to recent data from the Department of Energy.
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Ready, Come Hell or High Water
If we’re really lucky, the 2009 U.S. hurricane season will be a dud, but this industry hasn’t taken any chances. Hurricane preparation is a year-round exercise.
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High-tech Ads Raise Hackles
Castrol last week launched a novel U.K. advertising campaign using a national vehicle registration database and automatic cameras to generate personal billboard messages advising motorists which Castrol-branded engine oil to use, but dropped it after four days because of controversy over the use of personal data.
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Shell Sheds Greek Businesses
Shell last week agreed to sell most of its downstream Greek activities, including its lubricant blending plant in Perama, 700 service stations, depots, liquefied petroleum gas, and other businesses, to Motor Oil (Hellas) for €245.6 million, and separately sold its Greek lubricant sales and marketing business to Petros Petropoulos.
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Prista Joins Sealub Alliance
Prista Oil Holding has joined the Sealub Alliance network of marine lubricant suppliers formed last year by Gulf Oil Marine, expanding the network's coverage to more than 700 ports in 50 countries.
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Henkel Burned, Henkel Steamed
On Friday, a massive six-hour fire destroyed a lubricant facility in Ajman, U.A.E., belonging to Henkel International Lubricant Industry, according to local news reports. That company is unrelated to multinational chemical and lubricant manufacturer Henkel AG, which said it is reviewing legal steps against use of its name.
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Forgelube Launched
Two optimistic entrepreneurs have launched Forgelube, an independent manufacturer of process and forging lubricants, in Monterrey, Mexico.
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Briefly Noted
Habib Quazi is VP of synthetics at ExxonMobil Chemical, replacing John Lyon, who is now VP of butyl … Arch Chemicals promoted Rick Walden to sr. VP for health and hygiene, preservation and protection biocides, performance products and Asia Pacific … United Color Manufacturing, Newtown, Pa., has selected Cheshire, U.K.'s Multisol as European distributor for its dyes and markers ... BASF is raising prices on three polyalcohols, NPG, TMP and HPN, by 10 cents per lb. or 20 cents per kg.
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U.S. Base Oil Price Report
Player anticipation is on the rise heading into the start of the fourth quarter as both sides of the U.S. base oils market anxiously await how activity will pan out for the duration of 2009.
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Europe-MidEast-Africa Base Oil Price Report
This week has produced a mixed bag of pricing information. On the one hand the pressure is now truly on for producers to stop applying price hikes, and even to look at reducing numbers. On the other hand, there are still shortages in parts of the market, causing some suppliers to stick to their bullish pricing ideas.
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SSY Base Oil Shipping Report
The spot market enjoyed a busier week in terms of cargoes quoted, but the overhang of tonnage, especially in Europe and the United States, means that there are still ships left behind without work.
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