API SN Crosses Finish Line
API’s Lubricants Committee approved the SN and SN Resource Conserving passenger car engine oil categories, with first licensing Oct. 1, 2010, launching alongside ILSAC GF-5. The thumbs-up came in spite of continued opposition from automakers.
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UAW Again Demands MWF Standard
The UAW last week resurrected its 1993 petition to the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration, calling for a comprehensive standard for occupational exposure to metalworking fluids that includes a permissible exposure limit of 0.5 mg/m3 or less, medical surveillance, exposure monitoring and more.
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Dunkerque Base Oil Plant Changes Hands
Road builder Colas Group is close to completing purchase of a base oil plant in Dunkerque, France, and said it plans to continue making base stocks at the site.
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Rerefiners Eye Profits, Growth
Rerefiners see great potential to expand profitable API Group II production in Europe, and even to introduce rerefining in Russia.
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Q1 Reflects Recovery
Lubrizol’s additives segment, Fuchs Petrolub and Quaker Chemical each reported an increase in profit for the first quarter, compared to the year-earlier quarter. Base oil refiner S-Oil saw improved revenues but a slight decline in operating profit.
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Acuras Recalled for Fluid Leak
Honda Motor Co. has recalled 167,255 model year 2004 to 2008
Acura TSX sedans because of a risk of power steering fluid leaks
and possible engine fires.
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Russia Promises Arctic Cleanup
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Thursday promised a spring cleanup of industrial and toxic waste in the Arctic region, including barrels of lubricants, Itar-Tass reported.
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Briefly Noted
Gibsonia, Pa.-based additives supplier Lockhart Chemical Co. appointed Rajinder Minhas president and COO…The Automotive Oil Change Association elected new officers, including Pat Wirth of Potomac Falls Express Lube in Fairfax Station, Va., president; Jeff Pauly of Sound Billing in Middleton, Wis., vice president; and Ricky Price of Flagship Fastlube in Wahiawa, Hawaii, secretary/treasurer.
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U.S. Base Oil Price Report
Most players in the U.S. base oil community were surprised when news of fresh price hikes from ExxonMobil, Calumet and Ergon hit the marketplace yesterday.
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Europe-MidEast-Africa Base Oil Price Report
Europe has been playing ‘follow-my-leader’ over the past few days, reacting to announcements of base oil price increases in the United States and Far East.
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SSY Base Oil Shipping Report
Poor demand has been reported in many of the routes out of the U.S. Gulf and Europe, causing freights to soften. Asian markets are hanging on to unchanged freight levels, but the amount of open space is growing.
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