Volume 1 Issue 39

SSY Base Oil Shipping Report

Adrian Brown is away. His column will reappear in the Sept. 26 edition of Lube Report Americas.

Scant Growth Forecast for North America

North Americas lubricant market is expected to inch up from 2.9 billion gallons in 2017 to 3 billion gallons by 2020, with industrial oils continuing to constitute the largest share, according to consultancy Kline & Co. Government policies, including potential changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement and new environmental rules in the United States, should spur growth in some cases and tamp down demand in others.

Speaker Forecasts Shift to Group II+, Group III

Efforts to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions will continue pushing United States engine oils towards lower viscosities while gradually stimulating demand for API Group III base oil, an industry insider said at a conference held in Des Moines, Iowa, late last month.

New Chlorinated Paraffin Rule Opposed

Industry organizations complained this week that a rule proposed recently by the Environmental Protection Agency could inappropriately subject some chlorinated paraffins and other chemicals to new regulations.

Cosans Moove Buys European Distributors

Moove, the lubricant and base oil arm of Brazil-based energy multinational Cosan, announced the recent acquisition of two lubricant distributors in Europe - Lubrigrupo in Portugal and TTA Lubrifiants in France.

From Other Editions of Lube Report

Briefly Noted

Oxea will increase list and off-list prices in North America effective Oct. 1 on neopentyl glycol by $110 per metric ton, and on trimethylolpropane by $110/t. Switzerland’s Imerys Graphite & Carbon signed a distribution agreement with Soltex, allowing the Houston-based company to distribute their Timrex-brand graphites for lubricant applications throughout the Americas.

Correction

The Aug. 22 article, Ford Recommends FA-4 for F-150, contained an error in its listing of diesel engine makers that recommend use of API FA-4 oils. Paccar does not allow use of API FA-4 oils in any of its MX or PX engines.