Volume 1 Issue 22

Landscape Shifts for Metalworking Fluids

Environmental regulations, restrictions on chemical use and new lubricant options and machining methods have upped the ante for metalworking fluid formulators and managers to adapt to a rapidly evolving and complex market using long-term solutions instead of short-term goals, an industry insider said at a conference last week in Minneapolis.

GF-6 Takes Major Step Forward

The Sequence IVB wear test was accepted into ILSAC GF-6 on May 10 despite lingering concerns about its validity. The action by the Auto/Oil Advisory Panel removed one of the last major hurdles for the long-delayed passenger car engine oil specification upgrade, setting it on track to come to market around the second quarter of 2020.

Labeling Requirements Called Opportunities

Packaging updates required for new and upcoming engine oil specifications may seem like a hassle, but they present opportunities for marketers to refresh brands, an industry insider told Lube Report.

From Other Editions of Lube Report

SSY Base Oil Shipping Report

Adrian Brown is away. His next column will reappear in the June 20 issue of Lube Report Americas.

Adrian Brown is a senior market analyst for chemicals and base oils with SSY Shipbrokers, London, can be reached atfix@ssychems.comor +44 12 0750 7507. Information about SSY can be found atwww.ssyonline.com. In the Houston office,Steve Rosenthalof SSY’s Chemical Tanker Department can be reached directly at +1 (713) 652-2700 and Jordi Maymi in Singapore can be reached at +65 6854-7127.

Omni, Houghton Raise Prices

Omni Specialty Packaging and metalworking fluids manufacturer Houghton International each informed customers of general price increases. Omni announced a price increase of 6 to 8 percent on both bulk products and packaged goods effective June 18. Houghtons price increase was up to 6 percent and took effect May 13. Each company cited factors such as ongoing increases in prices for raw materials such as base oils and additives, and in operating costs such as for transportation and freight. Houghton also noted impacts from increases in regulatory requirements and packaging costs, while Omni also cited higher costs for resin.

Briefly Noted

Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. and distributor Sea-Land Chemical Co. expanded their collaboration to include the AlphaPlus brand of normal alpha olefins. Sea-Land will target distribution to customers requiring small volume drum quantities, and the agreement will cover the entire U.S. and Canadian territories. Cincinati, Ohio-based Pilot Chemical Co. named Mike Clark chief operating officer. Clark most recently served as vice president – organics at Sasol Performance Chemicals in Houston. Taunton, Massachusetts-based Dennis K Burke Inc. became a Phillips 66/Kendall Lubricants distributor for the Northeastern United States.