Volume 5 Issue 42

SSY Base Oil Shipping Report

The U.S. markets show no real improvement, but they have not dropped further. Europe has been slow, with many people away attending a trade event. Asia is starting to move in the right direction, but it needs more impetus to push it to the next level.-by Adrian Brown

Idemitsu, Showa Shell Merger Finishing Up

Japans Idemitsu Kosan sealed an agreement Tuesday to acquire Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K. setting April 1, 2019, as the effective date for combining the nations second- and fourth-largest lubricant suppliers.

Hindustan Petroleums Sales Rise

Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd. reported that its lubricant sales rose 3 percent in fiscal year 2017-2018, thanks to improved performance in the automotive and industrial segments as well as in the bazaar market.

Vietnam Hikes Environmental Tax on Lubes

Vietnam will double its environmental tax for lubricants beginning Jan. 1, according to a resolution passed by the countrys National Assembly Standing Committee last month.

From Other Editions of Lube Report

Briefly Noted

Singapores National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Center will join international standards organizationASTM International as a strategic partner to ASTMs Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence. NAMIC will coordinate the centers research and development efforts in the Asia-Pacific region and invest up to SG$2 million (U.S. $1.45 million) within the first two years of the partnership. British Petroleum began construction of a new lubricant blending plant in Tianjin, China, this week. At a cost of 1.5 billion yuan (U.S. $214 million), it is BPs single largest investment in a lubricant plant globally.