Volume 2 Issue 11

SSY Base Oil Shipping Report

Markets around the world still feel eerily calm, almost as though they are waiting for something like a spark to ignite demand, but it just fails to happen. For many owners it is a hand-to-mouth existence.-by Adrian Brown

Serbian Blender Fam Acquired by Valvoline

Valvoline Inc. acquired Serbian lubricant blender Fam last week for 9.5 million (U.S. $10.7 million) in a bid to expand its presence in Eastern Europe.

Nigerian Blenders Demand Tariff Hike

The Lubricant Producers Association of Nigeria asked the countrys government to raise the tariff on imported finished lubricants to 50 percent to protect local blenders. Opponents contended the increase would hurt lubricants importers, noting that the current 30 percent tariff forced many companies out of the market when first implemented.

SK Forecasts Rising Group III Demand

The worlds thirst for API Group III base stocks should continue to grow in coming years, as requirements for light-duty automobiles keep increasing and heavy-duty vehicles become a new source of demand, an official with SK Lubricants said recently.

From Other Editions of Lube Report

Briefly Noted

Total Spain signed an agreement with Peugeot Dealers to become the official recommended lubricants brand for Peugeot automobiles. Motul and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest extended an agreement to keep Motul as the official lubricant of the 24 Heures Motos, 24 Heures du Mans and the Championnat du Monde d’Endurance competitions. Lubricant manufacturer United Oil Products relocated its factory from Monmouth, South Wales, to Manchester, England.