It has been a busier week in Europe, and Asia too has encountered more demand over the past week, but the U.S. market remains resolutely flat. U.S. Gulf In the U.S. Gulf, the only route that has seen a slight improvement in activity levels has been the U.S. Gulf to East Coast-South America service. Along with some base oil demand, there have been enquiries for styrene, caustic, some smaller lots of clean petroleum as well as a couple of ethanol shipments. Space is now tight until the second half...

Investigators from Michigans attorney general criminal division arrested four City Petroleum and Star Petroleum officials last week on felony charges for allegedly selling intentionally mislabeled motor oil to retailers. The individuals arrested on Feb. 24 include Dearborn-based City Petroleums co-owners, brothers Moussa Kaddouh, 58, and Joe Kdouh, 61, along with M. Kaddouhs son, Ali Kaddouh, 34, all from Dearborn, and the owner of Detroit-based Star Petroleum, Ayman Faraj, 36, of Canton. All fo...

Warren Oil is suing Smittys Supply Inc. for trade dress and trademark infringement on its automatic transmission fluid sold in Bolivia, alleging that the latter has poached millions of dollars of Warrens potential sales by intentionally creating confusion in the retail marketplace. Warren Oil, of Dunn, N.C., filed civil action in the U.S. Eastern District of North Carolina last month. According to court documents, the automotive and industrial lubricants manufacturer alleges that for several yea...

LONDON – Fuchs put a spotlight on 2013 lubricant demand of 35.3 million tons, demonstrating that nearly flat global growth masks big regional differences. Chinas appetite for lubes – over 6 million tons in 2013 – puts it in first place, and the regions meager per capita consumption (less than 4 kilograms) shows potential for lots more growth. Apu Gosalia, head of global competitive intelligence and chief sustainability officer of Fuchs Petrolub, unveiled estimates of 2013 lubri...

Calumet Specialty Products Partners acquired United Petroleum Co., a wholesale distributor of motor oils, coolants and greases. Terms were not disclosed. Through its Quantum lubricants brand, privately-held United sells products into the passenger car, heavy duty truck, farming and industrial end markets through distribution partners. Founded in 2011, Gilbert, Ariz.-based United sells more than 160 Quantum-branded products through more than 50 distributors with sales in 35 states nationally. Thr...

Cam2 International President Jack Baker and a group of investors acquired ownership of the lubricants blender and marketer from Omega Holdings Co. LLC. Terms were not disclosed. According to the companys March 4 news release, the asset purchase includes the rights to all the Cam2 brands, the Cam2 marketing organization and various other assets, including the Hammond Lubricants Works blending facility, located just south of Chicago in Hammond, Ind. Cam2 will also continue to manufacture at the Go...

Fuchs and Quaker Chemical each posted strong results for 2013, compared to 2012. Fuchs Independent blender Fuchs Petrolub AG posted 2013 earnings of 218.6 million (U.S. $301.8 million), up 5.6 percent from 207 million in 2012, noting it concluded 2013 with a good fourth quarter. Sales revenue during 2013 reached 1.8 billion, virtually unchanged from sales for 2012. For 2013, earnings per share rose 5.5 percent to 3.06 ($4.23) per ordinary share and 3.08 per performance share. Mannheim, Germany-b...

Dennison Lubricants is increasing the square footage of its Worchester, Mass., facility by around 26 percent in a $4.2 million project it expects to complete by the end of this year. Lakeville, Mass.-based Dennison manufactures and distributes about 8 million gallons of automotive and industrial lubricants annually from locations in Lakeville and Worchester Mass., and Gardiner, Maine. The Worchester location employs around 40 people and serves as its hub. The expansion, which the company has bee...