Volume 16 Issue 41

SSY Base Oil Shipping Report

Some specific routes saw more movement, but seasonal developments in general are taking longer than expected, giving the feeling that the shipping market has to be patient for a week or two longer. U.S. Gulf On the U.S. Gulf to Far East service, owners are waiting to learn how much space they must allocate to contractual partners before being able to tackle spot market requirements, which in turn will determine what freight levels to shoot for. So far, owners are looking to achieve numbers that ...

Rosneft Buys Control of Bashneft

The Russian government last week approved oil giant Rosnefts bid to buy a majority stake in Bashneft, a regional player in the oil and lubes sector. The government is selling its 50.08 percent stake in Bashneft as part of a broader asset sell-off aimed at raising cash. The sale, scheduled to be completed Oct. 15, will be conducted without opening the transaction to other bidders. The deal consolidates control of the nations base oil and finished lubricant sector. Rosneft is Russias second-larges...

Survey: Plant Managers Average $124,000

Lubricant plant managers in the United States take home an average of $123,900 a year, but geography, company size and other variables can push the rewards much higher, according to an exclusive survey conducted in August by LubesnGreases magazine. Ninety-three anonymous lubricant plant managers participated in the confidential survey, which is taken every two years by Lube Reports sister publication. As a group, they disclosed that their median compensation is $105,000 a year, meaning half of t...

Bill Calls on U.S. to Support Tribology

An Ohio congressman introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives that calls tribology critical to the U.S. economy and urges the federal government to support innovation in the field. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) introduced the legislation – H. Res 916 – on Sept. 28 to the House, which referred it to the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, a first step toward becoming law. Ryan co-founded the House Manufacturing Caucus to examine and promote policies to help expand ...

Emerging Markets Drive Light Vehicle Growth

The worlds light vehicle fleet size stood at just over 1 billion in 2013 and is projected to reach nearly 1.4 billion by 2021, with the highest growth in emerging markets, according to analysis by IHS Markit. Mike Wall, director of automotive analysis for IHS Markit, said during a webinar Sept. 21 that the size of a countrys light vehicle fleet – which includes cars and light commercial vehicles in operation – is of critical importance from the automotive aftermarket perspective. The...

Nynas Opens Northeast U.S. Depot

Nynas opened a depot for naphthenic specialty oils in New Jersey for current and future customers in the United States and Canada, with deliveries expected to start late this year. The first oils introduced will be T 22, which can be used in products such as metalworking fluids, and heavy naphthenic tire oil Nytex 810, with heavier grades and transformer oils to be added later. Specialty oils will be supplied from Nynas refineries in Sweden and Germany. In North America, the company also has dep...

Briefly Noted

Royal Dutch Shells Russian subsidiary started supplying lubricants made at its blending plant in Torzhok, Russia, to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyszstan. Saudi-based Advanced International Lubricants Co. (Adinlube) will handle blending, distribution, sales and marketing of Italian oil major Enis lubricants in Saudi Arabia. Gazpromneft Lubricants opened its first service station – equipped with seven oil changing stations – in the Balkans in a suburb of Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. SI Group completed its acquisition of TPC Groups Baytown, Texas facility, including manufacturing assets for nonene and tetramer, propylene oligomers used as intermediates in production of lube oil additives and other products. SI Group offered employment to all 23 individuals working at the facility.