Lube Report 19 March 2014

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March 19, 2014

Volume 14 Issue 12

PQIA: Don't Buy Orbit By George Gill • March 19, 2014 Orbit brand motor oil and transmission fluid can cause damage to car engines and automatic transmissions, the Petroleum Quality Institute of America said, recently issuing “Don’t Buy” alerts for both products. Read More Auto-ignition Impacts Engine Oils By Nancy DeMarco • March 19, 2014 Growing concerns about the engine-destroying effects of low speed pre-ignition, likely caused by droplets of oil and fuel mixed together and auto-igniting in the combustion chamber, are pushing automakers and lubricant and fuel formulators to seek solutions. Read More Pertamina Builds Lube Plants By Lam Lye Ching • March 19, 2014 Indonesia’s state energy company, Pertamina, announced last week it will build a lubricant blending plant and a grease plant in Jakarta. The blending plant will be the company’s third and largest such facility. Read More Biolubes Could Grow if Costs Come Down By Richard Beercheck • March 19, 2014 Reducing production costs is the major driver for biolubes market growth, with legislation that mandates biolube usage a close second, two industry consultants agreed. Read More Next Generation Targets Distributors By George Gill • March 19, 2014 Newly formed Next Generation Energy Logistics will work with equity firm Riverstone Holdings LLC to acquire and consolidate lubricant and fuel distributors. Read More Briefly Noted March 19, 2014 Hamburg, Germany-based Helm will handle global marketing and distribution of castor oil to be produced in Mexico by BioFields starting in 2015.  Universal Lubricants opened a 12,000-square-sq. ft. distribution center in Baton Rouge, La.  Calulo Services acquired 70 percent of the shares of Cape Town, South Africa-based Orbichem Petrochemicals, which distributes and markets base oils, white oils and specialty products. Read More Base Oil Reports SSY Base Oil Shipping Report Adrian Brown is away. Read More U.S. Base Oil Price Report Although U.S. producers have held back from following Chevron’s lead in raising posted base oil prices, there is plenty of talk of other measures that may be implemented in order to achieve similar results.–by Gabriela Wheeler Read More EMEA Base Oil Price Report The base oil market has adopted a wait-and-see response to the Crimean situation. Base oil price changes appear to be on hold, with few further increases after the flurry of activity over the last couple of weeks in Europe.–by Ray Masson Read More