Lubricants World articles from February 2001

Lubricants World archives from February 2001

Making It to the Top.(lubricants industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... A good friend in the industry asked recently where companies are acquiring the inspiration to continue business in such a competitive, low-margin market. With all the consolidation among their larger competitors, how have the smaller...

Sunoco Chooses Buyers for Kendall Brand, Tulsa Blending/ Packaging Plant.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Sunoco has signed a letter of intent to sell its Kendall motor oil brand, customer lists, and other related assets for the Sunoco and Kendall labels to Tosco Corp. 76 Lubricants, a division of Tosco, submitted a bid approximately 3 months...

Pilot Ups Surfactant Prices.(Pilot Chemical Co. product price rise)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Effective Jan. 15, Pilot Chemical Co. (Red Bank, NJ) raised the price of Calsoft LAS-99 linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acid and Calsoft F-90 flake by 2.0[cts.]/lb. Other Calsoft and Califmulse sulfonates increased by between 0.75[cts.]/lb and...

AUTOMOTIVE.
February 1, 2001... Texaco Signs with Volvo Texaco and AB Volvo have signed a global lubricant supply contract. Under the agreement, Texaco will become a preferred supplier of initial-fill and aftermarket lubricants to AB Volvo. In some markets, Texaco...

COMPANY NEWS.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Pennzoil-Quaker State Selling Assets, Restating Earnings Pennzoil-Quaker State Co. (PQS; Houston) said on Jan. 16 it had reached an agreement to sell its Shreveport, LA, refinery and would take after-tax charges of $80 million-$100...

TECHNOLOGY.(multiple brief articles)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... ILMA Chooses FuelQuest The Lubricant Manufacturers Association (ILMA) has chosen fuelQuest, Inc. (Houston) as the exclusively recommended e-commerce provider for its members. "FuelQuest has worked closely with ILMA members to incorporate...

PACKAGING.(Pennzoil-Quaker State Co. sells plants to G.P. Resources and Warren Oil Co.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Plants Change Hands Pennzoil-Quaker State. (PQS) has sold its Carson, CA, packaging plant to G.P. Resources Inc. The plant formulates and supplies lubricants to the West Coast market. G.P. Resources Inc. (dba General Petroleum) is a...

INDUSTRY BRIEFS.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... The board of directors of Emera Inc. approved a quarterly dividend of $0.2125 per common share... Pyramaz concluded an agreement with Sunoco Inc. relating to the provision of its AppCare Services... Probex has engaged Credit Suisse First...

PAO Problem Solver.(polyalphaolefin and viscocity)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Q: Does a higher viscosity index (VI) always reflect a better quality base oil? A: Having a high viscosity index helps to protect an engine at temperature extremes. however, VI doesn't tell the whole story -- it only reflects the...

Huntsman Signs Up for Saudi Arabia Venture.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Peter R. Huntsman, president and CEO of Huntsman Corp. (Salt Lake City), says the privately held chemical company has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ahmad Hamad Al-Gosaibi & Bros. Group of Saudi Arabia to explore the...

Chinese Joint Ventures Keep Infineum Busy.(Shanghai High-Lube Additives Co. Ltd. and Jinzhou Jinex Lubricant Additive Co. Ltd.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Infineum, the global petroleum additives enterprise, signed a contract with Sinopec Shanghai Gaoqiao Petrochemical Co. on Jan. 2 to form a new 50/50 joint venture company, Shanghai High-Lube Additives Co. Ltd. Under the contract, the joint...

EUROPE.(OAO Lukoil and Chevron Oronite Co. L.L.C.; joint venture)(Rock Oil acquires Nickerson Lubricants)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Chevron Oronite Opens Discussion on Lukoil Venture OAO Lukoil Oil Co. and Chevron Oronite Co. LLC signed a protocol of intentions (POI) on Dec. 1 affirming their intent to hold commercial discussions and carry out engineering aimed at...

Graham Packaging Canada Shuts Down.(plastic containers manufacturer)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Graham Packaging Canada Ltd., an affiliate of Graham Packaging Co. LP (York, PA), announced it would begin shutting down production of plastic containers at its extrusion blow-molding plant in Anjou, QC, on Jan. 11 and would cease...

LUBRICANTS World 2001 Annual Awards.
February 1, 2001... The year 2001 marks the ninth in which Lubricants World has recognized outstanding lubricants/lubricants-related products and the companies that make them. These products are poised to contribute greatly to the advancement and enrichment of...

Alco Forges Ahead: Focus on Performance.(American Lubricating Co.)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
February 1, 2001... Small but tenacious, this independent thrives on competition and exploits markets others pass by. A flat finished-lube market, stagnant base oil prices, and short base oil supply are all signs that the heyday may have passed for...

Global Harmonization of the Standards Development Process.(fuels and lubricants industry)
February 1, 2001... The pace of business, in response to breakthroughs in information technology, continues to accelerate as we find newer and better ways to communicate change on a global basis. It is no wonder that discussions of global harmonization of the...

Board Investigating Whether Grease Mixture Caused Corrosion, Crash.(Alaska Airlines Flight 261)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Representatives from Shell and ExxonMobil say it would be inappropriate to speculate on the cause of the fatal crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 at this point, while the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation is still...

New Wax Crystallizer Matches Process with Technology.(crude petroleum production management)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... As the industry moves into the 21st millennium, higher wax demand and rising costs of good-quality "waxy crudes" are driving wax manufacturers to look for new options within their traditional solvent-dewaxing/deoiling techniques.The economic...

Lubricants Supply Chain Vision Can Maximize Competitive Advantage.(management)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
February 1, 2001... The rules of competition have changed in the lubricants business. Lubricant companies no longer compete against one another with regard to who has the best brand; rather, their lube supply chains compete against their competitors' lube supply...

`Omens Look Good' for UK Metalworking Fluid Group.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Because of increasing pressures on the metalworking fluids (MWF) industry and inspired by similar activities in the U.S., the British Lubricants Federation (BLF) in June 2000 initiated its MWF Product Stewardship Group (PSG). It has not taken...

Rail Group Says No to Field Tests of 80-Drum Intermodal Transport Systems.(American Association of Railroads)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... The Loss Prevention Committee, a division of the American Association of Railroads (AAR), has declined to support the field testing of either of two proposed systems that would allow the chemical industry to transport more drums per...

A Brand by Any Other Name ...(brands in the petroleum industry)
February 1, 2001... A brand by any other name might smell as sweet, but it may not sell as well unless consumers believe the product they are buying has value. And whether it's roses or any other item, today's brand management teams put faces on products and...

Antioxidant Gives Ester Grease the Extra 25 [degrees] It Needs.
February 1, 2001... Engineers who need a grease for operating environments that reach 175 [degrees] C are often forced to specify a perfluoropolyether (PFPE), one of the most expensive synthetic lubricants. Now, a new "high-temperature ester" can offer a cost...

NEW PRODUCTS.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Flow, Pressure, Level Products Highlight Brochure Meriam Instrument (Cleveland, OH) has issued a 46-page four-color brochure featuring a complete line of instruments for the precise measurement of flow, pressure, and level, as well as...

PEOPLE.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Patrick Kiernan has been appointed global head of the Process and Lubricant Additives business unit of Ciba Specialty Chemicals. Kiernan assumes global responsibility for all aspects of the business, including sales, marketing, product...

INDUSTRY PRICE WATCH.(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... Estimated Paraffinic Base Oil Prices(*) Jan 2001 Viscosity Average Low-High Light (90-150) 139 123-147 Medium (195-350) 142 125-151 Heavy (500-600) 151 135-161...