Domestic lubricant sales in Germany, including process oils, declined 10% in May according to data released Aug. 8 by a German government agency. The deepest declines were reported in the metalworking, machine, hydraulic and turbine oils categories.
The country consumed 50,326 metric tons of finished lubricants in May, compared to 55,998 tons in the same month last year. The figure is in the middle of the pack for this year. The highest total so far was 55,187 tons in March, and the lowest was 42,149 tons in April.
Among metalworking oils, demand fell 52% for water-miscible oils to 1,020 tons and by 37% for anti-corrosion oils to 191 tons. Demand for non-water miscible oils declined 24% to 927 tons.
Consumption of turbine oil fell 28% to 261 tons, while demand for hydraulic oil declined 21% to 1,449 tons, and for machine oils dropped 21% to 1,449 tons.
Process oil consumption fell 23% to 9,212 tons.
Among categories with smaller demand decreases, overall grease consumption declined 8% to 2,065 tons., industrial gear oils declined 6% to 1,640 tons and motor oil was down 4% to 18,204 tons.
Only five lubricant categories showed growth in demand. Consumption of electric transformer oils jumped 37% to 1,295 metric tons, for the largest increase. Rising 19% were consumption of both automatic transmission fluid, to 5,230 tons, and automotive greases, to 571 tons, while automotive gear oil demand rose 6% to 3,100 tons. Compressor oil consumption increased 3% to 1,087 tons.