The additional 50HB series fluidsexpand thenumber of productsavailable throughout Asia from Dow Ucon, which already sources a number of fluids and lubricants from the Optimal plant.

Ucon fluids are used as lubricants and essential ingredients in applications ranging from fiber and textile processing, to metalworking, electronics, rubber, plastics, paint and coatings.

Peter Pendergast, global marketing manager for Dow Ucon Fluids and Lubricants, said the expansion supports global demand for some of the base fluids for a variety of products, including industrial lubricants and metalworking fluids. As we build demand in the region for our products, well add production there of the ones that we see the most interest in, Pendergast told Lube Report.

A variety of industries are driving demand for Ucon lubricants in the Asia Pacific region. Steel manufacturing, automotive production, industrial machinery, heavy machinery, production – any application where industrial lubricants are required tends to be where we see increases in demand, he said. There are manufacturing facilities that are driving demand for compressor lubricants, and textile lubricants, and other things like that as well.

The Optimal Group of Companies is a joint venture involving Petronas, Malaysias national petroleum corporation, and Union Carbide Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Dow Chemical. The joint venture serves markets in the Asia Pacific region from its petrochemical facility in Kerth, Terengganu.

Optimal manufactures and supplies more than 15 different petrochemical product families and 75 products ranging from basic feedstock of ethylene and propylene, to intermediates like ethylene oxide, ethylene glycol, butanol and various ethylene oxide derivatives. The products also include basic and high performance chemicals.