A coalition including ILMA, Valvoline and the Automotive Oil Change Association asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate alleged anti-competitive and deceptive practices by General Motors concerning its Dexos1 motor oil. According to the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association, the coalition claimed GMs licensing and royalty program for Dexos creates competitive distortions because the per-gallon royalty is based on an oil marketers overall market share, rather than actual Dexo...

Berkshire Hathaway will acquire 100 percent of Lubrizols shares for $135 per share, in a transaction valued at $9.7 billion. Subject to closing conditions and approval by Lubrizols shareholders, the transaction is expected to be completed during 2011s third quarter. According to the companies, the price represents a 28 percent premium over Lubrizols $105.44 closing price on March 11 and is also 18 percent higher than Lubrizols all-time high share closing price. Lubrizol is exactly the sort of co...

Yesterday saw the official launch of Valvoline NextGen motor oils, a line of products made with 50 percent rerefined base oil that the company believes will resonate strongly with a broad swath of consumers. Blair Boggs, the lubricant marketer’s vice president of global brands, called NextGen “the first national brand of motor oil” that is “50 percent recycled with 100 percent Valvoline protection.” The lineup includes conventional, synthetic blend and high-mileag...

LONDON – For API Group I solvent refining plants in a world of high-priced crude, only 40 to 60 percent of their product yield is more valuable than their feedstock, a real cost to the producer. Higher energy costs are likely here to stay, Purvin & Gertz Vice President Blake Eskew told the ICIS World Base Oils & Lubricants Conference here on Feb. 25. The crude oil price environment is starting to resemble early 2008, said Eskew, who is based in the consultancy’s Houston off...

OSHA has cited Calumet Lubricants for 58 alleged workplace safety violations at its Cotton Valley, La., refinery, with proposed fines adding up to $207,500. The facility produces aliphatic solvents. The 45 alleged serious and 13 other-than-serious violations stem from an inspection begun Sept. 15, 2010, by the Baton Rouge, La., office as part of OSHAs Petroleum Refinery Process Safety Management National Emphasis Program. Calumet Lubricants has 15 working days from receipt of citations to compl...

LONDON – Small independent blenders struggle – and must be creative – to obtain consistent base oil supply, particularly in regions of the world where choices are limited, like Australia. Ten years ago there were four base oil plants in Australia that exported to the region. This month, when Caltex Australia is expected to stop base oil production at its Kurnell plant, there will be none. You have to be creative sometimes to get your base oil, Tony Lawton, quality assurance a...

Uncertainty has raised its head again following the dreadful events in Japan, and uncertainty is most definitely bad for trade. Markets were performing well until a few days ago, but now there is less firm business all over. U.S. Gulf of Mexico Business had been steadily growing again in the Americas for much of last week. U.S. Gulf-to-Caribbean routes saw more activity, and some prompt cargoes became very hard to cover. It is not all down to an increase in volume. Many ships were so badly del...