Lubricants News

Related Lubricants and Fuel Additives Industry News

• Jan 2024: Shell plc's subsidiary, Shell Lubricants, completes the acquisition of the United Kingdom-based MIDEL and MIVOLT from Manchester-based M&I Materials Ltd. It is to manufacture, distribute, and market the MIDEL and MIVOLT product lines as part of Shell’s global lubricants portfolio.
• Oct 2023: Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Chevron Brands International LLC, a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, entered into a long-term agreement encompassing the licensing, production, distribution, and marketing of Chevron’s lubricant products under the Caltex brand. It includes Chevron’s proprietary Havoline and Delo branded lubricant products in India.
• Sep 2023: ENSO Oils & Lubricants partnered with Gazpromneft-Lubricants, a subsidiary of Gazprom Neft PJSC, to expand the distribution of lubricant assets in South Asia. ENSO will import and distribute Gazpromneft-Lubricants' range of oils and lubricants to meet the needs of various industries in India.

• July 2024: AMSOIL acquired Aerospace Lubricants, an Ohio-based firm renowned for its specialized grease design and manufacturing. This acquisition is set to bolster operational capabilities and capacities. With Aerospace's operational prowess and grease specialization, both Aerospace and AMSOIL customers stand to gain substantial added value.
• May 2024: FUCHS Group officially opened its High-Performance Grease Plant (HPGP) in Yingkou, China. The HPGP underscores FUCHS Group's strong dedication to both the Chinese and broader Asia-Pacific markets. It aims to cater to the surging demand for grease products in the region, even in the face of global economic challenges. The plant boasts the capability to produce a comprehensive range of soap-based grease products, catering to diverse sectors such as new energy vehicles, wind power, semiconductors, aerospace, and robotics.
• June 2023: FUCHS Lubricants Co. launched RENOLIT CSX AWE 0, a calcium sulfonate complex grease tailored for truck trailer axle hubs. Formulated with sustainable, lithium-free technology, this grease provides OEMs and fleets with a stable, long-term solution at a consistent price point. In addition, RENOLIT CSX AWE 0 ensures seamless integration, being compatible with legacy axle-bearing greases for straightforward replacement.
• March 2022: Axel Christiernsson International AB launched AXELLENCE 752 EPEF, an environmentally acceptable lubricant that received EU Ecolabel approval for accidental and partial loss applications. This is the first lithium complex grease to attain such certification.

• September 2023: PETRONAS Lubricants International, in collaboration with PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional, signed a joint study agreement (JSA) to explore the possibility of developing new greenfield lube base oil in Refinery Unit (RU) IV Cilacap, Central Java. This collaboration is anticipated to provide a technical and detailed feasible study. It is further expected to cater to the demand of the Indonesian market along with the growing regional market, including China and Southeast Asia.
• July 2023: Chevron Corporation began making four centiStoke API group III base stocks at its refinery in Richmond, California. The change will boost the United States' output of group III stocks. It will help accommodate rising demand for the category while reducing dependence on imports.

• December 2022: Royal Dutch Shell plc acquired a 49% stake in Blue Tide Environmental LLC via its Pennzoil-Quaker State subsidiary. Blue Tide Environmental LLC is a company looking to establish a global network of lubricant recycling facilities.
• February 2022: In alignment with Chevron's strategic goals, Bunge will finalize a USD 600 million joint venture to strategically process soybean oil to enhance Chevron's operations. The collaborative effort targets a doubling of the current daily production, reaching 14,000 tons by the end of 2024. The refined oil will serve as a sustainable feedstock, aligning seamlessly with Chevron's overarching strategy to manufacture low-carbon diesel or jet fuel.

• December 2023: Lukoil announced the USD 73 million investment in Egypt’s West Esh El Mallaha Oil Field to enhance oil reserves and increase production capacity, supporting the Egyptian economy.
• October 2023: ExxonMobil, the United States-based oil and gas company, announced the expansion of its operations in Egypt; these developments affirm ExxonMobil's ongoing commitment to its operations in Egypt and its pivotal role in the country's energy landscape.

• November 2023: Kenya’s National Treasury planned to privatize 11 state-owned Kenyan companies, among which the National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK) and the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC).
• May 2023: India's flagship overseas oil firm ONGC Videsh got a new partner in Oil India Ltd. to replace a reluctant IndianOil (IOC) for the potential acquisition of a 50% stake in Tullow Oil Plc's USD 3.4 billion oilfield project in Kenya. But the OVL-OIL duo might have to face competition from Sinopec, which entered the fray taking advantage of the delay on the Indian part in finalizing the deal.
• February 2023: Vivo Energy in Kenya agreed to purchase a 74% stake in Engen Limited from PETRONAS International Corporation Ltd. to expand its market presence in Kenya, increase its revenue, and widen its lead over competitors TotalEnergies and Rubis.
• September 2022: Maximus Group planned to acquire a 49% stake in Kenya-based Quantum Lubricants. Earlier, in 2019, MXAL acquired a 51 percent equity stake in QLL, which paved its entry into lubricant manufacturing in the African markets. With the ongoing acquisition of 49%, MXAL is expected to take control of QLL's entire operations.

• July 2022: Shell Pakistan appointed Burque Corporation, which has planned to expand the distribution of its lubricants in Quetta. With the collaboration, Shell Pakistan covered 6,000 outlets in villages and 40,000 additional outlets across Pakistan.
• March 2022: Chevron Pakistan Lubricants (Private) Limited collaborated with MG JW Automobile Pakistan (Private) Limited to supply its synthetic lubricants. Through this collaboration, the company will be providing its Delo and Havoline branded products for commercial, industrial, marine, and passenger vehicle applications.

• April 2022: Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL) announced the completion of the acquisition of Oxiteno SA. Through the acquisition, IVL broadens its development profile into lucrative markets in Latin America and the United States. It established itself as the continent's top producer of surfactants with additional opportunities to improve in Europe and Asia.

• January 2023: McLaren Automotive, a luxury supercar company, announced the renewal of its partnership with Gulf Oil International as its official lubricant and fuel partner for 2023.
• June 2022: Shell introduced a used oil management service as part of a new attempt to organize India's waste oil disposal infrastructure and enhance re-refining rates. In order to start collecting and re-refining used oil across India, Shell partnered with used oil refiners. These partners share the objective of advancing the lubricants industry's circular economy.

• Jan 2024: Shell plc's subsidiary, Shell Lubricants, completes the acquisition of the United Kingdom-based MIDEL and MIVOLT from Manchester-based M&I Materials Ltd to manufacture, distribute, and market the MIDEL and MIVOLT product lines as part of Shell’s global lubricants portfolio.
• Oct 2023: Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Chevron Brands International LLC, a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, entered into a long-term agreement encompassing the licensing, production, distribution, and marketing of Chevron’s lubricant products. It is under the Caltex brand, including Chevron’s proprietary Havoline and Delo branded lubricant products in India.
• May 2023: AMSOIL INC. acquired Milwaukee-based Benz Oil to boost its capabilities and expertise with industrial fluids. The Milwaukee-based Benz's facilities in Milwaukee will be rebranded as AMSOIL, and the sales, laboratory operations, production, and distribution will continue on-site.
• Mar 2023: Exxon Mobil Corporation announced that it is investing nearly USD 110 million to build a lubricant manufacturing plant at the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation’s Isambe Industrial Area in Raigad, India.