TOTAL VOSTOK and KIA Motors RUS recently entered into a 5 year local implementation agreement at a signing ceremony held at the KMR Office in Moscow. Under the terms of the agreement, TOTAL becomes the recommended partner for the sale of lubricants across all dealers in the KMR aftersales service network.

DuBois Chemicals has completed the acquisition of Sterling, CT-based Angler Industries. This increases the DuBois market share in the Northeast while expanding access to Angler’s metalworking fluids and specialty cleaning products to a broad international market.

Intertek is launching TransoilCHECK, a new global service testing transformer insulating oils and related liquids in transformers, other electrical devices, and power-grid infrastructure. The company says its global service footprint allows Intertek to better support transformer clients in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and the Americas.

The Nigerian Government plans to halt the influx of imported lubricants into the country. There are 32 registered blending plants currently in Nigeria with a total installed capacity of about 965 million liters per year which are currently operating at an average of only 45 per cent of their total installed capacities.

In January, Kline & Company introduced its monthly Base Stock Margin Index, which estimates cash margin contributions associated with U.S. Group II base stock production. Although Gulf Coast low sulfur VGO cracks slightly increased in August, a $5/Bbl drop in the price of crude oil resulted in improved margins for both virgin and re-refiners in July.

• API Group I Base Oil Prices Reduced by HollyFrontier (by 10-25 CPG, on Shipments Made on or After August 18); by ExxonMobil (by 16-31 CPG August 22, With Exception of Bright Stock) and by Paulsboro Refining (by 16-31 CPG Effective August 27, With Exception of Bright Stock), With Heaver Grades Receiving Greatest Reduction
• Calumet Decreases Price of Its Group II Base Oils by 10-15 CPG, Effective August 20 and Its Group I 500/600/700 Base Oils by 30 CPG Effective August 27
• Flint Hills Decreases Price of Its Group II Base Oils by 7-25 CPG, With Heaver Grades Receiving Greatest Reduction, Effective August 18
• Champion Oil Appoints Fredy World Est. Trade and Industry as Their Exclusive Master Warehouse Distributor in Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Northern Cyprus, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, UAE, and Yemen
• Balmer Lawrie Greases and Lubricant Segment Net Income Increased 2% to Rs 100 crore (U.S. $16.5 Million) for Quarter Ended June 30, the First Quarter of Its Fiscal Year, From 1Q 2013-2014