(Continued from Page 10)


ever improving techn ical requirements and specifications


synthetics basestocks are providing some of the functional ity of addit ives


costs of testing and approvals are increasing greatly


Approval costs are probably the most significant of these, exacerbated by some markets breaking into niches, each of which requiring its own testing.


The most obvious sign of this is in the industry consolidation, i.e. mergers and takeovers. However, there is a more subtle shift in the traditional relationships between ingredient suppliers, additives companies and lubricant formulators.


The most likely outcome is the emergence of a smaller number of larger global players, comprising oil majors (driven by upstream integration) and specialists (driven by technical and marketing ability).


While there are clear signs of the market and its players consolidating, some regional variations in emphasis, and thus formulat ions, rema in. In Europe some consider the main focus to be biodegradability, while in the US it is emissions and energy efficiency, while in Asia there is no single clear driver.


For Basefluid Manufacturers, the challenge will be to apply their technical knowledge to continuously develop new products to allow formulators to meet increasing technical demands. This must be backed up with excellent manufacturing and logistics to supply an increasingly global industry. Indeed ,the merger of JCJ


BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS Herve Fretay is the Business Manager for Industrial Lubricants in Uniqema (the recently merged /CI/Unichema business) based in Gouda, NL. He graduated as engineer in general chemistry from ENSCP Paris in 1989 and Business to Business Marketing from /MD Lausanne. Between 1989-1990 he served in the French Navy Headquarters responsible of quality control of fuel and lubricants. He joined Unichema in 1990 as Sales Manager successively responsible for export to North and West Africa, and then Polymer Chemical business in France and Benelux. From 1995-8 he has was Global Marketing Manager for the Business Unit Lubricant Ingredients of Unichema.


Jon Salkeld was recently appointed Business Manager for Automotive Lubricants, based in Wilton, UK. He joined IC/ 8 years ago, following a PhD in Engineering and Management undertaken at UMIST and Schlumberger Cambridge Research. He worked initially in technology management, particularly with European collaborative research programmes. Periods then followed as Business Planning Manager for JCJ's expanding catalyst business, and Business Development Manager during the formation of /C/ Performance Chemicals, as well as secondments in the media and consulting.


and Unichema's lubricants business was designed to address these demanding requirements. As Confucius would say, the industry faces interesting times.


Herve Fretay & Jon Salkeld


K S PAUL PRODUCTS INSTALL A SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE


BLF Member K S Paul Products Ltd have installed a new Scanning Electron Microscope at their Angel Lodge laboratories, Edmonton, London. Re- designed by the company's engineers and employing the latest techniques in computerised data capture has facilitated the speedy distribution to customers, universit ies and other collaborating laboratories of direct image printing, cataloguing and real-time VHS video scans.


The new SEM equipment has enlarged K S Paul ' s facilities and underlines the progressiveness of one of the world's leading developers and manufacturers of solid lubricants, lubricant coatings and specialised high performance lubricating materials for appl ications beyond the capacity of conventional lubricants.


For further details contact CEO Mike Day Tel: 0181 345 5566 or Fax: 0181 887 0440.


Image Processors & Robinson Detector


Computerised Data Capture


Gold & Aluminium Sputtering Unit


Electron Gun Assembly--


Vacuum Chamber--


Pump Control Centre---


Operations Console


Real-time Motion Data Capture


Magnification Monitor


--(centre)


ISSUE 37 • MAY 1999


Ill

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