MOSCOW (MRC) -- The Lubrizol Corporation, an innovative specialty chemical company, and Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. have announced that they have entered into an alliance agreement making Lubrizol the exclusive worldwide seller and marketer of the LUCANT(TM) polymer product range to the lubricant industry, as per Lubrizol's press release.
This agreement will maximize each company's strengths and utilizes a joint development approach to new polymer R&D. LUCANT will be marketed as a viscosity modifier for lubricant applications as well as a synthetic base fluid component for lubricant formulations.
The addition of LUCANT significantly expands Lubrizol's portfolio of performance polymers. Through Lubrizol's extensive application knowledge and testing capabilities, Mitsui Chemicals expects to strengthen the appeal of LUCANT to the lubricant oil industry and better respond to individual customer needs by accelerating research and development efforts for new products and expanding applications.
The LUCANT technology portfolio consists of well-established viscosity modifiers primarily used for driveline and industrial applications, providing strong end-user benefits in multiple applications. The products are typically used based on their good balance of treat cost and performance, including good low temperature characteristics, high shear stability, high viscosity index and enhanced traction coefficient.
Lubrizol expects to begin supplying LUCANT products in the first quarter of 2015 and both Mitsui Chemicals and Lubrizol are committed to making the transition as seamless as possible for existing LUCANT customers.
Mitsui Chemicals will continue to offer LUCANT for applications outside of the lubricants industry (synthetic resin modifier), and focus on expanding applications and developing sales of its high-performance polymer.
As MRC wrote previously, last year, Lubrizol unveiled a four-year, USD400 million global expansion of its chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) resin and compounding manufacturing sites. With continued strong global demand for the company's CPVC compounds, Lubrizol's expansion efforts will be divided into two phases.
The Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is an innovative specialty chemical company that apart from its production develops and supplies technologies to customers in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets. Lubrizol's advanced polymer technology delivers exceptional performance for the plumbing, fire sprinkler, industrial and other building and construction related applications. Lubrizol is providing innovative solutions for its customers high-performance application needs and remains committed to ongoing investment in its CPVC capabilities that support future growth.
MRC