Reuters reported last Friday that U.S. oil refiner HollyFrontier Corp is in advanced talks to acquire Suncor Energy Inc's Petro-Canada lubricants division for a little over $1 billion, after submitting the highest bid in an auction, according to people familiar with the matter.

Total Vostok LLC, a subsidiary of the French oil major Total SA., last Monday announced it had broke ground on the construction of a lubricant blending plant in the Kaluga region in Russia, its first in Russia. Initial capacity will be 40,000 tons per year.

Brenntag has agreed to acquire the lubricants business of NOCO Inc., headquartered in Tonawanda, New York. NOCO distributes lubricants from ExxonMobil, Petro Canada, Houghton, JAX, and Lubriplate to the Northeast region of the U.S. and parts of Ontario and Southern Quebec.

Suzuki and Toyota announced that both companies have agreed to start exploring ideas that are directed towards a business partnership. This collaboration includes R&D, infrastructure development, and establishment of new industrial standards.

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