There will be modest growth in the US lubes market, according to RnR.
RnR Market Research is predicting US lubes demand approaching 2.5 billion gallons in 2018, with just under 1% growth each year.
Key drivers for this slow increase are improved fuel efficiency and less frequent oil replacement, both particularly visible in the light vehicle market. With higher quality lubricants and declining total volumes, this market is being partly influenced by manufacturer and industry specifications such as the delayed ILSAC GF-6 and General Motors' current DEXOS standards.
US construction is among the fastest growing industries, with oil and gas and machinery manufacturing also seeing better prospects.
Industrial and heavy-duty diesel engine oils, gas turbine oils and industrial hydraulic fluids can also expect growth, according to the report. Conventional petroleum lubricants will be surpassed by synthetic, re-refined and bio-based oils.