Total starts construction of lube blending plant in Tianjin

France’s Total SA has started construction of a lubricant blending plant in north China’s Tianjin Municipality. Investment in the 200,000 metric ton plant is €30 million (US$41.17 million). The plant is expected to be operational by 2013. The plant’s output will mainly be sold in China’s north and west regions. Headquartered in Paris, France, Total is the fifth largest publicly-traded integrated international oil and gas company in the world, operating in more than 130 countries. It entered the Chinese market more than 30 years ago. It has more than 30 subsidiary companies in China. (November 2, 2011)