Archives: Podcast

Eric G. Holthusen, group chief technology officer at Petronas Lubricants International Sdn. Bhd. (PLI), has a wealth of experience in the lubricants industry and has forged a distinguished career since joining Shell in Hamburg, Germany, in 1989. During his time at Shell, Eric held a variety of roles in lubricants and fuels technology, testing, and marketing. In 2001, […]

In this episode, Dr. Nuwong Chollacoop, Renewable Energy Research Team Leader at the National Metal and Materials Technology Center (MTEC) in Thailand, shares the latest biodiesel and electric vehicle (EV) trends in Thailand. Thailand currently mandates all petroleum diesel being sold in Thailand to be blended with 7% biodiesel.  Thailand is the world’s third largest […]

An OEM-led consortium is trying to transform how global vehicle fluid specifications are being defined today to meet society’s carbon neutrality goals by 2035 and 2050. Carbon neutrality goals are definitely going to drive the performance standards and specifications coming out of the International Fluids Consortium (IFC), said Mike Kunselman, business development manager of Michigan, […]

Indian Oil Corp. (IndianOil), a Fortune 500 company, remains a clear lubricants market leader in India, three decades after India deregulated its lubricants market. In this interview, Dr. SSV Ramakumar describes his journey from a young chemist fresh from obtaining his doctorate in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee to becoming the esteemed director of […]

Monica Johansson has been on a running streak for 1,170 days. Her goal is to take 20,000 steps a day. She runs about 20 minutes every day. She also runs four to five ultramarathons a year. An ultramarathon is anything above a regular marathon, which is 42.195 kilometers. Johansson has worked for Volvo Cars since […]

Dr. Boris Zhmud, born in Russia, now based in Stockholm, Sweden, has more than 20 years of professional experience in lubricants and lubrication engineering. He has authored or co-authored more than 80 peer-reviewed publications and has several patents. He currently consults on tribological problems for companies in Europe, including in Germany and in the UK. […]

In today’s environment, it is no longer politically correct to espouse the importance of the internal combustion engine in light of the climate change movement. Episode 16 of F+L Webcast with Eugene Tan takes a different perspective on the role of lubricants in the context of climate change. Tan, senior advisor of GXS Partners, a […]

In this episode, Rebecca Warden discusses the work of the Advanced Fluids for Electrified Vehicles (AFEV) consortium at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). Warden, who is the manager of the Fleet and Driveline Fluids Evaluation Section at SwRI, is co-project manager of the AFEV consortium. During her 12-year career at SwRI, Warden has been involved with […]

Over the past couple of decades, China has implemented multiple vehicle emissions regulations. Efforts to curb air pollution have been offset by substantial growth in the vehicle population and urban air quality has suffered as a result. China VIb, the second phase of China VI, is expected to launch in 2023. When China VIb is […]

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) published the latest ACEA European Engine Oil Sequences on April 30, 2021, with first allowable use commencing on 1 May 2021. For the first time, ACEA has split the light- and heavy-duty specifications, with only the light-duty standards updated. The heavy-duty and passenger car efforts are moving at different […]

Diego Brodoni, vice president/general manager for Valvoline Europe, discusses the dramatic changes in the lubricants market in Europe over the past 20 years, from product technology to supply chain, from sales channels to consumer behavior. The market is moving fast, says Mario Montuori, regional technology manager, Europe, for Valvoline International. The need to get higher […]

Multi-awarded tribologist Ashlie Martini, a professor of mechanical engineering at University of California, Merced, discusses the future of tribology and why a tribologist will always have a job. Tribology is an enabling or supporting technology, says Martini, who traces back tribology to ancient Egypt, although the term was coined only in the 1960s by Professor […]

Infineum to publish its first sustainability report Infineum, a leading formulator, manufacturer, and marketer of petroleum additives for the fuel and lubricant industries, expects to publish its first sustainability report sometime in April 2021, says Maurizio Abbondanza, technology & sustainability director at Infineum UK Ltd. The release of the sustainability report marks an important milestone for the […]

Downstream set to play a larger role for oil and gas companies Not too long ago, the only way to develop a wind or solar energy business was with the support of the government. Economics did not support a viable entry into these renewable energy markets. It is only in the last five to 10 […]

ALMU Executive Director Bernard Wong discusses his 35+ year career with Mobil, BP and Lubrizol, including 19 of those years in China. Now, he has taken on a new challenge since retiring in July 2018 from The Lubrizol Corporation, where he was Asia-Pacific region head based in China. Bernard will play a key role in […]