Greyhound Lubricants

23/04/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗶𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽.

Let's be honest — most of us don't think about crude oil until it becomes a problem.

With everything happening around Iran right now, it's becoming a problem.

Iran pumps around 4.4 million barrels a day. That's 5% of what the world runs on. And when that gets disrupted, it's not just fuel prices that move — base oil costs go up too. Base oil is what lubricants are made from. No base oil, no lubricants. No lubricants... well, you know what happens to machinery.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆:

Only 1% to 3% of a barrel of crude actually becomes lubricant. That's it. A tiny slice — but it's the slice that keeps every engine, gearbox, compressor and turbine alive.

And not all crude is the same. The light sweet stuff — your Brent, Arab Light, Malaysia Tapis — gives you better quality base oils. Heavy sour crude like Venezuela's Merey 16? Better off as fuel oil or bitumen. Grade matters. Origin matters.

𝗔𝘁 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝘆𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝘂𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼.

Our customers can't afford downtime because we cut corners on base oil quality.

Geopolitics will keep doing what it does. Our job is to make sure your equipment doesn't feel it.

18/04/2026

Advanced Calcium Sulphonate grease enhanced with Moly for your farming and 4x4 needs.

https://www.greyhoundlubricants.co.za/calcium-sulfonate-greases/

18/04/2026

Choose your G-POWER 15W-40 for your fleet

14/04/2026

𝗟𝘂𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 — 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝘁?

The market still looks relatively stable on the surface. Stock is available, deliveries are moving, and pricing is adjusting, but not uniformly.

That does not mean the system is stable. It means it is lagging.

Supply chain disruptions move in phases, and what has already happened upstream takes time to filter through into markets like South Africa and the rest of Africa.

If current conditions persist — or even if they begin to stabilise — the timeline typically develops as follows:

𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 — 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲
Upstream disruption is already in place. Initial price movements begin to reflect in base oils and key inputs, while availability still appears stable due to stock in transit and existing inventory.

𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 — 𝗔𝗱𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲
Pricing becomes more consistent across base oils, additives, packaging and logistics. Lead times extend, and certain grades become less readily available. Even in a stabilising environment, the system continues to adjust to earlier disruption.

𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 — 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲
If disruption continues, availability becomes more constrained and supply less predictable. If conditions improve, pressure may ease, but not immediately, as supply chains rebalance and inventories rebuild.

Because lubricants represent only a small fraction of the barrel and depend on the most constrained part of the refining system, they tend to react faster once buffers unwind and recover more slowly once disrupted.

This is not a single-point event. It is a delayed and layered adjustment across the system.

In markets like South Africa, where supply chains are longer and more exposed to global movements, the lag can create a false sense of stability. When pressure arrives, it tends to be sharper.

At Greyhound Lubricants, we continuously analyse both macro and micro market movements to understand where we are in this cycle. By working across a diversified global sourcing network, we focus on staying ahead of these shifts and maintaining supply continuity for our clients.

The system does not reset overnight. It adjusts in stages — and those stages are already in motion.

13/04/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱. 𝗟𝘂𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁.

If you look at the image, one thing stands out quite clearly.

From a full barrel of crude oil, most of it becomes fuel — petrol, diesel and jet fuel — the parts everyone watches and talks about. 𝗟𝘂𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝟭–𝟮% 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗹, and that small percentage explains much of what we are seeing in the market.

Lubricants do not come from the easy part of the barrel. They are derived from heavier fractions and require additional refining before they are usable. This makes them slower and less flexible to produce compared to fuels.

At the same time, a significant portion of the world’s oil moves through the Strait of Hormuz. When that flow is disrupted, oil does not disappear, but it becomes harder to move, harder to replace and not always suitable for the same refining processes.

Refineries respond by shifting output toward fuels such as diesel, jet fuel and petrol because these keep economies running. As a result, less feedstock is directed into base oil production. Because lubricants represent such a small share of the barrel, even a modest shift upstream creates a disproportionate impact downstream.

This is why the market is already seeing tightening availability, increased allocation from suppliers and price movements in certain segments reaching 𝟯𝟬% 𝘁𝗼 𝟭𝟬𝟬%.

At the same time, cost pressure is building across the entire value chain. Base oils, additive packages, packaging materials and logistics are all being affected, making pricing increasingly difficult to predict and manage.

It is not a shortage of oil. It is a shortage of the right barrels, in the right refineries, producing the right products, under increasingly volatile conditions.

At Greyhound Lubricants, we continuously analyse both macro and micro market movements to interpret these shifts early and respond through a diversified global sourcing network. This allows us to remain flexible and minimise disruption for our clients in a rapidly changing environment.

When crude supply is constrained, fuels are prioritised and lubricants get squeezed.

19/03/2026

𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝘂𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.

Ongoing pressure on crude oil, base oil supply, and international logistics, combined with continued geopolitical uncertainty, has created significant disruption across global supply chains.

At Greyhound Lubricants, we are actively securing supplies from multiple regions, including the USA and Europe, to maintain continuity for our customers. However, this environment brings ongoing fluctuations in both availability and replacement cost.

Our approach remains disciplined:

• Maintain supply continuity
• Manage pricing responsibly
• Align any adjustments strictly to replacement cost
• Communicate transparently and in advance

We continue to monitor the situation closely and will support our customers with stability and forward planning wherever possible.

09/03/2026

What’s Coming Next in the Lubricant Market?

Many lubricant buyers only see the final price of a drum or bottle of oil. Behind that finished product lies a complex global supply chain involving crude oil markets, base oil refining, additive technology, chemical feedstocks, international logistics, and currency movements. When several of these variables begin shifting at the same time, the entire lubricant market can move quickly.

Over the past few weeks we have started to see early signals that a number of these factors are beginning to move simultaneously.

Energy Markets and Global Uncertainty

The lubricant industry remains closely tied to global energy markets. When geopolitical tensions affect major energy supply routes or introduce uncertainty into shipping and insurance markets, crude oil pricing and refining margins can move rapidly.

Even before physical shortages appear, markets often react to uncertainty itself. As energy markets respond to geopolitical developments, downstream industries such as base oils, petrochemicals, and lubricants typically experience cost pressure.

Base Oil Prices Moving First

Base oils represent the largest component of most lubricant formulations, often accounting for the majority of the finished product.

Recent procurement activity has shown noticeable adjustments from Mediterranean suppliers. In one recent instance, base oil offers increased by approximately $200 per metric ton within a single week. Movements of this nature are typically linked to shifts in crude oil pricing, refinery output, or tightening regional supply.

For markets that rely heavily on imported raw materials, these changes generally work their way through the supply chain over the following months.

Additives – The Technology Behind Lubricants

While base oils form the bulk of a lubricant, additive chemistry determines its performance.

Modern lubricants depend on sophisticated additive packages that include detergents, dispersants, anti-wear agents, oxidation inhibitors, and viscosity modifiers. The global additive industry is concentrated among a small number of major technology providers, meaning that changes in feedstock costs or supply conditions can quickly influence formulation costs across the lubricant sector.

Although these movements are less visible than base oil prices, additives remain a critical part of the finished lubricant value chain.

Industrial Chemical Supply

Lubricant production is also connected to the wider petrochemical and industrial chemical markets. Certain industrial chemical feedstocks used throughout the refining and additive manufacturing chain can experience supply constraints when domestic demand increases or export availability changes.

When these chemicals tighten in supply, the effect can ripple through multiple industries including additives, plastics, coolants, and lubricants.

Logistics and Freight

Another factor that often goes unnoticed is global logistics.

Base oils, additives, and finished lubricants move through international shipping networks involving bulk vessels, flexitanks, and container shipments. Changes in freight rates, vessel availability, port congestion, or insurance costs can all influence the final landed cost of lubricants.

For businesses operating in import-reliant markets, these logistical factors can become just as important as raw material pricing.

Exchange Rate Pressure

Currency movements add another layer of complexity. Because most base oils, additives, and chemical feedstocks are priced internationally in US dollars, exchange rate fluctuations can significantly amplify global price movements.

For markets such as South Africa, even moderate changes in the exchange rate can quickly affect the cost of imported raw materials.

Looking Ahead

The duration and scale of current geopolitical tensions remain uncertain, and global supply chains often react quickly to uncertainty. Energy markets, shipping routes, refining output, and chemical availability are all closely interconnected.

If current conditions persist, the lubricant industry could experience further upward pressure on certain raw materials in the coming months as markets adjust to evolving supply and demand dynamics.

Market Perspective

Current pressures affecting the lubricant market include:

Crude oil volatility and geopolitical uncertainty

Base oil supply adjustments in Mediterranean markets

Additive and industrial chemical cost movements

Global freight and shipping dynamics

Exchange rate pressure in import-dependent markets

At Greyhound Lubricants, we operate in a highly dynamic and internationally connected environment. Through direct engagement with global suppliers of both base oils and finished lubricants, we closely monitor developments across multiple sourcing regions.

This international exposure allows us to respond quickly to changing market conditions while continuing to prioritise supply continuity, responsible sourcing, and long-term sustainability for our customers and partners.

21/02/2026