Skip navigation
Reports & Analysis Custom Research Research Subscriptions
Sign In / Create Account Cart
Sign In / Create Account Cart
  • Reports & Analysis
  • Custom Research
  • Research Subscriptions

Resources

  • Analyst Buzz
  • Press Releases
  • Blog
  • Resources & Downloads
  • Impact Tracker

The Freedonia Group

  • Contact
  • About
  • Our Staff
  • Help Center
  • Career Opportunities
Freedonia Market Research Freedonia Group Global Lubricants

Global Lubricants

Industry Reports, Global

Report Overview

7th Edition

Featuring 160 tables and 88 figures – now available in Excel and Powerpoint! Learn More

Engine with Lubricants

This study examines the global market for finished lubricants. Products covered include:

  • engine oils
  • transmission and hydraulic fluids
  • process oils
  • metalworking fluids
  • general industrial oils
  • gear oils
  • greases

Demand for finished lubricants is discussed in terms of intended markets, including:

  • motor vehicles
    • light-duty vehicles
    • medium- and heavy-duty vehicles
    • motorcycles
  • manufacturing
  • off-highway equipment
    • construction machinery (e.g., excavators, cranes, pavers)
    • mining machinery (e.g., surface mining equipment, mining drills and breakers)
    • agricultural equipment (e.g., farm tractors, harvesting machinery, sprayers)
  • transportation equipment
    • marine (e.g., passenger and cargo ships, yachts and other recreational boating, military ships and submarines)
    • railroad
    • aerospace (military, commercial, and personal aircraft; spacecraft; communications satellites)
  • other markets (e.g., oil and gas exploration and production, electric power generation)

Demand is also discussed in terms of lubricant formulation:

  • conventional petroleum
  • synthetic
  • re-refined
  • biobased

Table of Contents

    • $323.44

    • $811.83

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

    • $1,542.79

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

    • $584.99

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

    • $2,122.10

      • $323.44

      • $544.17

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $601.28

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $519.47

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $323.44

    • $1,515.00

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $374.84

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $328.45

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $335.10

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

    • $1,271.60

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $345.82

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $396.28

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

    • $2,540.36

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $351.38

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $326.42

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $348.27

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $382.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

    • $1,505.22

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $334.97

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $325.20

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $361.69

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

    • $3,598.57

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $349.21

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $344.18

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $345.28

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $351.11

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $347.30

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $330.63

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $384.22

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

    • $2,446.61

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

      • $374.31

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

        • $323.44

    • $2,034.33

      • $471.04

      • $361.55

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $936.10

    • $3,312.03

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $414.46

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $323.44

      • $431.15

      • $1,824.18

        • $461.82

        • $463.16

        • $895.80

World base oil trends, as well as finished lubricant production and trade, are also discussed. Purchasers of Freedonia Group studies covering the US market for lubricants should note that the product segments differ; in this study, tractor transmission fluids (also known as universal tractor fluids) are included with hydraulic fluids, while all other transmission fluids are included in the other products category. It should also be noted that world base oil demand is discussed in terms of the location of finished lubricant end use and not of lubricant production or blending. Additionally, API Group III base oils and lubricants from which they are formulated are classified in this study as synthetic products. This differs from prior versions.

Historical data for 2009, 2014, and 2019, and forecasts for 2024 and 2029 are provided for lubricant demand by product type and market for six regions and 24 individual countries. In this study, the term “demand” is used synonymously with “sales” and “consumption”. Tabular details may not add to totals due to independent rounding, and ratios may be rounded for clarity.

Infographic with Global Lubricants Market Research

Global Manufacturing Trends Impacting Lubricant Use

3D Printing

3D printing – a young technology that has historically been used for small-scale modeling – has rapidly evolved in recent years to become a viable tool in many manufacturing applications.

  • The technology is currently more widespread in developed areas, as printer development and manufacturing is concentrated in those areas and it requires a high initial expense.
  • 3D printing is a topic of great importance to the industrial lubricants market since 3D printers are able to produce metal products without requiring metalworking fluid, a fact that could significantly impact fluid demand.

3D technology is most relevant to the lubricant industry in manufacturing transportation equipment. Currently, many end use aerospace parts are fabricated using 3D printers. While the aerospace manufacturing segment accounts for a minority of total transportation equipment manufacturing, the printers are expected to see wider use in the motor vehicle production industry, which is one of the most significant users of industrial lubricants.

Aside from transportation equipment manufacturing, 3D printers are most widely used in markets or applications that do not require lubricants, such as educational, medical, and dental uses. However, applications such as molds and tooling, construction, and oil and gas production are expected to undergo fast growth through 2029 and hold the potential to impact lubricant use in those markets over the long term.

In 2024, 3D printing is expected to have a small impact on global industrial lubricant demand, although in the long term it will restrict growth for metalworking fluid demand, particularly in North America, Western Europe, Japan, and South Korea.

Motor Vehicle Ownership & Usage Trends

The most important determining factor for global automotive lubricant demand is motor vehicle ownership. Large vehicle parcs necessitate high levels of automotive lubricant aftermarket demand, though other factors such as how frequently the vehicles are driven, how technologically advanced the vehicle parc is, and the ratio of small passenger vehicles versus sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and trucks and will also impact lubricant consumption.

There are several key factors that determine a country’s level of vehicle adoption and usage, including:

  • disposable income levels within a country, particularly for the middle class
  • size of geographic area that promotes or discourages motor vehicle travel
  • quality of road networks

Historically, vehicle ownership levels in developed countries have been higher than in developing countries due to several major factors. Developed nations tend to have:

  • large, affluent middle classes
  • large, well maintained road networks that facilitate both passenger and commercial vehicle travel
  • plentiful suburban areas that increase average distance traveled per vehicle

Prime examples include Australia, Canada, and the United States. All three countries have high levels of automotive lubricant demand relative to their populations, which results from their above average vehicle ownership and usage.

A developed nation does not need to have all three of the above characteristics to have a large motor vehicle parc. For example, Japan has significantly less roadway than the US, Canada, or Australia, yet vehicle per capita ownership levels in Japan are similar to those in Europe due to Japan’s wealth and well-established suburban areas.

Global lubricant demand is forecast to rise an average of less than 1.0% per year to 44.4 million metric tons. The major driving factors will be:

  • increased manufacturing activity, particularly in developing countries
  • a heightened level of global trade
  • expanding vehicle ownership in developing countries
  • increasingly strict environmental and health regulations in developed regions

However, lengthening fluid drain intervals globally will act to moderate growth.

Lubricant demand was also negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The construction, manufacturing, and motor vehicle markets in particular saw significant declines in lubricant demand, causing average growth for these markets to slow as they recover the losses incurred in 2020.

Increasing Spending Power of an Expanding Middle Class to Drive Increases

Lubricant demand will be boosted by an expanding middle class – and its increasing spending power – in developing areas such as India and Southeast Asia:

  • Rising ownership of motorcycles will benefit demand for lubricants used in these vehicles.
  • As consumers become more affluent, manufacturing of such items as food, beverages, and consumer goods will increase to meet growing demand for these goods, boosting use of lubricants used with production machinery and equipment.
  • Economic growth in developing countries will result in increased construction activity and mining output, which will boost demand for off-highway automotive lubricants.

Environmental Concerns & Regulations to Limit Automotive Lubricant Demand

Although automotive lubricants demand is expected to expand through 2024, efforts by countries’ including China, India, and those in the EU, to limit emissions and increase fuel efficiency will impact demand growth:

  • Motor vehicle manufacturers continue to shift production toward vehicles with smaller engines – which require less engine oil – to meet tighter fuel efficiency requirements.
  • More markets are adopting low viscosity, high performance synthetic-based fluids that improve fuel efficiency and allow for extended drain intervals.

Although a number of countries have encouraged the use of electric vehicles as an effective means of reducing air pollution, their impact on automotive lubricant demand will remain somewhat limited through 2024 due to the size of the existing vehicle parc and the challenges of expanding electric vehicles’ presence in the market without significant subsidies. However, it is expected that this situation will change over the long term, as electric vehicles become a bigger part of the market.

Purchase Options

Purchase Report

Select your license:

  • $6,500.00
  • $8,000.00
  • $9,500.00
  • — —
    Section prices in Table of Contents

Subscription Options

License by subscription

Check to see if this report is available through our subscription services.

Subscription Pricing
Already have a subscription? Log in.

Free Sample Report

A free sample report is available.

Questions & Assistance

Our representatives are available to help answer your questions.

Live Chat is Offline
Email us

Share This Report

Copied to clipboard. Could not copy to clipboard.

Download a Free Sample Report Now

Sample Reports include examples of all the tables, charts, infographics and topics included in this study.

Use Licenses

The Single User License (SUL) authorizes a single individual to use the electronic study acquired. Agreement to the SUL is required in order to purchase the study. If you require more than one user a Departmental Site License or Global Site License should be purchased. 

The Departmental Site License (DSL) authorizes up to five users to share the study acquired. Agreement to the DSL is required in order to purchase the study. If your organization requires more than five users, the Global Site License should be purchased.

The Global Site License (GSL) allows everyone in your organization to share the study intelligence. Agreement to the Global Site License terms is necessary in order to purchase it. 

FAQs

The major driving factors will be: increased manufacturing activity, particularly in developing countries, a heightened level of global trade, expanding vehicle ownership in developing countries and increasingly strict environmental and health regulations in developed regions.
Global lubricant demand is forecast to rise an average of less than 1.0% per year to 44.4 million metric tons.
Leading players include BP, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell and Total.
;

Related Reports and Studies

  • Freedonia Focus on Flavor Blends: United States

    Focus Reports

    This report forecasts US flavor blend demand in US dollars at the manufacturers' level to 2017.

    August 2013 26 pages
    Free sample available
  • Fluorochemicals: United States

    Focus Reports

    This report forecasts US fluorochemical demand and production in metric tons to 2018. Total demand in US dollars at the manufacturers' level is also forecast to 2018.

    October 2014 28 pages
    Free sample available
  • World Lawn & Garden Consumables

    Focus Reports

    This report forecasts total world demand in 2019 for lawn and garden consumables by product, market, and major world region in US dollars at the manufacturers' level.

    March 2015 31 pages
    Free sample available
  • World Oilfield Chemicals

    Focus Reports

    This report forecasts total world demand in 2019 for oilfield chemicals by product and major world region in US dollars at the manufacturers' level.

    March 2015 28 pages
    Free sample available
  • Waxes: United States

    Focus Reports

    This report forecasts US wax demand in US dollars at the manufacturers' level to 2019.

    May 2015 24 pages
    Free sample available
  • World Flavors & Fragrances

    Industry Reports

    Increasing consumer demand for more natural products, driven in part by health concerns regarding artificial ingredients and a desire for transparency in labeling, will impact global demand for flavors and fragrances, particularly in developed countries.

    March 2016 412 pages
    Free sample available
  • Medical & Dental Adhesives & Sealants

    Industry Reports

    Expansion of the market will be fostered by rising health expenditures and rising focus on improving medical and dental procedure outcomes.

    March 2016 241 pages
    Free sample available
  • Flavors & Fragrances: United States

    Focus Reports

    This report forecasts US flavor and fragrance demand and production in US dollars at the manufacturers' level to 2020.

    March 2016 26 pages
    Free sample available
  • Medical & Dental Adhesives & Sealants: United States

    Focus Reports

    This report forecasts US medical and dental adhesive and sealant demand in US dollars at the manufacturers' level to 2019.

    March 2016 25 pages
    Free sample available
  • World Flavors & Fragrances

    Focus Reports

    This report forecasts total world demand in 2020 for flavors and fragrances by product, market, and major world region in US dollars at the manufacturers' level.

    March 2016 35 pages
    Free sample available
View More

Have unique research needs?

Freedonia Custom Research listens intently to your needs and objectives. Then we work diligently to define a service offering to meet them.
Learn About Our Custom Research Services

Stay informed with Freedonia

Receive periodic updates about new market research in areas relevant to your business. Have the convenience of Freedonia research at your fingertips when you need it.
  • Contact
  • About
  • Help Center
  • Career Opportunities
  • Press
  • User Agreement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map
Facebook Linkedin Twitter

Additional Resources

  • Market Size Resources
  • Lawn Mowers Research
  • Global Motor Vehicle Research
  • Global Paint & Coatings Research
  • Global Industrial Valves Research
  • Global Agricultural Equipment Research
  • Indoor Air Quality Equipment Research
  • Global Adhesives & Sealants Research
  • Hardscaping Products Research
  • Residential Landscaping Research
  • Food Packaging Research
  • Global Carpets & Rugs Research
  • Global Residential HVAC Research
Copyright © 2023 MarketResearch.com, Inc. All rights reserved.