The automobile market, but also the industry of lubricants over the last 8 years is shrinking. The same trend is followed by the market of marine lubricants. The total domestic automotive lubricants’ market has a declining trend in recent years; the consumption is estimated at 33.6-34 million litres in 2018 and for 2020-23 the forecast is for an increase at an annual rate 1,5%.

The longitudinal shrinkage of the domestic lubricant consumption is due to various factors. The new technology engines do not require frequent lubricant changes compared to those of older technology. Also, due to the evolution of the synthesis, the lubricants are now of higher performance resulting in the older technology wheeled vehicles making changes less frequently (more kilometres) than in the past. Nowadays the consumption of synthetic lubricants covers 35% of the total quantity of engine lubricants, with a continuous upward trend. Moreover, due to the economic recession in the country in recent years, the use of vehicles has been limited while there is “lengthening” in the lubricant change intervals.

The demand for vehicle lubricants is affected both by the evolution and composition of the fleet of vehicles and by technological developments at both engine and lubricant levels.

At the end of 2017, according to the NSS data 8,262,896 vehicles were “on the roads”:

According to reliable market estimates over the last two years (2018-2019) approximately 45% of total domestic lubricant consumption was from products intended for passenger cars. Motorcycles are estimated to cover around 6%. The other vehicles – trucks, buses, agricultural vehicles, agricultural etc. – are estimated to have absorbed about the remaining 49% of total domestic lubricant consumption.

The same structure of consumption is foreseen for 2020.

In the other channels the evolution of maritime traffic and industrial production largely determines the demand for maritime and industrial lubricants.

Domestic lubricants consumption in INDUSTRY is estimated at about 13,65 million litres for 2018, up 0,4% from 2017. This slight increase will be maintained for the three years 2020-2022.

The total domestic MARINE lubricants market was approximately 31,30 million litres in 2018, noting an increase of 2.6% over 2017.

Schematically the Greek lubricants market based on the latest (2019*) market data is roughly broken down as follows:

LUBRICANT EXPORTS & IMPORTS

National export activity in the lubricants sector was particularly significant in 2018, making it the 1st in national exports.
Exports of lubricants, after the significant decline in the period 2010-2011 (compared to 2009), marked a significant increase in the two years 2012-2013, reaching 26.038 MT in 2013 (the maximum value of the last five years).
In contrast, in 2014 there was a significant 55,7% decrease to 11.542 MT.
The main export destination for 2014 was the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa.

In 2018 national lubricant exports amounted to 27.546MT and LPC with CYCLON lubricants and for 2018 was the 1st exporting company with sales of over 12.000MT and> 43% of all national lubricant exports.

Accordingly and according to market data, imports of ready lubricants in 2017 stood at about 36.400 MT up by 7,5% compared to 2016. Most of the imported lubricants relate to the category of lubricants, compressors, and turbines (80.1%), including vehicle lubricants.

The main lubricant importing countries for 2018 were Germany (1st), Italy (2nd) Belgium (3rd).