ICONIC Lubricants was Brazil’s largest lubricants supplier in December for the ninth time in 2022 as its sales of passenger-car motor oils (PCMO) surged.

The blender’s dominant position made it the country’s largest supplier in 2022 for a fifth year in a row since its formation in 2018.

Its share of Brazil’s lube market edged down every year since then, including in 2022.

The blender accounted for some 25pc of Brazil’s lube market in December, up from closer to 23pc the previous month, according to IBP.

Its total sales rose from November even as Brazil’s lube consumption of 86,830mᶟ (76,500t) in December fell by 5pc from the previous month.

Sales got a boost from a 33pc rise in its PCMO sales in December. The firmer demand lifted its share of Brazil’s sales of the engine oils to almost 31pc of a rising total.

Brazil’s PCMO sales rebounded by 9pc in December from year-earlier levels to their highest since last March.

The country’s PCMO sales also fared better last year than demand for industrial oils and heavy-duty engine oils (HDEO).

ICONIC’s share of Brazil’s lube market fell below 25pc in 2022, from more than 25.5pc the previous year and more than 27pc in 2018.

Its steady share of the PCMO market was insufficient to counter a drop in its share of HDEO and industrial oils sales.

Vibra Energia was Brazil’s second-largest lubricants supplier in December and in 2022 as its market share rose for the first time in at least four years.

Its market share of close to 23pc of Brazil’s total lube sales in 2022 rose from less than 21.5pc of the total in 2021.

Moove was Brazil’s third-largest lubricants supplier in December and in 2022.

It was also the only supplier whose total sales rose in 2022 from the previous year even as Brazil’s lube consumption fell.

The higher sales lifted its share of Brazil’s lube market to more than 20pc of the total. The share was its highest in at least six years.

The rising sales reflected an increase in its share of PCMO, HDEO and industrial oils sales.