The Knowledge to Decide

With automotive lubricant demand rising from 2.6 million liters (in 2015) to 4.1 million liters (in 2021), global and regional manufacturers are taking notice of the Vietnam market. How can brands win in this market? Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights on key trends in the Lube Report Asia magazine. With many players competing in the Southeast Asia market for motorcycle lubricants, leaders will be determined by their success in the large and fast-rising markets of Indonesia and Vietnam. These two countries account for over 80% of the region’s total motorcycle population. A few brands that stand out are Petronas, Shell, BP Castrol and Pertamina. Leon commented that while Vietnam’s short-term growth is driven by motorcycle lubricants, long-term growth is expected to come from car lubricants as middle-class Vietnamese trade up to cars. Vietnam’s attractive lucrative market is dominated by mineral engine oil due to pr

As Southeast-Asia’s leading car-manufacturing exporter, Thailand is all set to increase its production of cars and light commercial vehicles from 1.9 million in 2014 to 3 million by 2024. Despite that, domestic sales remain low due to tighter credit and weak purchasing power. Will Thailand’s auto sector still maintain its competitive edge? Japnit Singh, Senior Director at Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights in China Daily – Asia Weekly. Despite frequent political unrest, Thailand is home to 18 of the biggest names in global car manufacturing. This has enabled Thailand to establish a solid car ecosystem and sustained momentum for the sector’s growth. Singh pointed out that this network of global brands is strengthened by a network of local Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME’s) coupled with abundant supply of skilled labor force and favorable excise policies. Singh noted that exports will help counter low domestic sales which occurred primarily due to