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Published on October 3, 2007

Charoen Kriengkrairut, the company's local manager for lubricants and commercial business, said a Petronas Suvium caravan would distribute prizes to the owners of diesel-fuelled vehicles in 11 provinces: Pathum Thani, Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Chon Buri, Rayong, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Ratchasima, Surin, Khon Kaen and Udon Thani. Petronas hopes the caravan will help increase sales of premium diesel lubricants to represent half of its lubricant sales. The marketing campaign, including the caravan, will cost Bt100 million this year. "Normally, premium diesel lubricants account for 40-50 per cent of sales. Ten per cent comes from petrol-engine lubricants, 10 per cent from motorcycle lubricants and the rest from lubricants for heavy-duty diesel engines," Charoen said.

Petronas Suvium was launched in Thailand a year ago. Because most of the Kingdom's vehicles are pickups, Petronas sees Thailand as its second-largest market after the US.

"It's an interesting market for us, and there's a possibility we can establish a manufacturing plant here," Charoen said.

Petronas hopes to gain a 2-per-cent share of the market this year, rising to 5 per cent by 2010. It plans to market its lubricants through retail oil stations and service centres. Lubricant service centres are also planned for 117 Petronas fuel stations around the country.

Thailand consumes 450 million litres of engine lubricants per year, worth about Bt20 billion. Shell holds the largest market share with 18-20 per cent, followed by PTT with 14-15 per cent, BP Castrol and Exxon Mobil with 11-12 per cent each and Caltex with 8-10 per cent.

Energy Reporters, The Nation