US Mobil expands distribution of
construction lubricants in Vietnam

US Mobil needed to quantify the addressable market for construction-equipment lubricants in Vietnam and deeply understand industrial B2B buying behaviour — within 45 working days.

Context & challenges

Vietnam’s construction-equipment lubricant segment sits at the intersection of industrial lubricants and heavy machinery. US Mobil needed clarity on who actually decides purchases (contractors, fleet managers, or operators), which channels they use, and which criteria drive decisions.

The main challenge was the lack of reliable secondary data for this B2B market — insights had to come from primary fieldwork.

HOUSELINK research approach

• Step 1 — Market mapping: Used the HOUSELINK database to shortlist the 300 largest construction companies operating heavy equipment, segmented by scale, project type, and geography.
• Step 2 — Primary research: Conducted 45 in-depth interviews (IDIs) with technical directors, equipment managers, and procurement teams on the target list.
• Step 3 — Market sizing: Estimated market size from installed equipment, oil-change cycles, and average consumption by machine type.
• Step 4 — Competitor profiling: Analysed competitive positioning for Castrol, Shell, Petrolimex, and key domestic brands.

Outcomes

• A ranked list of 300 companies with contacts, fleet scale, and purchasing patterns.
• 45 technical IDIs completed — 92% conversion from invitation to interview.
• Market size estimate with a 3–5 year growth outlook.
• An 80-page report with charts, behavioural insights, and six concrete strategic recommendations.
• Full delivery in 45 working days — on schedule; US Mobil rated the work as exceeding expectations.

“HOUSELINK gave us an accurate, end-to-end view of Vietnam’s industrial lubricants market — something we could not have built internally in such a short window.” — Country Manager, US Mobil Vietnam

Market research IDI interviews B2B industrial US Mobil 45 days