Window-film firm keeps prices down
Techno-Sell (Frey) Co, an exclusive distributor of Lamina window film for automotive and building applications, has put a hold on its prices despite higher costs imposed by its suppliers, with the strong baht proving an advantage.
Managing director Channapa Saisamorn said in an interview with The Nation that its supply costs had gone up by 8-9 per cent on higher oil prices. However, the company hadto maintain its own prices in the face of heavy competition, and the strong baht was helping it cope.
“We have kept our prices between Bt6,000 and Bt12,000 per car, depending on the vehicle’s size,” Channapa said.
She added that the demand for car-window film rose by more than 10 per cent last year with total market value reaching Bt1.9 billion thanks to the first-car-buyer scheme, which helped push vehicle sales to 1.4 million units.
Thanks to this boost in demand, the company recorded sales of Bt800 million last year, up 40 per cent from Bt540 million in 2011.
Techno-Sell targets sales of only Bt760 million this year as demand for new cars returns to normal. The first-car tax-rebate scheme ended on December 31.
“The demand last year was a special situation because of the first-car scheme, but this year things will come back to normal, and as a result we forecast the market to drop by about 5 per cent,” she said.
Currently, the company has about 42 per cent of the total market value of Bt1.9 billion. Eighty per cent of its sales come from car showrooms, and the rest from the replacement market.
Meanwhile, 97 per cent of the total window-film market’s value is from the automotive sector, and the rest from buildings.
Techno-Sell is looking at expanding into such countries as Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar after the Asean Economic Community takes effect in 2015.
Channapa said the company |had the potential to become the exclusive distributor of Lamina window film in Indochina, and would make a decision in this regard next year.
