Mahjeb expects a cushy ride on pet couch cushions

Mahjeb is a manufacturer and distributor of pet couch cushions.
Managing director Paweena Sarapee told The Nation that the company planned to boost its exports from 20 per cent of total revenue this year to 35 per cent by 2017 by promoting its products at international events in Japan, Germany and the United States this year and next.
“We took part for the first time in the ‘Interpets-International Fair’ in Tokyo from April 2-5 this year. We got positive feedback from the market and struck deals with customers, as a result we are confident our products will succeed in overseas markets,” she said.
At present, 20 per cent of its revenue comes from exports to such markets as Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, while the balance is from the domestic market.
As the company promotes its products at international exhibitions, it expects its exports to grow over the next two years. To cope with the demand, it will double production capacity early this year and invest Bt1 million in its warehouse. It will also double the number of personnel for the manufacture of pet couch cushions to 40 this year, Paweena said.
After its good experience at the Interpets-International Fair in Japan, the company plans to promote its products at “Interzoo 2016” in Nuremberg, Germany. The company also plans to show its products at the “Global Pet Expo” in the US. Both events should help it boost its export market.
Paweena, now 35, graduated with a degree in marketing management from the social sciences faculty of Srinakharinwirot University in 2001. She started her career in a printing company before entering business by opening her first shop at the weekend Chatuchak Market, selling postcards of pets in 2004.
“I decided to open the shop when I did a pocket book called ‘Mahjeb’ [Hurt Dog] with my friend. I saw the demand for the pocket book and also the demand for pet products. Since I had many dog pictures, I decided to open a shop to sell pet postcards at the weekend market,” Paweena said.
However, it did not prove to be a very profitable venture. Revenue from the sale of pet postcards was less than the cost of renting a shop at the weekend market.
However, as she had seen the demand for pet accessories, she added more pet products in her shop. She also saw a strong demand for pet couch cushions at home and overseas, and there was also little competition.
Currently, she is mostly focusing on pet couch cushions.
“Some day, we can sell pet couch cushions worth up to Bt400,000 a day, with orders from foreign buyers who visit the weekend market. We decided to set up this company, with registered capital of Bt1 million in 2007, to serve the overseas market. We increased the capital to Bt3 million last year to facilitate business expansion this year,” she said.
After its business expansion, half of its investment is from the company’s cash flow, and the rest through borrowings from the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand.
Paweena added that initially, she supplied the raw materials for her staff to produce the couch cushions in their homes.
However, it was not possible to control product quality and there was also loss of raw material, so she decided to open the manufacturing plant at her home with 20 staff.
“We believe that when we expand our business overseas, our revenue will double in 2017,” she said.