Provider of tents, awnings aims to double revenue in five years

"My grandfather established the business to make bamboo blinds in Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown, more than 50 years ago, then my father took over the family business to install canvas awnings and tents by opening a shop in Thong Lor 50 years ago under the brand Thaweewat. It was generating average revenue of Bt500,000 a month in 1996 before I took over the business from my father," Nakorn, 42, said in an interview with The Nation yesterday.

He started running the family business with his older brother and younger sister on March 3, 1997, after he took a bachelor’s degree in business from Assumption University. He built up the business from a small shop to a company with registered capital of Bt1 million. Then the company expanded to import canvas from France. "This is to save costs rather than buying from middlemen who import products from France. This is also a challenge for us to select the products and designs to match the different demands of commercial and residential customers," he said.

Since Nakorn and his siblings began managing the business, the company’s revenue has grown strongly, from a average revenue of Bt500,000 a month in 1996 to Bt3 million a month now. It has also built a plant at On Nut Soi 44.

Nakorn said the company invested more than Bt10 million to build the plant in 2001. This has improved operations because of the plant has more space than the shop in Thong Lor, allowing the company to research and develop its knockdown-awning products and install them itself.

After 18 years of running the family business, Nakorn said his initial success was to increase its revenue, while also designing unique products to serve customers’ demand.

"When you have a family business, it is your duty to build it up better than your grandfather and your father did, and also to pass on a healthy business to your heirs," he said.