Briefs

The three sugar millers association is launching a campaign to improve sugarcane quality ahead of the 2013/14 harvest, following a drop in sweetness despite an increase in output in the previous year. 

Commercial cane sugar – a measure of total recoverable sugar – in the 2012/13 harvest dropped to 11.6 per cent against 12 per cent the previous year. A tonne of sugarcane could yield only 100.24kg of sugar, against 104.63kg the previous year, Sirivuth Siamphakdee, president of the Thai Sugar Millers Corp’s public relations working group, said last week. 

“We’re pleased with the ability to raise national output to above 100 million tonnes of sugarcane and 100 million sacks of sugar, but we’re not pleased with the quality,” he said. 

Millers will dispatch staff to help farmers prepare sugarcane breeds and plantations, under the plan to raise the yield from 10 tonnes per rai to 12-15 tonnes. New crushing machines will be installed. Trucks will be provided to discourage farmers from burning the fields.

 

Triple T eyes boost 

Triple T Broadband aims to increase its customers to about 1.4 million by year-end from 1.2 million-1.3 million at present.

The affiliate of Jasmine International expects its second-quarter net profit grew 50 per cent from Bt472 million in the same quarter last year, due to the adding of over 20,000 customers per month, Pete Bodharamix, CEO of Jasmine International, said last week.

The company forecasts that the country’s broadband Internet subscribers would surge 50 per cent in three years to 10 million households, of which Triple T is expected to account for 2 million-3 million subscribers or at least 30 per cent of the market.

 

Big C popular 

Big C Supercentre has been voted by consumers as the “Most Favourite Hypermarket” and “Trusted Brand” for the second year in a row.

The “Most Favourite Hypermarket: No 1 Brand Thailand Award” is the result of an independent customer survey by Video Research International (Thailand), a Japanese consumer and marketing research agency with 40 years of experience, in conjunction with Marketeer Magazine, a leading Thai marketing magazine.

The survey found that 84 per cent of customers of all demographic profiles nationwide voted Big C to be their hypermarket of choice – up from last year’s 77 per cent.

The “Trusted Brand Award” is the survey result of Reader’s Digest (Thailand). 

 

Manheim expanding

Manheim, an automobile remarketing service provider, is expanding to the Northeast with an office in Nakhon Ratchasima, after opening offices in Bangkok, Phitsanulok and Surat Thani. 

“Over the past 10 years, the used car auction business in Thailand has grown remarkably well, alongside the economy,” Manheim’s David Head said.