Ambitious roller-blind business eyes Asean expansion
HAVING built up annual domestic sales of its roller blinds to Bt10 million, BIW Products Co is now studying expansion of the business within Asean by negotiating with potential partners in Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar.
The company hopes to start exporting to the three neighbouring markets in the next two years.
“We are negotiating with prospective partners in Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar to be our exclusive distributors in each country, and the deals could be finalised next year,” general manager Sangsuree Intadet, who is also the company’s owner, said during an interview with The Nation.
She decided to establish BIW Products in 2008 with registered capital of Bt1 million after seeing a business opportunity to sell roller blinds amid the prevailing strong growth in the country’s property market.
Room for new player
She felt there was room for a new player in the expanding market, where there was still less choice for people seeking a blind-maker than there was if you needed to source curtains.
“My uncle owns a curtain-manufacturing business and has experience in blinds, as a result of which I decided to go into business by developing products from curtain material into roller blinds to serve rising demand among home-owners,” said Sansuree Sangsuree, 38.
In the first two years, the company focused on customers from her uncle’s manufacturing business.
BIW Products then increased its registered capital to Bt3 million and took out a bank loan, for which it secured a guarantee from the Thai Credit Guarantee Corp. This enabled the company to expand its customer base via curtain and blind dealers nationwide, and it now sells to some 500 dealers around the country, she explained.
BIW Products is now also planning to launch a new home-automation product, under the BIW Home Bond brand. The product will enable users to control electrical home systems such as roller blinds remotely.
The product will be launched in October, with the company targeting home-automation sales of Bt10 million in the first 12 months, she said.
To serve its business expansion this year and next in both the roller-blind and home-automation markets, the company invested Bt15 billion early this year in building a new factory, which is scheduled to commence operations by the year’s end.
“The key to our success during a period of high competition is that we produce quality products, and we research and develop our products to match customers’ demand. We learn what our customers want, and we do it for them,” said the general manager.
