Sittisak Phanitphojama, the marketing and business development manager of US-based Johnson Control International (Thailand), said the company had allotted a marketing budget of Bt30 million for its call centre to improve after-sales service.

The company also plans to launch its new air-conditioner model, Atlas, which has a vitamin C filter and also uses nanotechnology called TiO2 for its filter to safeguard the customer's health.

The company will use "aggressive marketing" through TV commercials and print advertising, besides event marketing, to promote its new products and boost sales to meet the targeted 20-per-cent growth, he said.

Sittisak added that in the last two years parent company York International had combined its business with Johnson Controls, a global leader in automotive interior systems, providing great potential for joint production bases, exporting capabilities and the creation of alternative distribution channels.

He said the company had achieved sales of Bt4.9 billion last year, of which Bt2.5 billion came from exports, Bt800 million from sale of air-conditioners to residences, while Bt1.2 billion came from sales of air-conditioners to commercial entities.

"There is strong demand for air-conditioners in Thailand, despite a fall in the overall economic growth rate, because the country's weather is still hot," he said. "Meanwhile, most new houses - an average of 50,000-60,000 units a year - need air-conditioning, hence we believe we'll be able to meet our sales target," he said.