With economic growth grinding to 3.5 to 4.5 per cent this year, Supornsri Naktanasukanjn, managing director of the country's largest office supplies superstore, has halted expansion plans and turned to renovating its 20 branches.

As part of the company's "brand refreshment", the 13-year-old chain has redesigned its logo, packaging and shop interiors.

Last year, to boost brand recall and create a retail presence, the subsidiary of Siam Makro added three stores in the Ekamai, Victory Monument and Ngam Wong Wan areas. It now has 11 branches serving the family and lifestyle markets.

To increase its business-to-business client base, which makes up 95 per cent of turnover, Office Centre will stress its delivery and e-procurement services - the latter speeding up and simplifying payments.

This year, it will focus on increasing its blue-chip business, from last year's 5 per cent of total revenues to 15 per cent.

"In our new marketing concept, Office Centre will offer office solutions instead of fragmented products," Supornsri said.

"For example, an entrepreneur can walk into one of our stores and order a start-up package complete with phones, furniture and stationery."

SMEs, with about 140,000 active accounts, generate 90 per cent of Office Centre's business.

The average white-collar employee spends about Bt500 per month on office materials, while companies spend Bt4,000 per trip.

Despite the current political and economic shenanigans, the company aims to increase its turnover from Bt 1.5 billion last year, when it enjoyed 12-per-cent growth, to Bt1.9 billion this year.

Ki Nan Tsui

The Nation