B-Quik poised for major drive into Pattaya market
After yearning to expand abroad, B-Quik now plans to take its auto service centres upcountry, starting with Pattaya.
The shifting of gears comes after Japanese trading house Marubeni replaced insurer Prudential TSLife late last year as the major stakeholder of Bangkok's largest independent chain of car centres. While awaiting planning approval from Pattaya's city council, B-Quik, with 15 per cent of the capital's market, will continue to expand aggressively in the metropolis, with at least five new branches slated for this year, CEO Henk Kiks said yesterday. Chief operating officer Busararat Assaratanakul said the company had detected demand from its fleet customers along the Eastern Seaboard. Three or four outlets will open along the Sukhumvit Highway, stretching from Laem Chabang through Pattaya and on into Rayong. Kiks sees these Chon Buri and Rayong stores as an extension of the company's Bangkok operations. The human-resources shortage is the biggest barrier to entry, Busararat said. Kiks said operating within a specific area - for instance, Chiang Mai - was not practical unless a cluster of three or four shops was in place. If one shop manager was away, another could take over. "If there's only one shop, it'd be difficult to find a temporary replacement." With tyres accounting for half of its business, B-Quik has been wading against a 4-per-cent drop in the overall tyre market to show a 4-per-cent advance. Its revenues reached Bt1 billion last fiscal year and will hit Bt1.3 billion this year if it maintains its 30-per-cent pace. Its current Bt15-million ad campaign will help, Kiks said. The company will roll out a zero-interest promotion for its tyres during next month's Songkran holiday season. Busararat said such campaigns had proven effective in stimulating short-term sales. B-Quik has not ruled out establishing a foothold in Kuala Lumpur. A feasibility study is being carried out, and the company's new board will decide on the next move by July. Kiks previously told The Nation that demand in Malaysia was expected to grow much faster than it did in Thailand when B-Quik opened its first outlet in the Kingdom.
Ki Nan Tsui The Nation
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