Building on the successful business model of Korea's Colorpol Jumping Clay Inc - 125 stores in just four years - Hands On Co, the master franchisee in Thailand, has already opened 10 Jumping Clay stores in 10 months.

The stores offer various levels of art classes for children aged three to 12 and even for artistically inclined parents.

All classes revolve around the use of Jumping Clay's "non-toxic" polymer clay and charge from Bt1,500 to Bt3,800.

Company president Virach Ariyasantichai said last week that the courses aimed to improve children's motor skills and teach them how to translate two-dimensional ideas into three-dimensional objects.

Of the 10 branches, nine are franchised out at a fixed Bt300,000 for three years without the need to pay monthly royalties and marketing fees.

But owners are required to attend 200 hours of intensive "Claymaster" training, Virach said. Owners' hands-on involvement is doubly important, as staff turnover is high.

Colorpol Jumping Clay is also a major manufacturer and distributor of synthetic clay in Korea for its own house brand as well as European brands.

About 70 per cent of the Thai operation's total revenues will come from art lessons, while 20-25 per cent will be from merchandise sales. Workshops at, for instance, birthday parties and hospitals, will make up the rest.

Revenue from merchandise is expected to rise gradually as income from art classes declines.

Jumping Clay merchandise can be found in Central department stores and Toys 'R' Us.

"But only our franchisees carry the whole range of products," Virach said.

Jumping Clay outlets will be limited to 25 within five years, as the art-education market can only absorb so many new stores, he said.

Hands On is now massaging its contacts as a former Disney and Doraemon licensee for possible future tie-ins with those companies' famous characters.

Ki Nan Tsui

The Nation