Mogen aims to take on big boys

Sasithorn Ongdee

The Nation

Mogen, which was formed by local architects who established the Starmark brand for kitchen furniture, will keep its Mogen brand and fend off takeover bids from foreign firms, an executive said.

Mogen CEO Prerapat Srisulpinyo said at the Architect Unplugged event yesterday that after expanding its annual capacity to 300,000 units last year, the firm would invest in research to create better designs.

"We want to be a trend-setter in bathtubs in the next few years," he said.

With a 7-per-cent share of a sanitary-ware market worth Bt5.5 billion, Mogen will now focus on its own brand.

Mogen products are distributed through 80 dealers nationwide. About 60 per cent of its sales are to property projects and the rest through dealers.

Prerapat said its main clients were developers like Land and Houses, Quality Houses and Preuksa Real Estate.

The company yesterday launched a new series of bathroom products, which he said were expected to boost sales by 30 per cent this year.

Meanwhile, Cotto Modernform, a venture between the Modernform Group and Siam Sanitaryware Industry, launched its products at the fair yesterday. Because of the venture, the products are selling below the average price commanded by the market.

Modernform CEO Thaksa Busayapoka said its main buyers were developers.