Fujiko's CCTV focus pays off as crime fears grow

The managing director of Fujiko, a specialist in closed-circuit television (CCTV), decided to focus more on the product 12 years ago, a move that has paid off handsomely.

Fujiko now commands about 10 per cent of the Bt3-billion CCTV market and is regarded the leader in the mid-range field.

He now has 14 wholly owned outlets in city malls like MBK Centre, Pantip Plaza, Seacon Square and IT Mall Ratchadaphisek, with 22 dealers countrywide.

He recently opened the company's first outlet in Vientiane in Laos.

"Our revenue last year was Bt300 million," he said. "We expect 20-per-cent growth this year."

While consumers may be cutting back on shopping, there seems to be no slowdown in CCTV sales. Fearful of growing crime in tough economic times, more people are now installing CCTV at home, to deter thieves.

"If a robber sees that a store or house has CCTV, he is unlikely to break in and will instead stake out another site that does not have cameras," he said.

Even with 230 employees, Sittichai said he was short staffed, because of fast expansion.

"We expect to have 50 dealers by the end of the year. We desperately need support staff," he said at his bustling head office that is packed with boxes and lorries.

His business has attracted the attention of Bangkok Insurance, which recently made a joint promotion for a year-long campaign to encourage consumers to install CCTV.

"According to findings by insurance companies, CCTV is one of the best ways to prevent crime, even among housemaids and other domestic help," he said.

"Under the Bangkok Insurance scheme, buyers will be compensated between Bt100,000 and Bt300,000 if property is stolen in the room where the equipment has been installed."

The campaign runs from now until next May.

Indeed, much has changed in the CCTV market the past few years. It is no longer a security tool for only big corporations and governments.

"The average consumer can now afford to buy them," said Sittichai.

Fukiko sells mid-range CCTV equipment from Bt30,000. The low-end market sells systems for about Bt15,000, while the high-end charges about Bt50,000 for its cheapest system.

Sittichai, a Chulalongkorn University graduate, now runs three stores, in Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Sri Racha.

In addition, it has 22 representative offices, making Fujiko one of the best-known names in the local market.

Because Fujiko's prices are competitive compared with those set by the global marketplace, Sittichai finds that his customers now include foreign tourists, as well.

"Many buyers are home-owners who believe it vital to have CCTV inside their homes," he said. "They are also used by businessmen as a part of a management system to run countrywide operations. They can see what is happening at provincial offices when they are not there.

"Big brands like Sony, Sharp and Samsung all have CCTV equipment, but because it forms a very small percentage of their sales, they do not focus much on this division," he said.

"But we are purely a CCTV company. We order our equipment from leading manufacturers and provide installation for a small fee, starting from about Bt4,000. Apart from servicing, we also provide warranties."