Kohler opens first Thai showroom

By Nalin Viboonchart
The Nation
Published on October 8, 2008

Kohler, a USbased manufacturer of kitchen and bathroom products, is shifting its investment and marketing focus to Asia.

Kohler's presenters show bath tub at its new showroom.

The company has found that its sales in this part of the world are growing faster than anywhere else.

Kohler Asia Pacific president Derrick Tay yester¬day said the company had robust growth around the world this year - even in the US, despite the finan¬cial crisis - but growth was fastest in the AsiaPacific.

Last year, Kohler generated revenue of US$5.5 billion (Bt190 billion) from its markets around the world. However, Tay declined to reveal either the contribution made by AsiaPacific markets or the percentage growth in the region but said India was ranked No 1 in terms of percentage growth, followed by China, while Thailand was ranked third.

He also declined to talk about Kohler's invest¬ment plans in Thailand, because of the company's policy of not making those public before making final decisions.

Tay said Kohler owned its own factory in Saraburi province, which was previously operated by Karat Sanitaryware. Karat was taken over by Kohler in 2002.

"The existing factory has 346 acres [140 hectares] of land and sufficient production capacity of bathroom products to meet domestic demand, as well as that from the rest of Southeast Asia. If we want to expand our business in Thailand, we will use this factory as our base for the expansion," he said.

Kohler also has factories in China and India.

Yesterday, Kohler (Thailand) opened its first sig¬nature showroom, in Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Soi Thonglor). Its partner - Decor Mart - has provided an area of more than 700 square metres for the showroom.

Tay said Kohler would also introduce its kitchen products to the Thai market through the Soi Thonglor showroom. Its bathroom products are already well known here, and its kitchen products currently sell in the US, Europe and China.

To start with, Kohler will import kitchen products from China. If there is a high demand in Thailand, the company may establish a second plant here for kitchen products, he said.

"The opening of our first signature showroom in Thailand is the first step and shows we are concen¬trating on this market. At present, we're the thirdranked brand in the bathroomproduct segment. We want to be the market leader in the future," he said.

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Kohler opens first Thai showroom

Kohler, a USbased manufacturer of kitchen and bathroom products, is shifting its investment and marketing focus to Asia.

OTHER BUSINESS

delegates will be safe - TCEB

Forced selling hits blue chips

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