Supachai, grandson of Thongkasem, 96, who founded the shop in Yaowarat more than 57 years ago, said his personal ambition is to make the company's flagship "Horse" brand stationery products both known and available anywhere in the world.

Nan Mee has been producing and selling Horse products since 1998, and they are currently exported to 60 countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Germany, France, England, the US, China, Japan, Australia, and markets in Southeast Asia.

"We are now conducting marketing events and product road shows about once a month in new markets such as Canada, South America and Africa," Supachai said. "We would like to increase exports from the present level of 20 per cent of total sales to about 40 per cent within three years."

Supachai, 30, is a son of Koravit, 64, from the family's second generation, who is now managing director of Nan Mee. Koravit has four children, Preyanee, 35, Umaporn, 32, Supachai, and Suravit, 27. All are involved in the family business as executive directors except Umaporn, who lives with her own family in England.

Preyanee is now in charge of all domestic marketing activities and exports, while Supachai looks after general affairs and domestic sales. Suravit is in charge of the company's information technology systems.

"We entered the 21st century as Thailand's leading manufacturer and distributor of stationery, office and art supply products under five flagship brands: Horse, Max, Nanmee, Arrow, and Silpakorn Pradit Colours," Supachai said.

He said that while Horse is regarded as the company's flagship brand for all stationery and office supply products such as markers, writing instruments and files, Arrow is Nan Mee's "fighting" brand, meeting competitors in the battle for economy pricing.

Nanmee is the company's

fashion brand using many licensed cartoon characters such as Doraemon, Winnie The Pooh and Digimon, the rights for which were first obtained by Nan Mee for manufacturing and sales of Max staplers in Thailand.

The company also obtained a licence from Silpakorn University to produce and sell their Silpakorn Pradit Colours on the local market.

"We [the third generation] have always been taught by our father and grandfather to be sincere with our customers, to work hard and to have fun with it. Providing good service to our customers is the most significant attitude," Supachai said.

With revenue from all five brands, Nan Mee has achieved annual domestic sales of Bt1.8 billion. Horse is the most successful brand, most commonly recognised by local consumers of office supply products.

"Our Horse brand, which includes markers, writing instruments and files, has enjoyed a strong reputation for good quality products for a long time," Supachai said. "The brand now contributes 60 per cent of our sales."

When exports are added, annual sales of Horse products are estimated at Bt1 billion. Nearly 40 per cent of total exports of Horse products, worth about Bt160 million, go to European countries, another 40 per cent go to Southeast Asia and 20 per cent to the other parts of the world.

In 1998, Nan Mee set up Thailand's first factory for stationery products, on Teparak Road. It now employs more than 1,200 people.

It began by manufacturing pencils and pens, but it has expanded to other things, including stationery and office supply products for other companies under original equipment manufacturing (OEM) agreements. The company makes house brand products for many retailers, including Siam Makro and Tesco Lotus and OEM business accounts for about 10 per cent of total production, Supachai said.

Preyanee, also an executive director of Nan Mee, said the company recently opened a new office building on Sathorn Road, with 14,000sqm of office space on 14 levels.

The building's first floor is a 700sqm showroom for the company's stationery and office supply products, while the second floor is a showroom for Chinese books. The third and fourth floors are being developed into a centre for education and exchange focusing on Chinese cultures.

Preyanee said Nan Mee is to become more marketing oriented, and will tonight launch a series of television commercials for its Horse brand office files, entitled "Jumping" and "Jockey". The campaign, which will cost Bt23 million, aims at achieving the No 1 market position in the product category. The 15-second TV commercials also focus on the strength and durability of the products, she said. The advertisements will begin screening in prime time tonight and will run until the end of the year, targeting working people and business owners.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation