US proves a big market for teakwood furniture
BPS Milcom, a teak furniture manufacturer, will build awareness of its one-and-a-half-year-old brand Plato among distributors and consumers in Europe and the US next year.
Chairman Boonchoo Treethong said yesterday the company will join trade exhibitions and road shows in countries like Germany and the US.It will focus on promoting the durability of teak furniture that lasts for three to four generations as well as the unique designs by its own designers. European and American consumers tend to prefer furniture made from natural wood rather than plastics, Boonchu said. He cited information from a research institute that demand for wood furniture in the US last year reached $82 billion (Bt2.9 trillion). It increased to $99 billion this year and is expected to reach to $100 billion next year, $106 billion in 2008 and $116 billion in 2009. Overall wood furniture exports from Thailand to the US is only Bt2 billion, so manufacturers have enormous room to penetrate the market. Boonchoo said it would be great if Thailand's exports could reach $10 billion. He said Thailand only had seven companies that manufactured teak furniture at the same high-end level as BPS Milcom. The average price of Plato furniture is Bt150,000. Nitida Asawanipont, The Nation
|
