Jotun sales healthy
Written by Writer on Thursday, October 23rd, 2008
In BRIEF
Bangkok Post
Thursday October 23, 2008
Jotun sales healthy
BUILDING MATERIALS : The paint maker Jotun (Thailand) expects its sales growth to exceed 20% this year, based on healthy results in the first nine months, according to managing director Eric Mallace.
”Although the overall paints business this year has stagnated as the domestic market has been struck with political uncertainties and violence, we still have earned double-digit growth,” he said.
To maintain momentum, the company plans to spend 150 million baht on marketing and sales support of new products next year. The new paints have been developed to be more friendly to the environment and less toxic for users.
Over the next five years, he said, Jotun aimed to lift its market share in decorative paints to 18% from 12%, protective paint to 33% from 25%, and marine paints to 39% from 35%.
—–
Honda line opens
AUTOMOBILES : Production at the second Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co plant in Ayutthaya has begun with annual capacity of 120,000 cars, bringing its total production to 240,000 units per year.
The new plant, costing 6.2 billion baht, is Honda’s largest car manufacturing site in Asean. It will produce the Accord, Civic, CR-V, Jazz and City models.
Locally, Honda has sold 64,000 vehicles in the year to Sept 30, up 33% from the same period last year. Honda’s market share rose from 10.5% last year to 13.9% between January and September.
—–
Debt 35.5% of GDP
ECONOMY : Public debt totalled 3.339 trillion baht at the end of August, or 35.49% of gross domestic product, the Finance Ministry said yesterday. Foreign debt accounted for 377 billion baht, or 11.29% of the total public debt. Long-term obligations represented 95.57% of the debt, with the remainder short-term obligations. Debt rose slightly from 3.335 trillion or 35.44% of GDP at the end of July. Debt in August 2007 was 3.175 trillion baht or 37.8% of GDP.
—–
Data safehouses
TECHNOLOGY : Global Technology Integrated Co, in co-operation with KSC Commercial Internet, is introducing a data safehouse service for website service providers who need to comply with the new computer crime law.
The Computer Related Crime Act that took effect on Aug 23 requires all state and private organisations to install log management systems to store and monitor computer data and traffic to prevent crimes and attacks via internet. Violators are subject to fines up to 500,000 baht.
Narat Saramarn, managing director of Global Technology Integrated Co, said few local companies, especially small ones, had complied with the law so far because of lack of understanding or financial constraints.
He said the safehouse service enabled website service providers to store traffic data in a centralised log server platform, as the law requires. It can identify website users and prevent smuggling or editing of data. It would also identify the position of the IP address via a satellite map.
Prapon Pongprapat, a director of KSC Commercial Internet, said his company was also preparing to introduce log management service for large companies through its KSC Internet data centre.
—–
New flights to Udon
AVIATION : Thai Airways International will introduce a daily flight between Chiang Mai and Udon Thani on Sunday, using a 66-seat AT5R 7 propeller plane. To promote the new route, it offers a promotional fare of 1,305 baht for a one-way economy class ticket, excluding tax and fuel surcharge.
—–
More River units
PROPERTY : Raimon Land has released additional units in the north tower of its luxury condominium The River to meet strong demand.
From the launch of the 851-unit project in March 2007 through June 2008, Raimon Land has incrementally released 492 units, selling 418 for a total of 7.7 billion baht, or 55% of the targeted total sales of 13 billion baht.
The newly released units in the north tower are sized from 62 square metres and priced from 5.6 million to 51.8 million baht.
Raimon CEO Nigel Cornick said the strong sales performance reflected positive sentiment among investors in spite of the world financial crisis and political troubles in Thailand.
Raimon shares closed yesterday on the SET at 0.30 baht, down one satang, in trade worth 1.76 million baht.
