Thailand Store Thrives after Changing Its Name, Targetting Retail Market.

Byline: Busrin Treerapongpichit

Dec. 10--A home hardware and furnishing store was the answer when a major supplier of building materials in the Northeast looked for ways to turn around its business.

The Ubonsirimahachai Group, the top-seller of Cementhai Homemart building materials in the region for the past four years, this month transformed its operation into Unity Home, a one-stop shop selling to the public.

With an initial investment of 30 million baht, the Ubon Ratchathani group established a modern store of 5,000 square metres.

Lek Thannipat, the group's managing director, said the store tapped into a growing regional market that mirrored the trend in Bangkok.

Established by his mother 30 years ago, the group started out as a small-scale wholesale supplier of building materials, becoming a Cementhai Homemart dealer in 1983. It is now one of the five biggest suppliers in the lower Northeast, with Sirung Homepro Co, Kittong Ubol Ltd Partnership, Sahasinposae Ltd Partnership, and Ubonwatsadu Co.

Strong competition, with price cuts limiting the profit margin on some products to barely 1 percent , prompted Mr Lek to look for ways to improve his business.