Thai Leather Firms Find Success Upmarket, Need More Brand Recognition Abroad.

Byline: Somporn Thapanachai

Sep. 6--Small is beautiful, as leathergoods maker Classic Inter Leather Products Co can confirm after making inroads into the high-end market with both its own and other brands.

"The quality of my leather wallets is the same as any international brand, but we cannot sell at their prices. We want the world to recognise our quality, then we can build brand recognition," said Sayan Tarnvudhikul, the managing director of the small-scale firm.

Aware of high competition in the low-end market, especially from China, Classic Inter focuses on upmarket products, a strategy that helped it survive the economic slump.

Established in 1971 with 15 million baht registered capital, Classic Inter now employs 120 workers.

However, although still small, the company claims that it is recognised as making fine-quality products to order.

The company used to supply mainly to outside brands but later shifted focus to its own brands, Cassi Hawke and New Yorker.