Thai Furniture Firm To Open Store In Ghana

The Thai furniture brand Index, owned by Bangkok Interfurn, is expanding globally with stores planned for Ghana and four more countries next year.

Bangkok Interfurn managing director Kijja Pattamasattayasonthi said the company, in collaboration with international dealers, currently had centres distributing furniture and household products under its Index brand in 12 countries, most of them in Southeast and South Asia.

The Index stores range in size between 300 and 1,200 square metres.

By early next year, more Index stores are scheduled to be opened in Pakistan, Dubai, Ghana, Algeria and Jordan.

In addition, the company has been discussing possible collaboration with furniture business operators in Iran, Poland, Ireland, Uganda, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

The Index furniture centres in these five countries would be between 500 and 1,000 square metres, said Mr Preecha.

At the same time, three larger Index furniture stores, similar to the Index Living Mall outlets in Thailand, are to be opened in Indonesia, Greece and Mexico.

The company hopes to have 25 overseas Index Living Malls operating in three years, Mr Preecha said.

According to Mr Kijja, Index was capable of competing in the world market in both design and high-quality materials.

``We can no longer compete with furniture makers from other countries that can produce simple chairs at cheaper cost than us. We now have to compete with more sophisticated products,'' Mr Preecha added

Bangkok Interfurn, which has been exporting furniture for more than 30 years, is Thailand's largest furniture firm in terms of sales.

Turnover last year was about four billion baht, and sales this year are expected to reach 4.5 billion. About 55% of its products are exported. Mr Kijja said he expected the next year's sales to grow by 15%.