Patcharapimol aims to make big inroads - The Nation

KWANCHAI RUNGFAPAISARN
THE NATION October 3, 2012 1:00 am

The dream of Patcharapimol, 57, is to make the Suvimol brand - named after her beloved mother, who died 12 years ago - recognised by anyone around the world who wants to buy products made from crocodile leather.

Her father, now 87, set up Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm and Zoo 67 years ago.

"My father was born into a poor family without any social status or investment capital. He was once walking along Surawongse Road in Bangkok and called into a souvenir shop selling handbags made of crocodile leather, with prices of Bt400 to Bt500 per item at the time," she said.

"Blessed with long-term vision, he got the idea of going into the jungle to hunt crocodiles for their skin, and he then decided to set up a farm out of concern over preserving the overall number of crocodiles.

"That is the opening chapter in the story of Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm, which is now one of the largest crocodile farms in the world, with more than 60,000 animals."

Patcharapimol said she had the idea of opening her own farm 14 years ago when she and her siblings were given 500 crocodiles by her father.

Named Golden Crocodile Agriculture (Thailand), and not open to the public, the farm is on 140 rai (22.4 hectares) in Nakhon Pathom's Kamphaeng Saen district. It now houses more than 30,000 crocodiles and can produce about 3,000 pieces of leather per annum, which are turned into handbags and coats for export to France and other European markets, as well as to Japan and Singapore.

Patcharapimol set up her own company, Silver C Exotic Leather, two years ago as the manufacturing and trading arm for handbags and accessories made from crocodile and other exotic leathers. The company trades both locally and overseas.

The factory, in Nakhon Pathom's Buddhamondhol district, has 20 employees producing about 200 handbags per month.

RETAIL PLANS

The company's first retail store was opened two years ago in Bangkok's Soi Thonglor, but was closed at the end of August.

"After a two-year trial period, we now want to be more proactive in marketing the Suvimol brand, which covers handbags, purses, wallets, clutches and accessories made of crocodile leather, as well as from the skins of other exotic animals such as snakes," she said.

"The first Suvimol [in-store] retail counter was opened in July at Central Chidlom Department Store. Another sales counter will be opened at Siam Paragon by the end of this month, followed by Zen Department Store in November and at the duty-free shop in Suvarnabhumi Airport by the end of the year."

Suvimol products will retail at the outlets for about Bt1,000 for key chains and accessories, Bt8,000 for wallets, Bt10,000 for purses, and between Bt60,000 and Bt170,000 for handbags.

Patcharapimol said the company was now selling between Bt1 million and Bt2 million a month worth of handbags and accessories. Silver C Exotic Leather expects to double its business next year by opening outlets in high-potential overseas markets, such as Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong.

She also wants the company to have a presence in world-famous department stores such as Harrods in London and Saks Fifth Avenue in New York.

"I also plan to open a 500-square-metre gallery-style showroom on Sukhumvit Soi 31 next month. My dream is to make the Suvimol brand renowned not only for ordinary handbags made from crocodile leather, but also as art objects made of exotic materials," she said.

"I and my children dream of our ability to transform those art objects into products that are marketed commercially."

Patcharapimol has three daughters and a son: Javamond, 24, Bhonbhisa, 22, Sivanuj, 20, and Varutjart, 17.

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Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Patcharapimol-aims-to-make-big-inroads-30191575.html

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