Swiss shower maker chooses Thailand - Nikles

Swiss shower maker chooses Thailand
� Published: 22/12/2010 at 12:00 AM
� Newspaper section: Business
Switzerland-based shower maker Nikles has chosen Thailand for its Asia-Pacific headquarters
and global manufacturing centre.
Vice-president Stefan Nikles
says the availability of
designers in Thailand wasone
of the factors that led the Swiss
company to choose the country
as a base to make its products.
The new production facility,
worth an undisclosed amount,
will be operational in 2012 to
serve demand in Asia as well as
Brazil and Europe, said Stefan
Nikles, a vice-president and the
head of the Asia-Pacific region.
"We chose Thailand as the
regional hub because of the
country's suitable geographical
location, with easy access to
neighbouring countries and
convenient transfer to other
markets in the Asia-Pacific,"
said Mr Nikles, whose father
Gerhard founded the familyowned
business 28 years ago.
Nikles Showers (Thailand) will be responsible for the Asian markets of China, India,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, as well as Australia and New Zealand.
Apart from sales and marketing activities, it will also act as a regional design and engineering
centre.
"The company looked at other potential locations such as Singapore, but we decided to come
to Thailand because it is easier to find designers here," he said, adding that the company
would recruit 10 Thai designers next year.
He said the Thai unit may apply for tax privileges under the government's regional operating
headquarters scheme.

"We have already made a decision to build the manufacturing plant in Thailand, which is
obviously a great country to invest in," said Mr Nikles.
With its world headquarters in Basel and a presence in 50 countries, Nikles currently owns a
factory in Italy and two in China. That includes the Xiamen plant, which started operating this
year to boost the company's Chinese capacity to 400,000 shower sets a month.
The brand first entered the Thai market last year, with Karat Faucet Co appointed as its sole
local distributor.
This year, Nikles has enjoyed a 180% rise in local revenue and a 15% share of the Thai
shower market.
Regionally, Thailand ranks sixth in terms of revenue contribution for Nikles. India,
Australia/New Zealand and Indonesia are its top three markets.
The construction materials market has enjoyed continuous growth in Thailand, with the
shower and faucet segment valued at more than 4.5 billion baht a year with annual growth of
10-15%.
Mr Nikles said the growth is derived from new real estate projects and renovations of
residences, hotels and commercial buildings.
So far, the company has focused on the middle to high-end markets with prices ranging up to
30,000 baht for complete sets. Nikles has seven outlets in Thailand including Pattaya.
The company plans greater penetration of the mass market next year, and will open more
outlets upcountry including in Chiang Mai, Phuket, Nakhon Ratchasima and Udon Thani
provinces, said Mr Nikles.