Issue 19

The Deputy Managing Director, Sales and Marketing of Ocean Glass talks to Horizon Thailand about the outlook for glass exports in 2015.

Can you tell us a little bit about Ocean Glass?
Ocean Glass was established in 1979 as a glass manufacturing company with the sharing of know-how from Toyo-Sasaki Glass Company in Japan. The company has manufactured glassware to an international standard since its manufacturing activities commenced in 1982. Ocean Glass is regarded as the oldest glass manufacturing company in the country.

What does the company specialise in?
We offer a range of products, including plates, bowls, glass jars, beer mugs, etc. Apart from manufacturing soda lime glasses, Ocean Glass is the only company in Thailand that can offer crystal glasses, especially wine glasses, which are mainly purchased by affluent clients.

What are your key export markets?
We export mainly to Vietnam and China. Another growing market for us is India.

Are you looking to expand operations throughout ASEAN?
Currently we have representative operations in China and in India. We don’t have any plans to expand our operations in the near future as strengthening our operations in these two countries is the priority for now. Nonetheless, there is a possibility that we might expand operations into Indonesia and Philippines within the next three years.

How do you see the AEC affecting your business?
There are both opportunities and challenges. I think the opportunities mainly lie in hiring employees, obtaining resources at a lower price and flexibility in imports and exports. The challenges will be the increasing intensity of competition in the market, which I believe is important for the business to grow. To summarise, the AEC brings with it more opportunities than challenges.

How does the company help employees develop professionally?
The company encourages employees to be creative and think outside the box. They can freely express and submit their ideas. We also provide continuous training to employees, not only to those in operations but also employees working at our factory. We value “can-do attitude” and the importance of nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit in employees.

What are your plans for 2015?
Apart from strengthening our business in India and China, the key focus will be on increasing brand awareness. We have international tradeshows coming up, starting from the beginning of 2015. Another plan is people and organisational development, which is crucial to the success of the company.