Sep. 23--BKK Group, one of the country's leading automobile retail business operators, announced a rebranding yesterday that introduces a new corporate logo and consolidates all businesses under the group.

The group, an authorised dealer for Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Jeep/Chrysler, is also to invest billions of baht in real-estate development projects to cash in on its many potential land banks in Bangkok, said senior executives.

Timed to coincide with BKK's 17th anniversary, the 30-million-baht initiative is updating Mercedes-Benz showrooms and service centres to conform with the luxury car brand's standards. The rebranding is also introducing "For Today's Better Living" as a marketing slogan and covers investment in software and personnel development.

The rebranding is aimed at improving the group's long-term business results and will focus on total quality management (TQM) strategies, to provide a service defined by quality rather than quantity, said president Rienchai Likitplug.

Despite the worldwide downturn and the automotive industry slump, the group's revenue grew 5 percent in the first seven months this year. It expects to achieve 3 billion baht in consolidated revenue by the year-end, compared with 2.7 billion last year.

"This could largely be attributed to the high purchasing power of high-end customers and the continuous development of the products and services offered to the customers in the past 17 years," said Mr Rienchai.

Under its business consolidation, BKK Group has become the holding company of several subsidiaries, including Benz BKK Co and Benz Vipavadee Co, authorised dealers of Mercedes-Benz; Siam Nissan BKK Co, the authorised dealer of Nissan; BKK Auto Mall and Leasing Co, the car financing arm; BKK Chrysler Co, the authorised dealer of Chrysler; and BKK Grand Estate Co, the developer of real estate projects.

The group no longer sells Jeep/Chrysler products but continues to provide repair and maintenance services.

BKK Group plans to develop a high-rise condominium on nine rai of land opposite Bitec on Bang Na-Trat Highway. Construction will begin at the end of this year and be completed by mid-2012, said Anupong Likitpurkpaisan, the group's executive director.

"Property development is not new for the group as it earlier invested between 10 million and 100 million baht to develop a few townhouse and single-house projects upcountry." said Mr Anupong.

The group expects to sell 400 Mercedes-Benz and 300 Nissan vehicles this year. "Since Mercedes-Benz and Nissan are due to launch many models at the end of this year, the group believes the launch could help stimulate the automobile market's growth," he said.

-----

To see more of the Bangkok Post, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.bangkokpost.com.

Copyright (c) 2009, Bangkok Post, Thailand

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

DAI, NSANY, 7201, RNO,

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.