Bangkok--30 May--Hill and Knowlton
Gillette and Fab are smoothly integrated and contribute to P&G’s continued double digit growth
Will focus on consumer understanding, innovation and investing in its people to drive future growth
Exports top over 14 billion baht
Procter & Gamble (Thailand), (P&G Thailand), a leading consumer packaged goods manufacturer and marketer, sustained double digit growth in the past year by smoothly integrating its new Gillette and Fab businesses and strengthening business fundamentals.
This was the main message from P&G Thailand today, as Managing Director Parinda Hasdarngkul shared an overview of the company’s progress.
“P&G Thailand has enjoyed another year of continued success by understanding what Thai consumers want and meeting their needs through a growing range of innovative products and excellent execution,” said Khun Parinda.
The acquisitions of Gillette and Fab and the integration of these brands into P&G’s portfolio in Thailand were among the highlights of the past year, said Khun Parinda.
The Gillette razor business, acquired nearly one year ago, is growing at a double digit pace as the result of product innovation and expanded distribution, leading to a seventy percent share of the razor market. Likewise, the Fab detergent brand is on an upswing after years of decline before P&G acquired the brand. Notably, P&G launched a Jasmine scented version of Fab, connecting the brand with the respectful Thai tradition of presenting Jasmine garlands to parents.
“Around the world, P&G is the leader in detergents and we have brought this expertise to Fab in Thailand,” said Khun Parinda. “We have focused on understanding what the Thai consumer wants, and we are delivering it with a locally customized product that makes clothes noticeably cleaner and brighter. It’s a great example of adding new life to a brand through innovation and responding to the local culture.”
P&G has also made significant gains in the skin care and hair care categories. Olay continues to be Thailand’s leading skin care brand.
Similarly, in hair care, P&G continues its share growth in Thailand, the company reported.
“The Thai consumer is changing”, said Khun Parinda. “As a result, we have completely refreshed our Pantene Pro-V, Rejoice and Head & Shoulders brands and introduced new variants including Rejoice Sun Care and Rejoice Fruity and Herbal Essences Citrus Lift. We have also adapted how we communicate with consumers, for example, through our continued relationship with the Academy Fantasia reality television program. This has helped us forge a stronger connection with young and savvy consumers for Pantene Pro-V, Olay, and Gillette.”
“The success in the hair care and skin care categories is a classic case of great fundamentals,” said Khun Parinda. “We understand what Thai consumers want and we tell them about our innovative products in a way that speaks to them on a personal level.”
P&G’s People Development
Of all the factors in P&G’s recent success in Thailand, Khun Parinda cites the growth and development of its people as being critical for sustainable growth. P&G invests heavily in training and developing its people in all facets of the business, including those employed at the plant in Bangkok, which is among the largest beauty care production sites in Asia.
For example, Khun Parinda said that P&G conducts an average of 92 training programs per year for local employees. Newly hired people, she said, can spend as much as 40 percent of their first year in professional development courses and activities. Moreover, the training never stops. Even seasoned P&G people spend upwards of 10 percent of their time in courses learning how to be better professionals, brand builders, teammates and leaders. Khun Parinda herself teaches four training courses every year.
Finding ways to provide employees with a progressive work life is also among the priorities for P&G. This is part of a strategy to reach out to the best and brightest professionals in Generation Y, which is comprised of people between the ages of 18 and 29 years-old. Today, the average P&G Thailand employee is age 28.
A year ago P&G instituted a program that gives employees the freedom to work from home one day every week. In addition, P&G provides employees with a budget to purchase office equipment and for broadband access. The results of the program so far have been excellent.
“Our people meet their deadlines regardless of when or where they work and this program has proven that flexibility is an asset for our business,” said Khun Parinda. “We can sustain double digit growth in the business and make working conditions better for our employees at the same time.”
In addition, P&G invests in programs tailored specifically for women within the company. An annual women’s symposium allows senior women P&G executives to share their personal strategies for success. In Thailand, women account for 60 percent of the workforce and can be found evenly distributed throughout all levels of the company.
There may be no better illustration of P&G’s dedication to a progressive workplace than a stroll through their offices in downtown Bangkok. Every member of the P&G team—from the most senior executive leaders to the newest employees fresh out of university—share an identical work environment. Office space, desks, phones, laptops, health and wellness benefits and the dress code are the same for every employee.
“We have a truly unique workplace at P&G and we work hard to maintain progressive policies regarding the way we treat our people,” said Khun Parinda. “It’s all part of what makes P&G a great place to work and a leader in our business.”
A Look Ahead: Investing for the Long Term
“P&G will continue to embrace the fundamentals that drive double digit growth across the business in a manner that is sustainable for the long term,” said Khun Parinda. “Over the last year our big bets were on Gillette and Fab, and these bets paid off handsomely for P&G Thailand. We have a stronger portfolio of brands in Thailand than ever before to drive our growth. We also continue to invest in our Bangkok plant which is one of the largest beauty care production sites in Asia. Our exports have grown since last year to more than 14 billion baht.”
Meanwhile, we will continue to focus on the fundamentals and to train and coach our people so they are highly prepared for today’s global business environment.”
About P&G
P&G established a presence in Thailand in 1987 and turn 20 years old this year. It employs over 900 people at its Bangkok office, its manufacturing plant at Wellgrow Industrial Estate, and its Regional Distribution Centre. P&G brands in Thailand include Pantene Pro-V, Rejoice, Head & Shoulders, Clairol, Wella, Olay, SK-II, Safeguard, Pampers, Whisper, Vicks, Pringles, Oral-B, Gillette, Braun, Duracell, Fab and Paic.
Worldwide, three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers, Tide, Ariel, Always, Whisper, Pantene, Mach3, Bounty, Dawn, Pringles, Folgers, Charmin, Downy, Lenor, Iams, Crest, Oral-B, Actonel, Duracell, Olay, Head & Shoulders, Wella, Gillette, and Braun. The P&G community consists of over 135,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.
For further information please contact Hill and Knowlton Thailand,
Jamie Rowland-Jones or Tawn Chatchavalvong at
telephone 0-2627 3501, ext. 206, or 118, fax 0-2627 3545
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