Toshiba Thailand has enjoyed double-digit sales growth since the outbreak of COVID-19. Stepping into its 55th year, the company plans to launch 52 models across 16 product categories & new campaigns to boost market share in mid-to-high segment with famous entertainment figure “Mark – Prin” serving as the latest presenter.
Alex Ma, Deputy Managing Director of Toshiba Thailand Co., Ltd., says Thailand’s electrical-appliance industry (which covers cell phones, notebooks, cameras, household appliances, and TVs) was worth about 260,358 million baht in 2023. Its size therefore was almost the same as in 2022. In terms of sold units, it shrank by 6%. Just 44,886 million electric appliances were sold in Thailand last year.
Household appliances (which refer to refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, and small appliances) roughly accounted for 30% of the industry or had the market size of approximately 75,000 million baht. When compared with 2022, this market grew by 10% last year in line with the country’s growing economy that was mainly driven by rebounding tourism, soaring consumption, and rising private investments. Environmental factors such as extreme heat in 2023 also contributed to the market growth.
Ma disclosed that his company had enjoyed huge success in 2023 with the business growth of over 14%. By product category, refrigerator was the biggest revenue generator with a 4.3% growth rate. Washing machine ranked second in terms of revenue amount and recorded the impressive growth of 16.1%.
Microwave oven, meanwhile, enjoyed 37.5% growth while small appliances registered 18.1% growth. Water-related products made 14.8% growth and air conditioners scored the growth of 127.6%. During the past four years (2019 – 2023), Toshina Thailand’s business had the annual growth rate of 11.1%. on the overall.
“In 2024, Toshiba Thailand is celebrating its 55th anniversary. We now expect to grow our business by over 20% this year. We plan to establish ourselves as the No. 2 refrigerator brand in terms of market share, with our refrigerator sales accounting for 15% of the country’s refrigerator market this year. In the washing-machine market, we plan to stay on as No. 3 but to boost our market share to 10%.
In the microwave-oven market, we will establish our brand as the market leader this year by taking the market share of 29%. After all, we are going to launch 52 product models across mid-to-high segments this year to respond better to the growing demand. Distribution networks will also expand, with a stronger focus on high-end points of sale and Experience Stores for the showcases of smart solutions that have already caught on among the new generation. New-age consumers appreciate convenience and the control of electrical appliances over their smartphones.
Toshiba Thailand is set to spend a bigger marketing budget in 2024 not just to celebrate its 55th anniversary but also to modernize its image and associate its brand with a smarter positioning. On top of choosing a new presenter to strengthen its brand especially among new-generation customers, Toshiba Thailand will also conduct a variety of marketing activities, communications, and CSR initiatives.
The company, in addition, intends to boost its sales assistants both quantitatively and qualitatively to respond to the growing demand. Last but not least, Toshiba Thailand will accord serious importance to services because customers are always important to its businesses. In line with this emphasis, the company will develop special channels to serve high-end products to customers and increase the delivery of onsite services.
Thunpapat Ariyavoravadh, Marketing Director of Toshiba Thailand Co., Ltd., says on its 55th anniversary, her company will triple its marketing budget to raise brand awareness, foster trust, and enhance access to customers. Backed by the budget, Toshiba Thailand has now launched the “55 Years of Caring…All Details Matter” campaign withhandsome actor Prin “Mark” Suparat as the presenter. The move promises to appeal to not just the brand’s current customers but also new and younger customers. The integrated marketing campaign includes a special VDO clip presenting Mark as Toshiba’s representative with a mission to serve everyone. Portrayed as a perfect husband, Mark does house chores and pays attention to small details with the help of Toshiba appliances.
The clip will be broadcast on TV as well as online media. The campaign will also deploy out-of-home media, electric-train media, and prints at points of sale. Content digital and social marketing will also be conducted to back the campaign. KOLs on online platforms, radios, and roadshows will also contribute to the campaign, which will also offer consumers first-hand experience of Toshiba products at shops, distributors’ outlets, and community areas.
For the upcoming summer, Toshiba Thailand will also conduct the “Big Rewards from Toshiba: 55 Refrigerators Worth Over 1.5 Million Baht as Prizes” between 1 March and 30 April 2024 as a Thank You campaign. Furthermore, the company plans to revamp its shops and set up 10 more Experience Stores this year so as to provide consumers with opportunities to experience Toshiba’s Smart Solutions such as smartphone-compatible refrigerators, washing machines, microwave ovens, and dish washing machines.
On top of the aforementioned marketing activities, Toshiba Thailand has planned five CSR initiatives to mark its 55th anniversary. The first initiative, which promoted Thais’ healthcare, was the Toshiba Run that was held in Sukhothai last November. The second initiative celebrates arts. Covering TOSHIBA / EYP#7 or the incubation program for budding artists and the 29th Toshiba: Fine Arts Brings Good Things to Life, the initiative will be held between January and April 2024 at the Bangkok Art and Culture Center.
The third initiative features the 10th Leadership Network Program (L-NET 10), which trains new-generational distributors of electrical appliances to encourage their love for their businesses and promote their business growth. Two other initiatives are Toshiba Loves Planet, which engages customers and distributors in forestation activities, and Toshiba Loves Music that provides young music lovers with forums to express their talents.
Ekdanai Tuntipumiamorn, Product-Strategy Manager at Toshiba Thailand Company Limited, says his company intends to launch 52 new models across 16 product categories. Of them, 14 models are from refrigerators / chillers category, 15 others from washing machines / dryers / washer – dryer category, 13 others from kitchen appliances category, and 10 others from household appliances category. The launches focus on mid-to-high products, IOT-enabled gadgets, and bigger appliances.
Highlights include Four-Door Refrigerators and Side-by-Side Two-Door Refrigerators. Demand for these products has been rising every year thanks to stylish design, which is guaranteed by Good Design Award and IF Design Award, and outstanding functionality. Its Pure Air feature, a result of extensive research and development, effectively removes the odor of seafood, pickled food, fermented items, dried foods, and even durian. Being the latest odor-removal system, Pure Air releases odor-absorbing ions to freezer as well as cooling compartments to suppress 99.99% of bacteria within 90 minutes.
This new technology replaces traditional filters, which in fact require replacements every six months or every year. Refrigerator users, however, tend to not replace any. Pure Air system is revolutionary because its use life is much longer than traditional filters’. Consumers therefore can use the device with convenience and confidence, free from worry about food freshness and odor.
Apart from big refrigerator models, Toshiba Thailand also plans to launch Japandi series or the luxury multidoor refrigerator with a new design and White Fuji color. Blending Scandinavia’s warm hues and minimalist style to Japanese meticulousness, its design is so impressive that it has won both Good Design and IF awards. Japandi refrigerator can fit perfectly into a corner without the need to leave space between it and wall for ventilation purposes, as its ventilation system is installed at its bottom. As a luxury touch, its front is made of mirror. Boasting 10-layer coating, it is durable, scratch-resistant, easy-to-clean and unlikely to turn yellowish even with usage and long exposure to sunlight.
Its handle is in the color of walnut. Equipped with sensor-enabled lights, it lights up to provide convenience and beauty when bulbs are turned off at home during the night. Better still, its ice-making capacity is as big as 1.45 kilo. Its ice-making speed is also two times faster than that of normal refrigerators, generating 100 grams of ice in just 60 minutes.
Its Hydrofresh technology creates an appropriate level of moisture and temperature for each type of vegetables / fruits, while meat cooling compartment is designed to let users choose the best temperature for their content. For example, Pro aging is for fish because its storing temperature of -1 degree Celsius retains the good texture of fish and increases its fat acid for better taste.
Users may also choose Soft freeze for meat that is not to be stored for a long time. Its cooling temperature of -3 degrees Celsius is perfect for meat that is not to be defrosted. Deep Freeze, meanwhile, is designed for frozen foods. At the -30 degrees Celsius, its temperature provides delicate icy frost that will not destroy the texture and nutritional value of meat. It is therefore good for storing premium ingredients such as wagyu. This refrigerator, moreover, can be controlled over a smartphone via TSmartLife application.
Regarding Washing Machines, Toshiba aims to unveil three series of front-load washing machines and washer/dryers. Their control panels feature a color touch screen and offer ease of use. Its drum is extra large. Boasting the size of 535 millimeters, it is the biggest drum in the market. While its tumbling force is stronger, fabric wrinkle is minimal. Because of its large size, the drum can conveniently accommodate a blanket. For general laundry, these devices boast Ultra Fine Bubble Pro.
Releasing ions and creating fine smaller bubbles, it cleans deeper into fabric and gets rid of stain at higher efficiency. As oily or yellow stain around collars is gone, clothes will always look new. The other highlight feature is Aroma+. Because Toshiba places an emphasis on fragrance, it is the first brand to give users the choice of adding fabric-softening time for enhanced aroma.
Digital Rice Cooker RC-18DRSTH(H) has the capacity of 1.8 liter. Modern in design, it will hit the market in black-grey color. Its touchscreen control panel includes Tasty Adjustment, which gives users the choices of standard cooking, softer-rice cooking, and neat dryer-rice cooking. Its 3D Heating also equally spreads heat around the cooker, making rice even nicer to eat. Its inner pot is extra thick or 3.5 mm thick, making rice more fragrant and more delicious. Coated with Japanese Binchotan, it is also easy to clean.
Automatic Dishwasher DW-15F6(G)-TH can function as a freestanding device. Featuring a luxury design, it can wash up to 15 sets or 162 pieces of eating utensils, plates and more. It is possible to separate different types of what need to be washed by putting them separately into top or bottom zones. Turbo Heating Dryer ensures washed items are well dried too.
Water used for dishwashing is at the 72°C degrees, contributing to cleanness. Better still, the device comes complete with UV-LED for anti-bacterial and anti-germ effects. Operating at just 47 decibels, it works very quietly. When compared with traditional dishwashing, this machine saves water by up to 90%. It is very easy to use via TSmartLife app. Users can schedule its operating time between one and 24 hours in advance.
Smart Oven with 13 Functions TL2-SAC25GZC(WS) boasts 25-liter capacity. This new special model is launched to mark Toshiba Thailand’s 55th anniversary. Red in color and beautiful in design, it supports creative menus with its air-frying feature. Users can fry various ingredients without the need of oil at all. Equipped with six heaters and fans, the oven can raise the heat fast and spread heat very efficiently.
Maximum temperature is 230°C. Thanks to its 4.5-inch LCD screen, it offers ease of use. Integrated into the device are 13 cooking features such as air-frying, grilling, roasting, grilling, pizza, cookies, and bagel. Users can consult TSmartLife online menu for recipes of over 200 dishes.
Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Chairperson of Toshiba Thailand Co., Ltd., says, “In 2024, Toshiba Thailand marks a milestone for operating a successful business for 55 consecutive years. Throughout our history, we have always accorded utmost importance to the procurement and presentation of products / innovations of Japanese standards at affordable prices to respond to every of consumers’ needs. We have also attentively prepared great after-sales services to ensure customers’ confidence and maximum convenience.
On behalf of Toshiba Thailand, I would like to thank Thai society, all customers, all distributors, and all employees for their trust in our company and in ‘TOSHIBA’ brand. We will remain committed to ‘Bringing good things to life’ by delivering the value that Thais deserve to receive from a world-class tech firm. We will make people’s lives increasingly convenient via innovations like IOT while upholding sustainability, environmental friendliness, safety, wellbeing, affordability and cost efficiency. We, moreover, will continuously create special occasions to launch our big campaigns and promotions to repay our customers for their trust”.
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