Finding Inspiration In Everything

FOLLOWING A LEADERSHIP CHANGE IN OCTOBER 2017, REBRANDED PREMIUM HOSPITALITY CARPET MANUFACTURER ROYAL THAI IS LIFTING ITS BRAND TO BOLD NEW HEIGHTS. WHILE TRADITIONAL CRAFTSMANSHIP AND THOUGHTFUL DESIGN ARE CORNERSTONES OF THE CARPET BUSINESS, THE COMPANY’S SUCCESS ALSO DEPENDS ON CONTINUAL REVI- TALIZATION AND REINVENTION ALONG WITH A RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE.

H+R SPOKE WITH STEPHEN WONG, ROYAL THAI’S MANAGING DIRECTOR (ASIA, AUSTRALIA & EMEA), ON WHAT IT’S LIKE TO MANAGE A WELL-ESTABLISHED BRAND, THE SECRET BEHIND KEEPING THE A&D COMMUNITY AND THE MARKET EXCITED AND ENGAGED, AND THE RECENTLY ROLLED-OUT RE/FORM CARPET COLLECTION, AMONG OTHER TOPICS.

Q: How many years have you worked at the company? And why did you decide to pursue the carpet business over the others?

A: 18 years. I find the business to be very interesting as I get to work with different people from around the world in the industry, custom-designing carpets for each project. The sense of satisfaction from creating something from scratch is unbelievable!

Q: What was the biggest challenge in the carpet business? And how do you overcome it?

A: Understanding the specific needs of different stakeholders of a project, and drawing together their differences to provide the best carpet for each and every property. This is always a daunting task but can nonetheless be accomplished. First of all, I need to fully understand the product offerings of our company, and also the priority of user needs. I am then able to propose the best options to the client.

Q: What do you think are the key drivers of the company’s success?

A: People, definitely people. Team work is also one of the key drivers of the company’s success. While job skill can be improved via on-the-job training and experience, employee mind-set is critical. A team with a shared vision that moves in the same direction together is another factor.

Q: There was a big change in your company last year. Why did the acquisition happen?

A: Yes, TCM Corporation, a public-listed company in Thailand, acquired the Tai Ping Commercial Division. The acquisition was completed on September 29 th , 2017. TCM Corporation saw the huge potential of combining the existing carpet company with Tai Ping’s Commercial Division, to form Royal Thai.

Q: What led to this decision?

A: The merger presented the company with an even bigger opportunity in the Axminster hospitality industry.

Q: Was the business failing?

A: No. To Tai Ping, the Commercial Division was not failing but on the contrary. However, Tai Ping would like to return to its roots by focusing solely on highend hand-tufted market. To conclude, the acquisition is beneficial to both TCM Corporation and Tai Ping.

Q: What is the strength of the new company?

A: Royal Thai is now part of a well-diversified company, not only in the flooring business, but also in living products, e.g. sofa, automotive, real estate, charity, and hotel. With the support of other group companies, Royal Thai can grow at a much faster pace. As for TCM Corporation, it is a well-established public-listed company in Thailand with a great heritage and history, as well as a strong financial background.

Q: Who is Royal Thai?

A: For the past 50 years, Royal Thai by TCMC has been designing and manufacturing carpets for highend hospitality spaces across the globe. It is a familyoriented company founded by the Srivikorn Group with strong core values, which has helped elevate the lives of those around us.

Q: What are the core competencies of Royal Thai?

A: We were already a horizontally - and verticallyintegrated carpet manufacturer before the acquisition.

With the acquisition, we now have more machinery and have become one of the largest in the Axminster hospitality industry. We also have sales offices and agents all over the world. Royal Thai brings a multicultural perspective to the flooring industry. With a leadership team that covers every time zone, a manufacturing team based in Thailand and design teams across Europe, Asia and the Americas, we represent a wide variety of cultures and a diverse range of ideas. This aspect of Royal Thai not only elevates our designs, but also the way we operate and deliver services to our clients and partners.

Q: Can you elaborate on Royal Thai’s products and production process?

A: We offer a full range of carpet products to the hospitality market. From woollen spinning and yarn extrusion, all the way to the finished products, they are all done in-house. We are a one-stop source, from planning through site measurements, installation, and after-sales service. From our carpets to our studios to our people, we are constantly in pursuit of excellence without compromising on our integrity.

Q: What is Royal Thai doing toward supporting the ever-changing expectations of architects and designers and the market itself?

A: We strengthen our team to be ‘quicker, better, faster’ in servicing our clients. We emphasize on the fact that we are a design-driven company supplying quality products and services.

Q: We hear that Royal Thai finds inspiration from everything. Can you elaborate?

A: At Royal Thai, we strongly believe that combining talents and ideas is better than one single point of view. That’s why we collaborate with artists from around the world, and from a wide variety of disciplines, to create truly custom carpet designs you won’t find anywhere else. Graphic designers, fine artists, photographers, fashion designers, architects—they can all lend a unique perspective and enhance the look and feel of our products.

Q: Royal Thai is working on design collaborations with many people from different fields all over the world. Why and what are the benefits doing this?

A: Besides collaborating with interior designers for carpet collection, we reach out to professionals in different fields so we can offer ‘out of the box’ design ideas for our customers. For carpet designers and collaborators, inspiration comes from many places— from fine art, fashion and nature to our process, machinery and materials. Partnering with a wide variety of artists from around the world, we offer a multicultural perspective and have an extensive library of patterns to choose from, or you can customize your own piece to enhance your brand and overall vision. With a focus on the hospitality industry, we can help you create a feeling that welcomes guests in and enhances their stay. No matter where in the world our carpets roll out, they capture attention and allow you to add the finishing touch to spaces and stories.

Q: What is Royal Thai’s new 2018 collection?

A: We have just launched the RE/FORM Collection in May 2018, a collaboration with Zaha Hadid Design, which we are launching globally.

Q: Is the collection any different from those of the past?

A: RE/Form continues Royal Thai’s design-driven direction, solidifying the future of the brand through the lens of a legendary architect. The collection consists of 22 designs, inspired by four themes that feature prominently in Zaha Hadid’s work. Patterns of the collection capture Hadid’s signature use of interweaving, layering and play with light and shadow.

Translated into Axminster and hand-tufted designs, each carpet represents reconfiguration, metaphorical renewal and transformation. The theme itself is a reflection of Royal Thai’s recent reformation. More than a collaboration, RE/Form is a celebration of Hadid’s legacy and Royal Thai’s passion for finding inspiration in everything. This collection was created in partnership with Zaha Hadid Design, the design arm of Zaha Hadid Architects focused on exhibitions, interiors, product, fashion and furniture.

Q: Describe Royal Thai’s prestige projects.

A: Terminal 1 of the Hong Kong International Airport, which is the largest Axminster project (85,000 sqm) in Hong Kong. Royal Thai won and outscored competitors from both Asia and Europe to clinch this project.

Q: Did Royal Thai encounter any challenge?

A: Technical requirements, e.g. colourfastness, size tolerance, etc. are far more stringent for these prestige projects than for ordinary hotels or casino projects.

Q: Where is Royal Thai’s greatest growth opportunity?

A: Asia and Australia.

Q: What will be the business position of Royal Thai in the next five years?

A: We might not be the biggest, but we will still be the best player in the Axminster hospitality industry.

PARTNERING WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, WE OFFER A MULTICULTURAL PERSPECTIVE AND HAVE AN EXTENSIVE LIBRARY OF PATTERNS TO CHOOSE FROM, OR YOU CAN CUSTOMIZE YOUR OWN PIECE TO ENHANCE YOUR BRAND AND OVERALL VISION.