ICC helps Speedo build Asian sales

       ICC International Plc, the fashion, cosmetics and swimwear distributor of the Saha Group, is expected to become a production hub for Speedo swimwear in Asia over the next two years.
       Speedo expects Asia to contribute its highest growth in the next five years,and recently set up a regional office in Hong Kong.
       ICC vice-president Chailert Manoonpol said the company was developing Asian sizes for Speedo, which before offered only international fits.
       Speedo will move 20% of its production capacity from Sri Lanka to Thailand next year. Saha Group's capacity will rise to between 1.4 million and 1.5 million Speedo suits per year,from 1.2 million. About 70% of the output will be exported to Europe and Asia. Speedo has three production bases in China, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
       "Thailand has good infrastructure and Saha Group provides better services and delivers products on time," Mr Chailert said.
       Apart from Speedo, ICC is taking its own BSC swimwear brand international. BSC has been an official swimwear sponsor for the Miss Universe pageant for five years, including the one to be held on Aug 23 in the Bahamas.
       "We have spent almost 100 million baht on sponsorship but got back more than that. The result is not only for swimwear but also for other products under the BSC brand," he said.
       Sponsorship marketing has brought BSC an international brand image. As well, the company has learned more about women's body shapes globally and can adapt products accordingly.
       "Through the Miss Universe contest,each year people in more than 84 countries see our products. We believe the BSC swimwear brand will be etched in consumers' memories," he said.
       To strengthen its global image, ICC has renamed the brand "BSC International" and is dealing with foreign partners to export BSC swimwear.
       Currently, BSC offers products in more than 10 categories from lingerie,to jeans, cosmetics, handbags, swimwear and food supplements.
       BSC cosmetics and lingerie are exported to Vietnam, the Philippines,Indonesia, Laos and Burma and will be available in Japan, Singapore and Malaysia soon.
       Currently, the market value of swimwear sold through department stores is estimated to be worth one billion baht. ICC sells four brands - BSC,Speedo, Streamline and Elle - with Speedo accounting for half of its sales.