Commy heir reboots Thailand’s once-dominant phone accessory brand

Commy launched over 30 years ago as a humble retailer of phone accessories before transitioning to a household name manufacturing its own products. But the brand has fallen on hard times in recent years.

Arpariya, the daughter of Commy's founder Chavalit Manovilas, took over the company last year. Now, she faces the challenge of restoring the brand to its position as market leader, aiming for 10% revenue growth per year.

Her strategy focuses on dominating the online market, which she says is the future of retail.

Investment in research and development is an important part of the strategy, as she wants Commy to offer innovative products that meet the needs of Thai consumers.

Arpariya said the efforts are starting to pay off, with Commy's online sales increasing 10-fold last year. The company is also planning to launch new products in the coming months.

The company said it has also boosted its ESG (environmental, social, corporate governance) credentials with innovations like hydrogen film cutting machines designed to meet zero-waste protocols while increasing diversity among the workforce.