As one of the most emerging markets in the South-Asia for numerous industries, the country is taking stringent measures to showcase its contributions towards the betterment of our planet on a global level – the recent one being usage of plastic that is minimum 36mc in the packaging from 2021. Thus, most industries have now shifted towards paper packaging solutions, significantly bolstering their demand. As per Astute Analytica, the Thailand paper packaging market which stood at $5.3 billion in 2023 is expected to be worth $8.4 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 5.3 percent during the forecast period. While there are a large number of paper packaging companies operating in Thailand today, one person who stands as the torchbearer of the industry is Suthinee Dulyakometh, MD, Narai Superbag Company.
After completing her graduation in business studies from Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus in Bangkok, Suthinee then joined Brighton College of Technology, UK to further satiate her hunger to acquire more knowledge in business studies. Later on, Suthinee started working in the European garments sector to get a better understanding of the business ecosystem in Bangkok. After marriage with her husband whose family business has been into plastic packaging, she was chosen to start a paper packaging company by partnering with a Japanese paper bags manufacturer named Superbag Company and incepted Narai Superbag Company in August, 1992.
“Since I had prior experience of working in the garments and clothing industries from European companies, we initially concentrated with producing paper shopping bags. But as the fast-food business was slowly picking pace in the country, I did a thorough market research and found that major brands such as KFC and McDonalds used to import their food packaging from abroad to stay compliant with all the regulations & quality standards, and there was literally no company in Thailand back then offering paper food packaging; get along the quality standards. Moreover, due to my own insistence and utilizing my childhood experience of helping my parents run their bakery, we shifted our focus onto the food packaging sector”, says Suthinee.
One-Stop-Shop for all Paper Bags Packaging Needs
Narai Superbag offers a wide range of packaging solutions that include paper sachet bags, SOS bags, bread bags, wrapping papers, shredded paper, shopping bags and special requirement paper bags. Additionally, through its partnership with the Japanese firm, the company utilizes best-in-class fully automated machinery and currently has a production capacity of around 380 million paper bags/year.
Most importantly, Narai Superbag focuses its entire production process on the core principles of ISO & quality systems, cleanliness and hygiene, safety, customer satisfaction, environmental protection and internal management. Thus, all raw materials that the company uses in its manufacturing process are not only FSC & PEFC certified, but also at par with the prescribed international standards.
“I am proud to say that we have been able to successfully retain KFC as our client right from our inception. This can be majorly attributed to my expertise in the paper packaging space, along with our company's ability to maintain trust, tailor-made products as per client requirements, punctuality in deliveries and efficient stock management. While the paper and glue that we use in our production process adheres to all food safety related standards such as GHP, HACCP and FDA, we only use water-based ink for flexo printing system which reduces impact on both work spaces and the global environment.
People-centric Business Leader
Suthinee considers her employees as the most valuable assets of Narai, where among the total 80 employees, over one-third of them have stayed with the company right from its inception. Thus, she makes sure that she, her team and her clients stay updated with latest industry trends, and even advices them on their next course of action. Further, Suthinee also provides her employees with the necessary training whenever any new technology or equipment is introduced into the production process.
Narai Superbag focuses its entire production process on the core principles of quality, cleanliness, safety, customer satisfaction & environmental protection
Recalling an incident of how her employees helped her to successfully cater to a client’s requirement, she says, “One of our big customers wanted a paper packaging solution where the steam from their hot food items could easily come out. Since our machines are built to produce normal bags, I asked my internal team of maintenance team to make changes in two of our machines in such a way that we were able to produce paper packaging with small holes/line cut through which the steam could be released out effectively without impacting the food inside”.
Secret Recipe to Success
Some of the key factors that have positioned Suthinee as a successful business leader that she is today include strategic thinking, multi-skill experience, systematic problem solving, effective risk mitigation, and being flexible in every situation. Additionally, leveraging her past experience working as a Purchasing Manager & Planner in a European organization, she has developed a Raw Materials Requisition Planning & Forecast System which analyses historical data of customer’s orders, recognizes patterns and predicts future demand. This way, Suthinee has been able to maintain a highly efficient inventory of raw materials and keep the wastage of resources to the bare minimum. Advising upcoming entrepreneurs, she says, “Work hard to acquire as much knowledge as possible on the subjects that interest you and always be passionate about the work that you are engaged in. While planning periodic goals & objectives for the organization is indeed very important, make sure to stay adaptable and open to change as per changing market dynamics".
Going forward, Suthinee plans to continue focusing on the fast-food packaging segment and facilitate more personalization options. Additionally, she also aspires becoming the next trend-setter in Thailand's food packaging market by introducing new grade of paper from Europe.
Suthinee Dulyakometh, MD
Suthinee Dulyakometh is the Managing Director of Narai Superbag Company, a leading paper packaging firm in Thailand. With a background in business studies from the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus in Bangkok and Brighton College of Technology, UK, Suthinee transitioned from the European garments sector to establish Narai Superbag in 1992. Under her leadership, the company has thrived by focusing on high-quality, environmentally friendly packaging solutions, and maintaining strong client relationships.
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