Keeen keen on exporting

Keeen keen on exporting

Keeen Co, Asia's only manufacturer of biocleaning products, expects to more than triple annual sales to 500 million baht by 2016 through exports and an expansion of domestic sales channels.

Keeen founder Watson Ariyaphuttarat (right) demonstrates his products including a microbial solution for dealing with oil spills.

Watson Ariyaphuttarat, the founder and chief industrial ecologist, said this year's sales are projected to increase by 50% to 150 million baht as the company starts exporting.

"Our biocleaning products are expected to receive a good response in international markets following their domestic success since the company was set up in 2010," he said.

Keeen will introduce 13 new-formula biocleaning products this year in Asia, Europe and the US.

The company has no sales agents at present but will recruit 20 for Thailand and is already seeking others abroad.

"We want our products to be a champion global Thai brand, emulating Red Bull's success internationally," said Mr Watson.

Keeen's biocleaning products have been developed from oil-degrading microbes that digest petroleum oil molecules.

Waste from cleaning can also be recycled.

Mr Watson has conducted joint research activities over the past decade with the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and Mahidol University's science faculty.

For European markets, Keeen has joined hands with the University of Helsinki's Institute of Biotechnology to develop more biocleaning products.

Out of more than 100 microbe species collected as samples, eight were found to be suitable for use as biocleaning agents.

The products are suitable for use in the petroleum and petrochemical, food processing and automotive sectors, which produce a large amount of waste in the form of grease, lube oil, bitumen and chemically contaminated substances.

Waste is eliminated, either digested by microbes or treated for recycling.

Over the last two years, Keeen products have won international awards from several countries, including Malaysia, China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea.

"Green technology will afford brighter business opportunities from now on," said Mr Watson.

Keeen will introduce three new-formula products in Thailand this year.

It will also diversify its customer base by focusing on individual consumers instead of just corporate clients.

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