BKK GROUP TO SPREAD ITS WINGS

       The BKK Group, parent company of the Benz BKK Group, will branch out into high-rise real-estate development by constructing a Bt1-billion apartment complex at the Bang Na intersection in Bangkok.
       "We see very positive growth in the Thai market in the years to come. We'll launch our real-estate project by the end of this year. It will be our first high-rise building, and the company will be called BKK Grand Estate," said Anupon Likitpurkpaisan, BKK's executive director.
       The company has previously been involved in real estate but has only constructed low-rise buildings outside of Bangkok. The new building will be 34 storeys high and most likely be accessible from the upcoming Bang Na Skytrain Station.
       The company has rebranded itself using the slogan "For Today's Better Living". The rebranding was undertaken to bring the real-estate and automotive sectors under one corporate umbrella.
       "With more than 17 years of experience in the luxury-car retail business, we've consistently developed products and services to ensure customer satisfaction. We'll ensure everything we do is focused on total quality-management strategies," said Anupon.
       The automotive division of the company saw growth of 5 per cent in the first seven months of the year. The company expects to achieve revenues of Bt3 billion this year, up 7.14 per cent from last year's Bt2.8 billion.
       More than 80 per cent of revenue is generated through sales of Mercedes-Benz and Nissan vehicles, while the rest is created through services.
       The company's rebranding activities have seen investment of Bt30 |million, which included changes to hardware, showroom design and software.
       The BKK Group previously focused mainly in the automotive sector by being the authorised dealer for Mercedes-Benz and Nissan. The company has two Mercedes-Benz showrooms: one in Bang Na district and the other on Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road, along with one Nissan dealership in Bang Na. The company also has one ID1 centre, an authorised Mercedes-Benz used-car dealership.
       In the past, the company sold the Chrysler and Jeep brands, which it now services.
       Anupon added that the company would most likely expand with a new Bt100-million Mercedes-Benz showroom.