“Customers who use foreign brands have increasingly turned to our products. This is something we take great pride in. We have continually developed our products and believe that manufacturing and selling domestically can compete with imports. This is because we have a competitive edge regarding unit costs and starting prices, allowing more people to access our products,” said Ms. Pornjaru.

“As an entirely self-branded operation, the company primarily utilizes social media for product visibility. We gave guidance regarding car care, including cleaning methods and maintaining a consistently attractive appearance. We offer a wide range of product options that cater to customers’ budgets and needs, with features that cover various usage scenarios. Before and after actual use, we conduct testing to showcase our product’s performance and the quality of the resulting surface. We also collect and share real-world user reviews for automobiles and motorcycles, offering a comprehensive perspective.”

Research and development efforts aimed at creating a Thai-branded Graphene Hybrid Ceramic Sealant

“This research and development project stemmed from Mr. Phannaret’s interest in innovations related to graphene materials. Mr. Phannaret stated, ‘In other countries, there is a growing trend of using graphene-based coatings for car paint. However, these coatings, such as those from renowned global companies in this product category, are relatively expensive when imported. In Thailand, we have recently introduced such coatings for consumers to try. This led us to seek fundamental knowledge about graphene. Eventually, we stumbled upon an article about graphene in MTEC’s Materials Technology Magazine. The company then contacted and collaborated with Dr. Sitthisuntorn Supothina, MTEC’s research  team leader for this project.”

Mr. Phannaret stated, “Initially, the company had the idea of conducting collaborative research to find a suitable formula and then hiring O.E.M. (Original Equipment Manufacturer) companies for production. However, Dr. Sitthisuntorn suggested that the manufacturing process was not complicated and could be done in-house. This led to the concept of producing the product ourselves. As a result, this product is our first direct manufacturing venture, unlike our previous practice of outsourcing to O.E.M. companies. From a marketing perspective, we believe this reformulated coating product can compete with foreign competitors due to its lower production costs and exceptional durability, ease of use, and high active ingredient content.”

Mr. Phannaret conducted tests to verify the product formula developed at the factory until he was confident that it had the right proportions and performed well. Subsequently, he applied the product by coating it directly on the car’s hood to observe how water droplets flowed and the resulting surface characteristics. This comparison was made against foreign products to ensure quality before production and distribution under the “WIBWUB GRAPHENE HYBRID CERAMIC SEALANT.”

“When the product was first launched, it was observed that within approximately two months, there were sales of 315 bottles. Customers expressed satisfaction and believed that the product’s quality was comparable to those of foreign brands. Users, including car and motorcycle enthusiasts, shared their reviews on social media. The response was positive, and customers were generally satisfied with the product, gaining wide acceptance in the community,” said Ms. Pornjaru.