Double A, a paper maker with designs on Emirates

The Life: Paper is not ordinarily seen as an environmentally friendly product, but one Asian company has come up with a sustainable solution.

Thirawit Leetavorn, the senior executive vice president of Double A. Courtesy Double A

Paper making is not ordinarily seen as environmentally friendly. But one company from Thailand has devised a sustainable approach. Thirawit Leetavorn, the senior executive vice president of Double A, speaks about the company's approach and why the business has expanded here.

You have created a sustainable paper-making process. What is it?

Our paper comes from fast-growing hybrid species of hardwood that are grown along the rice paddies by more than 1.5 million farmers across Thailand, [in what is called the] Khan-na approach. Khan-na refers to the small, unused ridges that separate rice fields from other crops. We noticed that the unused ridges do not provide any economic value to farmers.

How do you use these to make paper?

We came up with the idea of incorporating the farmers in developing a new, modern paper-making process: giving tree saplings to farmers to plant along their rice paddies and sell the mature trees back to us at a pre-guaranteed price.

Why did you expand into the UAE?

We are a global brand. We need to be present in all major markets - and UAE is a major market. We plan to initiate Double A copy centres, which is a part of the business plan this year.

How large is the paper industry here in the UAE?

The industry is in its infancy. It is a young market with great growth potential. Paper consumption has been closely linked to GDP growth rates and specifically to growth of service sector. We expect both GDP and service sector to continue to grow. The market is very competitive, with all the major producers and their brands present.

How do you plan to set yourself apart?

We believe in building a brand. Double A is the paper brand that has been accepted by consumers throughout Asia and Europe for its quality and for its brand activities. Last year, we were involved in the Transformers 3 movie … promotion. Double A was the only paper brand involved and the only paper brand able to participate on a global platform.

You started in Thailand, in 2000, then launched your international roll-out the following year. Where to?

Asian countries such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan [and] China. [We then] penetrated the Middle East, in 2007, and the rest of Asia, in 2011. We have also successfully expanded into Australia, Europe, North and South America and Africa in the past few years.

Why did you choose those locations?

We have a presence in all countries that are strategic to us. Our geographic presence [offers a] competitive advantage.

What challenges are involved running a company that conducts so much business overseas?

We have plenty of difficulties, and among the key difficulties are language barrier and different business cultures.

* Gillian Duncan

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