In conversation with
Watson Ariyaphuttarat

FDI Spotlight: What is the very essence and identity of KEEEN Limited?

Dr. Watson Ariyaphuttarat: I was very excited about learning how to treat oil using microbes. We were inspired when we saw how to clean up oil from a scientific paper that was published. I wanted to make an innovation with microbes. I developed an oil eating microbe and created a commercial product that can be marketed to industrial companies. From inspiration to innovation it is one step. Then from innovation to greenovation. Greenovation to commercialization and then finally satisfaction. Greenovation means green technology plus innovation. Many companies practice sustainable practices because they are required by their CSR and because it is a good image for their company. Our innovation is not like that. It includes cost saving while employing sustainable practices. It is greenovation. This can save the world while saving money as well. A lot of people assume things are ‘green’ if they are biodegradable. The organic materials however do not always completely biodegrade. Our brand is greenovation since our entire product biodegrades along with the oil it is eating.

How important is Research and Development to the future development of the company and how do you envision the future for KEEEN?

Dr. Watson Ariyaphuttarat: We started as a small company and we needed to invest a lot in R and D. I talked to a lot of entrepreneurs to figure out how we could grow. We wanted our customers to be satisfied. We went to many countries Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, South Korea on behalf of the government to figure out what to do. We found a partner called Milott Laboratories. They mixed and bottled cosmetics for customers like Unilever. I discussed with their owner to see if they could bottle microbes. We cared a lot about what the bottles were made from but not necessarily where they came from. We want to make our products in Finland eventually, the bottling and filling. We want to expand trading to Singapore, Malaysia and Europe.

In what ways can you see opportunities for commercialization for KEEEN but also how will you educate this even larger population that will come together with the birth of the ASEAN?

Dr. Watson Ariyaphuttarat: Education is very important. That is why we have our KEEEN Innovation Center. We invite all of our partners, dealers and distributors for training in our KEEEN Innovation Center. This way they can educate customers about our products. We develop our communication strategy. The brand is very important. Businesses can be copied but brands cannot. We know about our position in the market. We focus on our innovation and to establish our brand. For our manufacturers and distributers we look for the right partner. The next step is to start manufacturing. Innovation is like fresh milk, you can drink it in the morning but not later or the next day. Next year we have to innovate something new, this is why we can’t invest a lot in manufacturing or else we will have no money for research and development to create something new next year. We strive for global recognition. Our product is a magnet for partners. I am very concerned about our brand. It is our spirit. It is an intangible asset. I would like to educate Thai SME’s and entrepreneurs that you cannot simply be a trading company. The market is saturated with them. Research and development is very important or you will not grow and expand. You need to differentiate yourselves from other companies. There are two groups of people. Some are leaders and some are followers. The world is changing, there is a globalization everyone connects via the internet.