Early in the year the company acquires small premises on Khao San Road, Bangkok. More storage space enables the team to supply more customers, with an office taking phone and fax orders. On August 3rd, Salamander Jewelry Co. Ltd. officially opens. In February, the company attends their first Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Show, and begins to expose the business internationally.

In 1999, the Narayana Phand shop officially opens in the center of Bangkok. The shop lasts until March 2007, when the shopping plaza closes for renovations.

December: The company opens its first walk-in shop on Rambuttri Road. The ground floor becomes the main showroom, with the top 3 floors used for stock and assembly. The workforce rapidly grows approaching 100, and the business quickly outgrows the premises.

October: the company buys shares in the factory of their main supplier in Korea: E-ring Co. Ltd., officially becoming a manufacturer. Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Show 2001

November: With business expanding rapidly, the company buys a 4 story building to use as a dedicated production center for the silver jewelry range.

Salamander buys out their Korean partner, and starts the process of moving the Korean factory to Thailand. The gradual company-wide migration from Korea begins. When the process is completed in 2008, only the buying office remains in Korea: with 2 workers staying to buy materials and ship them to the main premises in Thailand.

In January a fire destroys much of the 6th floor of the building. Thankfully there are no injuries, and within 3 days the business is fully operational again. This event speeds up the plan to move premises, so land is purchased in Nakhon Pathom province, with construction work beginning in December.

July: the huge construction project is completed: a 3000m2 facility with a 2 floor factory and state of the art equipment. Within 3 days of construction commencing, we begin to move in our equipment: we quickly acquire equipment to accommodate increased production, including a Vacuum target machine (for ceramics). Recruitment begins in earnest. We designate areas for employees to exercise on the second floor of the factory, and sports activities are held for the first time this year.

We begin to organize into departments. Recruitment is outsourced and systems are standardized for the first time. We have the need for a product management system so we begin development of the Tammuz system. We attend our first Bangkok Gems and Jewelry show.

The company’s expanding manufacturing scope necessitates high quality new machinery: including a PVD vacuum machine, laser marking and laser welding units. ISO9001 certification is finally achieved: a quality management system recognized all over the world, and a huge achievement due to the company being the first in the industry to have this certification. 18 months of hard work enables standardization all of business processes, from recording orders, production and finally packaging and dispatch. We exhibit at the 2009 Bangkok Gems and Jewelry show.

A ‘sticker printer’ unit enables us to manufacture even more in house; expanding our manufacturing capabilities in this popular style of jewelry. This year, sales increase due to the administrative advances recommended by the the General Manager, which accelerates the development of all our systems. Production output increases and our customer service standards are boosted, alongside the purchase of brand new computer hardware and software to enable better development.

The company is awarded ISO 14001: certification of environmental management systems and policies. This year the company is also awarded OHSAS 18001, which is an internationally recognized occupational health and safety management system. An even larger PVD is accommodated in our huge new annex.

Salamander Jewelry buys out a European plastic manufacturer, and now has the capacity to extrude and inject all types of plastics. This is the final upgrade needed to become the first fully-integrated body jewelry manufacturer in the world. Every type of piercing jewelry is now produced in-house, with separate departments for each manufacturing process. This year we begin putting into practice various philosophies – Kaizen, TPM, KYT and 6S - allowing the company to grow and improve in line with our sustainable vision.

Our PVD facilities are upgraded due to an increase in online orders. Our workplace health initiatives including running drug and AIDS prevention campaigns, alongside various other improvements: our “Sustainable Happy Workplace” project enters its 3rd year, and we are awarded more government awards including “Outstanding innovation in the workplace.” This year we receive a White Factory award from Nakhonpathom province, which expires on the 24th of August 2017. The White Factory award is the standard on Prevention and Solution to Drug Problems in the Workplace.

The company makes great advances in our standards of certification, including: ISO 50001 on Energy management systems, ISO 26000 for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Green Industry and ISO 14064-1, ISO 14064-3 Carbon footprint for the organization as a whole, ISO9001:2005 Quality Management and ISO30001 Risk Management. The company is also rewarded by our local government – their Zero Accident award, a testament to our exemplary work safety record.  This year we also successfully attend and exhibit at the International Hong Kong Gem and Jewelry show. This year we also successfully attend and exhibit at the International Hong Kong Gem and Jewelry show.

The company’s efforts at operational efficiency and sustainability take a new leap forward. We apply for and achieve CSR-DIW certification within the same year. This is an award that promotes a high level of sustainability and matches our vision. This year our standards certification advances further, attaining Carbon footprint ratings for our products, and ISO 27000: Information security management for our IT systems.