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| Oji Paper Thailand Managing Director Yasuhiro Kii |
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A huge part of global manufacturing may have transferred to China during the past decade but some companies have recognized the benefits of moving and staying in Thailand, which is home to the second-largest number of overseas Japanese subsidiaries.
On its 10th anniversary in Thailand this year, Oji Paper (Thailand), a subsidiary of one of the top 10 paper manufacturers in the world, has reason to celebrate the milestone, having become the country’s biggest producer of carbonless paper with a 50 percent market share.
Currently, the company is able to produce around 50,000 tons of paper products per year and exports its carbonless copy paper, thermal paper and pressure-sensitive paper around the globe, with Asia showing the best prospects.
‘‘The demand for carbonless paper is decreasing in Japan, the United States and the European Union but we are seeing growth in Asia and the Middle East. Our company is in a very good situation.
We have seen record sales over the last few years and our business is growing, therefore it is high time for us to think about the next expansion steps,’’ says Managing Director Yasuhiro Kii.
Meanwhile, Oji Paper plans to invest $1.8 billion into a plant in China that can produce 1.2 million tons of paper products a year. When completed, it will be the largest single investment in China by a Japanese company.
‘Thailand is one of the best locations for exporting worldwide. I would like to see us expand our business in Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand. With further minimal investments in Thailand, we can provide a very good contribution to the Thai economy and to Oji Paper’s profit’
‘‘In addition to projects in China, I would like to see the company expand in Thailand as soon as possible. I feel that in the future we will need to expand on production of information paper such as carbonless copy paper, thermal paper and pressure- sensitive paper in Thailand,’’ explains Kii.
‘‘For our products, Thailand is one of the best locations for exporting worldwide. I would like to see us expand our business in Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand. With further minimal investments in Thailand, we can provide a very good contribution to the Thai economy and to Oji Paper’s profit,’’ he adds.
‘‘The demand for our products is approximately 30 percent higher than our capacity. The market is in our hands,’’ says Kii.
www.ojipaper.co.jp |