Pailin Chuchottaworn is the president, CEO and director of PTT Public Co. Ltd. and former president of IRPC Public Co. Ltd.

The project, already fully integrated into IRPC’s business process, involves literally making over the entire company. Among its effects is the changing of the supply chain management system. The approach to improving the way the company’s employees work is also reversed from a former top-down system to the new bottom-up methodology.

“We can now really listen to the markets and our customers. We want to use the full potential of our knowledge and R&D (research and development). Our products are both green and specialized, and we want to continue to pioneer green development,” says PTT CEO Pailin Chuchottaworn, former president of IRPC who oversaw IRPC’s evolution from a resource-based business to a knowledge-based operation.

A major component of the project is the Green Industrial Park in Rayong, southeast of Bangkok. Although not yet completed, the park has already received the first Gold Standard Award in Thailand.

“In fact, we are already envisioning a post-Phoenix era, in which we will focus more on power generation. Instead of expanding, we are optimizing and upgrading our facilities and computerizing the company even further in order to match the demand for energy development. We are also diversifying our product portfolio and focusing more on innovation and R&D. In the wake of the earthquake in Japan, the world is realizing that it needs to change its energy consumption system,” says Pailin.

This evolution will be essential to the future success of IRPC.

“With the current energy situation and fluctuation of oil prices, even the best refinery will not make it in the long run. This is also why we are going in this new direction. Thinking forward is key to maintaining our position and continuously contributing to the success of Thailand,” he says.

Pailin stresses that the goal is to have an upgraded and diverse range of products and services that will generate the highest income and return on investment, which will be achieved by staying true to IRPC’s ethical principles and commitment to develop a greener Thailand.

“This is where the industry is going. In five to 10 years, we will see that present trends, such as the electric car, will have been fully realized. We are evolving and preparing ourselves for this development. We are also pushing our oil products toward the petrochemical business. On the supply side, these petrochemical products will increasingly focus on specialty and clean products,” Pailin says.

“We have a set of criteria and will do a proper pre-screening of every company before it is allowed to operate in the industrial park. It is important to set an example and help develop sustainable industries. We are also allocating a specific area of the park to software businesses,” he continues.

“IRPC plans to showcase how the company and community can co-exist. I want to set up a first-class technology university in Rayong. This is how we want to show our good will and give back to the people of Thailand, now and in the future,” he also says.

Chairman of PTT Asahi Chemical, Pailin has a strong affinity to Japan, where he studied in the Tokyo Institute of Technology for his master’s and doctorate degrees. He is also a member of the Thai-Japan Technology Promotion Association and the Petroleum Institute of Japan.

“I have taken a lot from my time in Japan. The system there focuses very much on apprenticeship and takes care of its younger students. That care, the discipline to work hard and the push to always become better are some things that I use in my work every day,” he says.

Meanwhile, IRPC has had a very close relationship with the Mitsubishi Group, and both IRPC and PTT maintain several joint ventures with Japanese companies.

As Pailin stepped into his new role as CEO of PTT, he remained mindful of the group’s values and commitment to Thailand and its people.

“The PTT Group was started to fulfill two main goals: to ensure national energy security and increase the national wealth. This is why we are here, nothing more and nothing less, and these values must not be forgotten,” he says.

www.irpc.co.th

‘We have a set of criteria and will do a proper pre-screening of every company before it is allowed to operate in the industrial park. It is important to set an example and help develop sustainable industries. We are also allocating a specific area of the park to software businesses. IRPC plans to showcase how the company and community can coexist.’