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| Thaioil Group CEO Surong Bulakul |
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“As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Thaioil Group, we
are preparing for a long journey. We are transforming ourselves
to an energy-converting company rather than simply
a refinery. Refining is the beginning of everything, but we do not want to
restrict ourselves to that as conversion allows us to provide more valueadded
products,” says CEO Surong Bulakul.
Thaioil’s growth has been parallel to that of Thailand. Today, it is a
leader in the production of high-quality petroleum products for the country.
Its refinery complex is among the top five in Asia, and its KPI (key
performance indicator) benchmark is an impressive 95 percent.
The company’s focus on energy conversion ushers in new ventures
into downstream petrochemical industries, including aromatics, lubricant
base oil and power generation, which cuts the risk of overdependence on
oil refining.
According to Surong, there are three pillars to Thaioil’s success, the
first of which is flexibility in making decisions, especially when it involves
formulating business strategies to optimize operations.
The second pillar is reliability. Thaioil operates at almost 100 percent
capacity throughout the year and consistently fulfills many of its maintenance
and safety commitments. It also generates its own power, which
makes the company highly self-sufficient.
The most important pillar is efficiency, which ensures continued success
for future generations. Its efficient asset utilization is evident in its
lean operations and competitive manufacturing costs.
For one of the largest petroleum companies in Asia, the group has a
relatively small labor force of 1,200 employees, 850 of which run the refinery.
The manufacturing cost for the Thaioil Group is a relatively low
$1 per barrel for oil.
“By being flexible, reliable and efficient, we can really run a fully
optimized factory. We have a lot of experience in refining and manufacturing.
It is important to transfer this knowledge and offer consultancy
services to all of those within our group,” says Surong.
For the past 50 years, Thaioil has built value for the domestic energy
sector and the economy as a whole. It now strives to lead the country
toward a sustainable future, mustering the experiences, ideas and skills
of its personnel to transform it into a leading regional company. But it
cannot do this alone.
Fortunately, the company has nurtured its many partnerships and is
largely supported by local communities where it operates. It has had a
strong alliance with the Shell group from the beginning, and continues to
work closely with related industries from Japan.
Among its the numerous local initiatives is the establishment of the
Thaioil Group Health and Learning Center in the Siracha District, Chonburi
Province. The center runs preventive medical programs and conducts
practical knowledge-based activities, such as English courses in
the summer.
In 2009, Thaioil collaborated with the U.N. Development Program,
the Energy for Environment Foundation and the Department of Alternative
Energy Development and Efficiency to develop a hydroelectric
power plant for the remote community of Huai Pu Ling in the northwestern
edge of Thailand.
“It’s not simply the electricity that we are giving but the implementation
of knowledge from the application of the resource that we share.
My dream is that one of the boys and girls of this community will be a
Thaioil employee in the next 20 years,” says Surong.
“We are managing our pollution to be within current limits, and we
always give back to the community. We make sure that this is not a onetime
handout, but instead a long-term community service,” he adds.
www.thaioilgroup.com
‘By being flexible, reliable and efficient, we can really run a fully optimized factory.
We have a lot of experience in refining and manufacturing. It is important to transfer
this knowledge and offer consultancy services to all of those within our group.’
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