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Creative in thought and steady in action
With almost 30 years as a major player in the automotive industry in Thailand, DENSO Thailand has the experience it needs to continue its profitable course. One of DENSO's missions is to instill 'individual spirit,' not only among its employees, but also in the Thailand operations as a whole. This mission states that DENSO will be creative in their thought and steady in action, cooperative and pioneering, and trustworthy by continuing to improve themselves. In the Toyota group of companies, DENSO (Thailand) Co., Ltd., which manufactures, supplies, and exports a wide-range of automotive products (such as air conditioners, alternators, starter motor, and ignition assemblies) strives to embody this mission. |
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To face increasing global competitio, DENSO (Thailand) proposed a global strategy to achieve world level joint completion of products. To achieve this goal successfully, DENSO has embraced three steps. First, DENSO aims to achieve the world optimum level of procurement of parts and materials instead of the current procurement within ASEAN countries. Second, DENSO strives to concentrate production of the final product on a regional level in order to stay competitive. Finally, being in the region where companies are vulnerable to currency fluctuation, DENSO aims to establish a minimum currency risk business structure. In order to achieve this, DENSO has increased its target export ratio. With the improvement of the investment situation and more people buying cars, Takeuchi has a positive opinion on the future of the Thai economy. "After the year 2000 the economy in this country will be better. I believe that even the weakened level of ASEAN currencies will be stable, the economy will recover, and the investment environment will also improve." Takeuchi's projections, fueled by DENSO's company mission, will ensure that DENSO will continue to be Thailand's number one auto component manufacturer. The mission of Advance Agro Public Co., Ltd. has been to its develop pulp and paper business into a self sustaining, and renewable industry. From cloning trees and supplying seedlings to their plantations to producing and marketing their paper products, the environment is respected and only products of the highest quality are produced. Partnerships with two industry giants, Stora Enso from Finland and Oji Paper from Japan have given the company access to advanced technologies and to new marketing channels. Oji sent a team to set up the first Advance Agro mill and train its engineers, and even before they became partners Oji was providing assistance to Advance Agro. Dr. Virabongsa Ramangkura, executive chairman of Advance Agro, explained the scope of the leading edge production methods used: "We do a lot of engineering of biotechnology, from breeding the trees, to cloning the trees. All the plantations are 100% cloned." Advance Agro is the only company in its region to have built its own water reservoir, "the size of a 36 hole golf course," boasts Ramangkura. With an infrastructure that is extremely developed, Advance Agro sells power to EGAT (Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand) and supplies water to nearby industrial parks. A special power plant feeds off the plants' recovery unit, creating electricity from the chemicals that used in the mill. With a firm market position, Advance Agro is not resting on its laurels. Its first paper mill and a second pulp mill were just completed last year. A third pulp mill is planed in a joint venture with the Chinese government. This mill will be in Thailand and 100% of the produce is scheduled for export. Looking further into the future, Advance Agro, as the leading Thai fine paper manufacturer, would like to promote Thailand to be the printing hub for exporting more value-added publishing materials. Advance Agro is looking forward to growing with its partners and to helping other Thai companies share in its success.
The power to create Many times, freshly printed piece of paper coming from your printer is coming from an Epson product. Epson, a leader in printer products, also sells digital cameras, copiers and scanners. To maintain competition in this market, Epson continues with innovative products. "Just recently we launched a new product. Until last year, we didn't have a product that could compete in the lower end segment," said Hideaki Takayama, vice president, Epson Sales Thailand. "Now we are strong on the market. It is the Stylus Color 480. It is for entry level, home users like students." Epson has had representation in Thailand for over 18 years by local distributor SVOA. In 1990, Epson and SVOA formed a joint venture for a stronger presence in Thailand. Finally, in 1998, Epson established its own sales office, responsible for Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. "Bangkok is most convenient for accessibility. Secondly, it is a cost saving center for labor, office rental, and transportation. It is much, much cheaper than Singapore and the quality is not much less," said Takayama. "You get more for your money here." Takayama added, "Ten years ago, prices of computers in the US and Japan were very expensive. When the economy was really bad, people didn't buy new cars, but they still bought computers. It was a kind of investment for them. The parents felt that their children should know computers for their future."
In Thailand, Nokia is the market leader in both hand set and infrastructure of mobile phone system having supplied to all the major Telecom operators including the TAC (Total Access Communication) and AIS (Advance Info Service) the 2 biggest mobile operators in the country. Nokia is now experiencing its continuous growth in this country. Pekka Uusimaa, managing director of Nokia Thailand states that Nokia "is very much paving the way towards this mobile society. We are, and are going to be, the leader in this area." As opposed to traditional production, in Thailand Nokia refers to its operations as a "knowledge factory". In addition to wireless voice communications, the next revolution is focusing on mobile data services. No matter which generation you belong to, young or old, watch out for Nokias latest generation of mobile devices and wireless technology.
Everyone has a different goal for his or her Thailand vacation - some come for treks in the lush jungles, others come to scuba dive in the pristine waters. Some people come just to eat the fabulous food and play on the bountiful golf courses. Whatever your goal is, you will return home happy, relaxed, and educated. A big, bustling and exciting city, Bangkok is a contrast of old history and modern changes; its skyline features golden-spired temples and high-rise buildings. Most visitors who enter Thailand spend a few days in Bangkok - and there is a lot to do in terms of entertainment. Bangkok boasts some of the best restaurants in Asia, however, the best and most authentic dining can be found cooked by the vendors along the street. One hotel that continues to attract visitors in The Oriental Bangkok, part of the 'Leading Hotels of the World.' The Oriental was established as a luxury destination for people traveling from the Orient who wanted to get away from their own home and enjoy good soup. Kurt Wachtveitl, general manager, stated, "it has developed over they years to what it is today - 400 rooms with 10 restaurants and banquet facilities," he said. The Oriental Bangkok employees 4 Japanese staff in sales and public relations, so Japanese visitors will be well taken care of. Wachtveitl stated, "The Japanese travelers don?t come to Thailand to relax. At 8 am they are gone on tour. They want to get as much as possible from the culture of the country." Built on royal land in the center of the city is the Siam InterContinental Bangkok. In typical Thai architecture, the InterContinental's conference area is located next to the Siam Center and Bangkok's new skytrain, convenient for shopping. Although the hotel is located close to all the activity within the city, the Siam InterContinental "Has a resort atmosphere, and people are not disturbed by the traffic and the noise," said Thierry Douin, general manager. Some of the most breathtaking beaches in Asia can be found in this area. More Muslim mosques than Buddhist temples can be found toward the south, indicating a change in people's lifestyles and beliefs. Popular destinations in Thailand include Krabi, on the mainland, and the islands of Phuket and Samui, located in the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand, respectively. The Le Royal Meridien Hotel, located in Phuket, is a 470 room, five-star resort, complete with conference facilities, a spa, and many other amenities. From North to South, it is the people of Thailand that make this country so enjoyable. Fun-loving, warm and easy-going, wherever you are, you will always feel welcome.
Thai Olefins Co., Ltd. specializes in upstream petrochemical manufacturing for everyday products, which are derived from naturally occurring fossil fuels, such as food packaging and children's toys. Thai Olefins is supported by its major shareholder, the Petroleum Authority of Thailand, in its entry to the global market To compete with international competitors, Thai Olefins is considering a US $130 million investment to increase its capacity. Aditheb Bisalbutr, president of Thai Olefins, looks forward to the future of the company, as next year Thai Olefins plans to list on the Stock Exchange of Thailand after finalizing the debt restructuring. As capacity utilization increases and more economies of scale are achieved, Thai Olefins continues to expand. It is studying ways to increase the value chain for some of its products, such as ethylene and propylene, by moving into more downstream production. As debts have been rescheduled and new clients are attracted to Thai Olefins, Bisalbutr predicts: "by the year 2005 his company will have sufficient cash surpluses to invest in new and more diverse projects." Thai Olefins is involved in a forest plantation project, and supports local schools by providing fund and medical check-ups for children. Protecting the environment has earned Thai Olefins many awards from the office of the Prime Minister, in addition to the ISO 14000 certification. Providing an essential source of production materials, Thai Olefins continues to form part of the backbone of the Thai economy. |
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