Forty kilometers from Bangkok lies Bangplee Industrial Estate, the site of Thailand’s leading aluminum alloy wheel manufacturing company. From high performance racing to daily urban driving, Enkei Thai has been providing customers with technologically advanced aluminium alloy wheels since 1987. The second largest Enkei facility outside of Japan, the company is enjoying increasing success in the international market.

Prior to the Asian crisis, Enkei Thai only sold products on the domestic market, but the company has continuously expanded into the international market since 1998. Today, export volume is approximately 50 percent of total production capacity. “From a financial basis, a 50 - 50 export and domestic supply mix is the best way forward in Thailand, as we must also take into account material costs,” explains Enkei Thai’s managing director Norito Takei. “As Thailand has no aluminum of its own, we have to import the commodity from the Middle East, Australia and Russia.”

Norito Takei, managing director of Enkei Thai

Creating the highest quality wheels and engine parts from this imported aluminum has earned Enkei Thai an outstanding reputation worldwide with prestigious clients such as Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi and Isuzu in addition to its aftermarket client base.

“After-market customers know our brand name very well and it is highly regarded,” says Takei. “We want people to enjoy their cars even more through the addition of our aluminum wheels and my dream is to have every customer say: ‘I need Enkei wheels on my new car’.”

The company currently has two plants employing 1,200 staff in Thailand, and plans to establish a third in the near future.

“We are in the process of earning customers’ trust by making products that satisfy consumers all over the world,” Takei concludes. “Nevertheless, Thailand remains our priority. As a local company, we intend to contribute to the country through meeting our social responsibilities while making Enkei Thai an excellent company.”

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