Hitachi plans expansion to cater to AEC
Hitachi Asia (Thailand) plans to expand its plants for car parts, electric appliances and elevators to cash in on the Asean Economic Community, which will come into effect in 2015 and will encourage a free flow of goods within the region.
Kazuo Karasawa, managing director, said the company is setting up an elevator factory at its existing plant at the Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate in Chon Buri to triple its annual output to about 5,000 units next year.
Hitachi Storage Battery (Thailand), located at the Gateway City Industrial Estate in Prachin Buri, in April will start making automobile batteries for “idling stop” vehicles at a cost of Bt690 million.
“We will also reinforce the importance of our household appliance manufacturing in Thailand, especially our side-by-side refrigerators, which are exported to more than 50 countries around the world,” he said.
Hitachi runs about 40 companies in Thailand, and half of them make car parts or electric appliances.
“I’m quite worried about Hitachi Consumer Products, which has its plant at Kabinburi Industrial Estate in Prachin Buri, which has been hit by floods. I, however, have not yet received any information about the flood situation and impact to the plant,” he said. Hitachi Metal and Hitachi Compressor, with production facilities at Rojana Industrial Estate in Ayutthaya, might also be impacted by the flood.
The company cannot reveal the direct impact from the flood to its manufacturing facilities and business in Thailand now, as it has not yet received any report from the affected companies. However, the flood will for sure have an indirect impact, as purchasing power will be diluted.
Hitachi will set up the Hitachi Pavilion at the BoI Fair to be held at Impact Muang Thong Thani from November 10-25.
The pavilion, with the theme “Tomorrow, Together”, will feature a range of Hitachi’s advancements in sustainable urban technology and cutting-edge innovations to help create a better society.
