Aeroklas to be top money-maker
Eastern Polymer Group, a plastic, rubber and metal sheet fabricator, projects that Aeroklas Co, a producer of automobile accessories, will become its largest revenue contributor in four years after aggressive investment and overseas expansion.
Aeroklas at present is the third-largest revenue contributor to the group, while insulation is the largest.
Pawat Vitoorapakorn, president of both Eastern Polymer Group and Aeroklas, said yesterday that the company saw room to grow in the pickup-truck bed-liner, canopy and deck-cover markets overseas, as it products are innovative and environmentally friendly. Especially Europe and the United States would welcome such products.
The domestic market still generates 70 per cent of Aeroklas’ total revenue, as Thailand is a main manufacturing base for pickup trucks.
The company plans to increase exports from 30 per cent to 50 per cent of revenue by 2015 to achieve the goal to make Aeroklas its key revenue driver. By that year, Aeroklas’ revenue is expected to double to Bt4 billion from Bt2 billion this year.
The group has allocated a large budget to research and development. This includes a new expansion phase worth Bt250 million at the existing Aeroklas factory in Rayong, which is expected to start operating in April.
The production capacity of bed liners will be increased to 800,000 units per year from 700,000 now. The capacity of canopies and deck covers can also be increased in line with market requirements.
The company has set up a Bt100-million plant in China, operated by its wholly owned subsidiary Aeroklas Shanghai Co. The plant in China will become Aeroklas’ second manufacturing base.
The Shanghai plant is expected to generate Bt1 billion within five years.
The company is also studying investment in Asean to cash in on the Asean Economic Community in 2015, Pawat said.
