New chief urges govt promotion of industry
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Cites support to other key sectors, boost to local economy
The newly elected chairperson of the Asian Chemical Fibre Industries Federation (ACFIF), Mayuree Na Rangsilpa, is cashing in on this platform to seek the Thai government’s help in promoting the industry more intensively on the grounds that it supports other key sectors and strengthens the local economy.
To date, she said, the government had not understood the chemical-fibre industry well. It is an upstream industry that supports important downstream sectors such as automobiles and medical products.
Moreover, the government’s perception of the textile industry is short-sighted, as it clearly regards the sector as a sunset industry that is mainly involved with fashion, whereas it is able to help encourage so much business value in other industries, and also create jobs at the same time, she said.
Currently, there are only 12 sizable fibre producers in Thailand, against more than 500 companies in China.
Fibre production in the Kingdom is projected to grow 11.26 per cent to 787 billion metric tonnes this year. During 2011-2012, it suffered drops of 13.24 per cent and 12.24 per cent respectively, due to the flooding crisis.
There is certainly more room for growth, providing the government lends a supporting hand, she said.
While the baht’s appreciation has not damaged export business for the chemical-fibre industry as a whole, some players could be feeling the pinch, she added.
“This industry involves many other industries, especially the automobile and medical sectors. Its relevance to the automobile industry is clearly shown by the fact some 200 [chemical fibre] items are used in producing a car,” said the federation chief.
She argued that the government should attach importance to maintaining an industrial-development balance between upstream, middle and downstream activities, integrating the industry in order to maximise its value chain, along with promoting innovation and creating a supply chain.
Mayuree was voted in as ACFIF chairperson last week by association members from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Taiwan and Thailand.
Her three-year term through to 2015 is a significant plus for Thailand, which hopes to play a rising role in the regional arena via cooperation schemes.
She has worked in the chemical-fibre industry for 25 years, and is currently general manager for group affairs of Aditya Birla Group Thailand.
Of the more than 200 attendees at last week’s meeting of the ACFIF, only five were women.
Closer cooperation
At the meeting, members agreed to strengthen cooperation to progress the industry as a whole at a time when the world market faced uncertainties due to the depressed economic situation in major industrialised nations.
They also expressed deep concern about the oversupply of chemical fibres, as well as the availability of raw materials.
They agreed to improve the exchange of data and information to sesure the sector’s long-term development.
To increase fibre consumption, they proposed that operators adopt specialisation and innovation as a strategy in order to develop applications for industrial use, home textiles and apparel.
Participants also acknowledged that expanding free-trade networks, including the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, would further liberalise Asian commerce and promote coexistence and a brighter future for the Asian chemical-fibre industry.
