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AFG touches on BMW and the EABC
Peter Wolf, MD BMW
Manufacturing Thailand.
Dr. Iain Corness
The Automotive Focus Group (AFG) packed the meeting room at the Pattaya
Marriott Resort and Spa to listen to Peter Wolf, the MD of BMW Manufacturing
Thailand at the Rayong plant.
Peter Wolf has been the MD at BMW Manufacturing Thailand since July 2010 and
has been part of the overall growth of the company in Thailand which has
maintained growth rates between 26-28 percent over the past three years,
with their 220 employees producing 5,000 vehicles annually from CKD. To
service this output, which is mainly for domestic markets BMW now has 18
service centers, plus four dedicated to MINI. There is, however, some
limited export of the 7-Series to Indonesia and the 5-Series to Malaysia.
Initially, the manufacturing plant had one assembly line which was expanded
from the 3-Series to include the 7-Series, but this was expanded to
incorporate a second assembly line because of the differences in the
5-Series. At present the plant handles 25 variants, 10 engines, 21 exterior
colors and 22 interior colors.
BMW keep their local content between 43-51 percent, but sourcing locally is
not as easy as it should be, according to Peter Wolf. Local homologation
just takes too long, as Thai bureaucracy can be slow and cumbersome. There
are also price differentials not in the favor of local sourcing.
After the address covering BMW, Peter Wolf introduced the EABC to the AFG
Members. This is the European-ASEAN Business Center and the EABC has as its
associates, most of the major Chambers of Commerce. It is a European Trade
Organization located in Bangkok which aims to contribute to the improvement
of the trade and investment climate for European companies in Thailand. BMW,
of course, is represented there.
Following the presentation was a lively Q&A session with the AFG’s founding
president George Strampp first to grasp the thorny nettle of the ‘grey
market’. Peter Wolf admitted that there were problems with different rules
and regulations between locally produced and externally sourced vehicles.
However, he did say that BMW does service ‘grey market’ vehicles as after
all, they are BMW’s and all BMW’s, no matter where manufactured have to meet
BMW’s high standards.
Leight Wilmott from Austrade asked whether there was a need to change
set-ups between Germany and Thailand, to which Peter Wolf said “No changes,
including run-flat tyres.”
He was asked if we were going to see new manufacturers setting up in
Thailand, such as VW-Audi, but he did not believe so. He also did not feel
that Thailand’s local suppliers were in a position to supply other
manufacturing countries, but did express a cautionary note that unless
Thailand brings down the bureaucratic red tape barriers, then Thailand could
be left behind by neighboring countries which could be looking for a slice
of the ASEAN automotive industry pie.
Hardy souls then moved on to the AmCham, AustCham, BCCT combined chambers of
commerce networking also held in the Marriott’s meeting room.
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Auto production projected to
exceed 2.2 million units this year
The Federation of Thai Federations (FTI) projected
Thailand’s automobile production will reach 2.2 million units this year,
resulting from resumption of full capacity operations, FTI Automotive
Industry Club spokesman Surapong Paisitpattanapong said on Thursday.
April auto production was recorded at 142,312 units, an increase of nearly
60 percent year-on-year. Production for domestic sales accounted for 86,886
units or 61 percent of total production.
Auto production for the first four months of this year was nearly 642,000
units, an increase of 15 percent from the same period last year. Fifty-six
percent or nearly 360,000 units were built for domestic sale while 39
percent or 55,000 units were produced for export. Auto exports from January
to April accounted for 282,225 units or nearly 44 percent of all output.
Auto sales in April were some 87,800 units, an increase of 30.5 percent
year-on-year but a drop of 21 percent compared to the previous month.
Increased sales were supported by more production for orders.
In the first four months, sales rose to more than 367,000 units, up 20
percent, compared to the same period last year. (MCOT)
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Miss Universe 2005 brings new perfume to Pattaya
Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova receives a
bouquet of flowers from Somporn Naksuetrong, general manager of Ripley’s
Believe it or Not! Museum Pattaya.
Warunya Thongrod
Natalie Glebova, who won the Miss Universe beauty pageant in Bangkok in
2005, made Pattaya the latest stop on the launch tour for her Beauty Icon
perfume.
Created by Bel Perfumes, a French-owned, Thailand-based company, the
fragrance was launched in Bangkok May 3 and shown off to Pattaya shoppers at
Royal Garden Plaza May 12.
Canada-native Glebova has a long affinity with Thailand, not only winning
the beauty crown here, but becoming a brand ambassador for Singha beer and
Better Vision eyewear. She’s also a spokesperson for the Soi Cats and Dogs
animal rescue organization.
Glebova said she was approached more than a year ago by Bel about them
creating a perfume line for her. The company previously signed three other
Thai starlets, including Aum Patcharapha Chaichuay and Chompoo A. Hargate,
to similar fragrance deals.
The beauty queen said she worked with French perfumer V. Mane Fils to select
the oils to be used and had input into the bottle design.
“I am delighted to have an opportunity to work with perfume professionals in
developing this new scent inspired by me,” Glebova said. “The design of the
bottle and color is inspired by my Thai name ‘Fah’ and the cork of the
perfume is designed like the crown that I was awarded in 2005.”
The cologne is on sale at MiST 1000 Parfums at Royal Garden Plaza and online
at Natalie-Glebova-Perfumes.com.
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Wonderful Winnie wins top finance award
Ex-GIS student Winnie, pictured eighth from
left, helps ring the Nasdaq Stock Exchange closing bell in the US.
Mark Beales
A former student at Garden International School has won one of the world’s
top finance competitions.
A group of Thai undergraduate students, which included ex-GIS student
Wimolnat Tanganurakpongsa, won the sixth CFA Institute Research Challenge
global final, which was held in New York on April 11.
Winnie and the winning team had their name in
lights - in the heart of New York!
Other team members included Panus Hongprapipat, head of the winning team
from Thammasat University’s Business School, Jackrit Bumrungtrakul, Sorawit
Patumraj and Kittikiat Tantivuttikiti.
Wimolnat, the only female in the team said, “The competition is the most
famous and acceptable among students studying finance.” Wimolnat, or Winnie,
sat her IB exams at GIS in May 2008.
The Thammasat team represented the Asia Pacific region. To take the award it
had to beat three other finalists from around the world.
Although the other teams had more experience, the Thai team’s simple but
effective presentation impressed judges. Each team had to pretend to be
securities analysts. Winnie’s team looked at the stock of CP All Plc, which
runs 7-Eleven stores, then compiled a research report, presentation and
answered questions from a panel of judges.
They had to work even harder than others as, during the floods in Bangkok
last year, they could only keep in touch via Skype.
Wimolnat and Sorawit worked on macro-economic analysis and world market
analysis, as well as studying the industry.
After becoming national champions, the group won a regional competition in
March held in Hong Kong before heading to the final in New York. About 3,000
students from 650 universities in more than 50 countries took part. The Thai
winners were handed US$10,000, a trophy, and helped ring the Nasdaq Stock
Market closing bell, a job normally reserved for celebrities and important
officials. The Stock Exchange of Thailand also gave the team certificates to
honour their achievements.
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