In spite of Thailand's economic and political uncertainties, more Australian businesses are opening manufacturing facilities in the Hemaraj Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate located in Rayong province.

ANCA, a designer and manufacturer of hi-tech computer numerical controls for the machine tool and metal-based industries, and Tinfish, a company that produces and supplies sheet metal for electrical cabinets, tool boxes, machine guards, cabling and LAN wiring accessories, architectural fittings and equipment enclosures to ANCA, are the two most recent Australian firms to begin operations on the estate.

ANCA provides computer-based controls for customers wanting to manufacture high-precision cutting tools, medical implants, gears, punches or components for special applications, such as turbine blades for jet engines or femoral implants for artificial knee joints.

Due to its 30-per-cent annual growth over the past few years, together with a shortage of skilled workers in Australia, ANCA had to consider the processes that could be undertaken overseas, while still maintaining its high levels of technology and quality.

"Thailand was chosen as the location for the company's first overseas manufacturing facility because of the country's long history of stability, its culture of openness, honesty and respect, its hard working and skilled workforce, its excellent infrastructure and a government that encourages overseas investment," ANCA's group general manager, Linsey Siede, said yesterday.

Board of Investment (BoI) promotion certificates were issued to 10 Australian companies in the first six months of the year, for investments worth Bt871 million. Both ANCA and Tinfish began operations at the Hemaraj Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate in early 2006 after receiving BoI approval. They were the latest in a growing number of Australian companies manufacturing on the Eastern Seaboard.

Australian Ambassador Bill Paterson, who recently visited the plants, said the companies were building on the closer trading relationship resulting from the Thai-Australia Free-Trade Agreement.

"Australian cost structures and shortages of skilled labour have driven the move offshore.

"Thailand's industry infrastructure, geographic location, BoI incentives and cost structure make it an attractive location for export-oriented precision manufacturing," he said.

Another recent Australian arrival is Off Road Accessories Ltd, owned by ARB Corp Ltd, manufacturer and distributor of Australia's largest range of accessories for 4-wheel-drive vehicles.

It joins PBR Automotive Ltd, an Australian automotive components manufacturer, CSR Insulation, manufacturing both glasswool and rockwool insulation, and Bluescope Steel - a joint venture between Bluescope Steel Ltd and Loxley Plc - which manufactures quality steel products.