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Published on March 17, 2008

Its target is to increase the annual production capacity of power products by 30 per cent after the expansion is complete in the middle of this year.

President and country manager, Chaiyot Piyawannarat, said the expansion would serve higher demand for power products, which has been growing continuously by 7 to 10 per cent per annum due to rising demand for electricity.

"Our group aims to boost our revenue from US$250 million (Bt7.8 billion) last year to $350 million in the next two years," he said.

He said the firm exported around 70 per cent of production of power products to countries in this region, and sold the rest domestically. It also plans to penetrate markets in Australia and New Zealand soon. In Thailand its customers include both state agencies and private companies such as the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority, PTT and Siam Cement.

"We will focus more on our customers in the utility sector this year due to their continued plans for investment," he said.

 He said sales last year surged 20 to 30 per cent from the previous year thanks to expansion projects in petrochemical and oil and gas industries. However, he declined to disclose Thailand's business performance.

ABB Limited has three production plants at the Bangpoo site in Samut Prakan province which cover the production of power-product lines, capacitors and assembly lines. Half the capacitors are exported, mostly to China. The firm employs 400 staff with 300 local outsourcers in the country.It increases employee numbers by 10 per cent each year.

Chalida Ekvitthayavechnukul

THE NATION