Eason to be basf manufacturing base for asean

BASF (Thai) reached an agreement with Eason Paint (Thailand) to become the manufacturing base for BASF customers across Asean, including automotive and industrial coatings customers. BASF motorcycle coatings in Thailand will be exclusively produced by Eason Paint.

BASF also signed an agreement yesterday to acquire the motorcycle coatings business of NOF (Thailand), establishing its own sales and marketing function in Thailand to support customers in the Asean region. As one of the world's leading coatings suppliers, BASF will now provide a full service to customers in the region and exploit all market opportunities.

The signing ceremony for the agreement was held in Bangkok by Pracha Chivapornthip, chairman and managing director of BASF (Thai), with Mutsuo Aoki, group vice president, BASF Coatings Asia Pacific, Sanan Eksangkul, president of Eason Paint and Petcharat Eksangkul, managing director. Jongluck Nitikitpaibool, new head of BASF's coatings business in the Asean region also took part.

The coatings market in Asean accounts for 15 per cent of the entire Asia-Pacific. Thailand represents the largest market within Asean but there is also significant growth in Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines. Asean is therefore of increasing importance to BASF's coatings strategy.

"We foresee high growth potential in the regional industry and are determined to strengthen our position here with high-quality technologies and comprehensive services," said Aoki.

BASF will continue to work with strong partners. "The set-up with Eason Paint manufacturing BASF's paint locally is an ideal fit for us," explained Pracha.

"We have strong confidence in Eason Paint as our long-term business partner. Our combined competencies in technology, production and service will create added value to our customers in Asean not only in the motorcycle business but also in automotive OEM [original equipment manufacturer] and industrial coatings and decorative paints," he added.

BASF has significant market positions in the coatings sector in Europe, North America, South America and the Asia/Pacific region - achieving global sales of almost ¤2.6 billion (Bt140.7 billion) in 2007.

BASF has been operating in Thailand for more than 40 years. Products include coatings, crop protection, construction chemicals, acrylics and superabsorbents, dispersions, textile and leather chemicals, industrial chemicals, plastics, polyurethanes, care chemicals, automotive and performance chemicals.

Eason Paint manufactures motorcycle coatings and industrial paints for plastic components, packaging paint coating, and offset printing ink. Main customers are original equipment manufacturers. The company produces paints under foreign licence, through business alliances with patents holders and the company's own know-how obtained through research and development and its manufacturing experience.