Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously opened Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd’s third assembly plant, the Ban Pho Plant, as Mr. Akio Toyoda, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Corporation, Mr.Akira Okabe, Senior Managing Director of Toyota Motor Corporation, Mr. Mitsuhiro Sonoda, President of Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd., along with other Toyota’s top executives, were present to welcome Her Royal Highness’s arrival.
Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd., (TMT) has been doing business in Thailand since 1962, and its business has continued to grow. TMT is a leading Toyota company in the Asia-Pacific region and among Toyota affiliates throughout the world, with two major assembly plants–the Samrong assembly plant in Samutprakan province and the Gateway assembly plant in Chachoengsao Province. These two plants produce passenger cars, pickup trucks and multipurpose vehicles that have captured the hearts of Thai customers and customers around the world. During the past five years, Toyota Motor Thailand has grown rapidly, along with the growth of the Thai economy. The total production for both domestic and export sales in 2002 was 140,151 units, and has risen to more than 469,000 units in 2006.
To meet customers’ demand for automobiles, Toyota Motor Corporation, and Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd., decided to invest in another new assembly plant in Thailand, which is located on a 1,500 rai plot of land in the Ban Pho district of Chachoengsao Province. This was in response to increased demand of customers throughout the world.
Mr. Akio Toyoda, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Corporation, said, “We are proud to grow with Thai society and have the opportunity to contribute to the industrial and economic vitality in this friendly and promising nation. It is a showcase of the latest advances in ensuring safety, energy conservation, and in protecting the environment, as well as in maximizing quality and productivity”
Mr. Mitsuhiro Sonoda, President of Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd, said,
“Our mission for the Ban Pho Plant is to enhance all production management to be the Globally competitive plant in the areas of Safety, Environment, Quality, and Productivity, recognizing our social responsibility in this district and to Thai society.”
Mr. Suparat Sirisuwannangkura, Senior Vice President of Thailand Co., Ltd, said “The Ban Pho Plant is the third Toyota assembly plant in Thailand. It launched its production line on the 12th of January 2007, and has a production capacity in the initial stage of 100,000 units per year. The plant will assemble Hilux pickup trucks for both the domestic and export markets. This is a plant that gives great importance to the environment. It has introduced the use of environmental technology combined with state-of-the-art production technology. One could say that the Ban Pho Plant is one of the most modern plants in Asia.”
A Complete Ecological Factory
• Energy Conservative Management: The Ban Pho Plant is the first automotive factory in Thailand which installed a Co-Generator for electricity generation. This Co-generator uses natural gas as its fuel. A Solar System was installed at the administration office building to generate electricity that is used in the building. Both systems can reduce Carbon dioxide emissions by more than 8,500 tons per year. For the production section, stamping and welding processes are installed with Servo-Motors and Servo-Robots, which saves energy, increases quality, and reduces spatter and fumes from the welding process.
• Air Pollution Management: The Ban Pho Plant has introduced Hi-Technology machinery to reduce the environmental impact and natural resource usage by utilizing Water-borne Paint, which can provide higher quality than solvent-based paint, and reduce Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions. In addition, the Ban Pho Plant has installed highly efficient robots for the painting process to increase quality of paint and efficiency. Moreover, the Ban Pho Plant has installed Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer Incinerators (RTO Incinerator) to reduce air pollution that is discharged into the atmosphere.
• Wastes Management; Currently, more than 80% of TMT’ s waste can be recycled. TMT has continually reduced waste every year, and since the Ban Pho Plant has started it operations, a “Zero landfill” policy has been implemented. For waste minimization, the Ban Pho Plant can reduce volumes of wastewater sludge by using Filter Press Machines and also utilizes sunlight for sludge drying at its sludge farm.
• Water Pollution Management : The Ban Pho Plant has a standard wastewater treatment plant for wastewater treatment. The operation is divided into two processes which include the Chemical Treatment Process and Biological Treatment Process. Discharged water is controlled by internal standards, which are 20% stricter than government standards. Another activity for reduce water usage is the installation of a water recycling system to recycle treated water. TMT continuously monitors water quality by use of a COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) Online system, which operates 24 hours per day. For other parameters, TMT determines and analyzes the results by use of a government certified laboratory.
Apart from being environmentally responsible, Toyota, is a good organization for society, and has continuously promoted social activities, both at the community level and at the national level. “The Ban Pho Plant will stimulate the country’s economy as a result of the investment and the exports of automobiles to foreign countries, all of which are good for the overall economy of the country. At the same time, TMT pays close attention to, and is responsible for, the community. For instance, we provide support for good, clean water resources for utility and consumption, and we also support other public activities for Buddhist temples, schools, and the tambon administration organizations in Chachoengsao Province,” said Mr. Suparat.
“On this auspicious occasion of the opening of the Ban Pho Plant, during which Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has presided over, has brought great joy and happiness to all Toyota executives and employees, and it makes us proud to have built this plant as an ecological factory, which is going to be another important step forward for the automobile industry in Thailand in the development of its production potential, along with its responsibility for the environment,” Mr. Suparat concluded.
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Outline of Toyota Ban Pho Plant
Name Toyota Ban Pho Plant
Location Chachoeng Province
Officially Opened March 13, 2007
Area 760,000 Square meters
Production capacity 100,000 units / year
Product Hilux
Investment 15 Billion baht
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