GPV (Thailand) will in June this year move into a new building across from its existing building within the ABB compound in Bangpoo Industrial Estate Southeast of Bangkok, bringing its total sq.m. of factory and administrative space up to 11,000 sq.m.
GPV will re-locate its current electronic assembly line to the ground floor of the new building, which covers a total of 3,000 sq.m. as well as all the current cabling fitting work and establish one more electronic assembly line.
Come April next year, GPV will further take over another 3,000 q.m on the second floor of the new building, and for future expansion, GPV has obtained an option to rent an additional 6,000 sq.m within the compound.
“Our current staff of 240 people will by year end have grown to 340 people,” says Jack Raunsing, who together with Factory Manager Bjorn Fiskers took ScandAsia on a tour of the current factory and the almost completed new factory.
With the promotion in April of Hans Danielsen, GPV’s C.O.O for the past four years to a new job back in Denmark, a new leader team has now been established.
The members of this group is Factory Manager Bjorn Fiskers, Sales and Adm. Manager Jack Raunsing, Purchasing Manager Suree Niyomsilp, Johnny Drejer in charge of new project development, QA Manager Arnupap Siriphan and Rapeporn Lapayanun in charge of Finance and Accounting.
“” “We have set up this new management team on purpose to have an equal balance of three Danes and three Thais,” explains Bjorn Fiskers, who has been working with GPV (Thailand) for little over a year now. Like all the Danes working for GPV (Thailand) he lives in Ban Suan LaSalle in Sukhumvit Soi 105 where GPV has rented a total of seven apartments not too far from the factory.
Down stairs on the factory floor, things are likewise moving fast for GPV. In March, a new turning machine arrived and in May, another turning machine of a different brand followed. These two new machines makes it possible for GPV to offer turning of products up to 52 mm in diameter as well as increases the general capacity.
In June, two new grinding machines are scheduled to arrive as well as two new bending machines and currently under customs clearing are eight new welding units.
As if this was not enough, two large, fully automatic machines for cutting of holes in metal plates were recently relocated from GPV’s main factory in Tarm in Denmark to the factory in Thailand, followed by a laser cutting machine.
Also the quality control section of the factory has been expanded with a new electronic 3D measuring machine three times the size of the existing.
The intake of so many new machines – before the electronic department has been able to move over into the adjacent new building – gives a rather messy impression of the factory floor. But Bjorn Fiskers and Jack Raunsing assures that everything will soon resume its usual squeaky clean and tidy state.
The expansion of the electronics division moving over into the new building – where also GPV’s reception will be relocated, has been approved for special privileges by the BOI.
“The tax incentives facilitating duty free import of raw materials is of most importance, but also the easing of the work permit procedures for the expatriate staff is a real benefit,” says Jack Raunsing.
As part of GPV (Thailand)’s rapid development as a preferred outsourcing partner for a range of European manufacturers, an increasing number of Thai staff are given the chance to travel overseas to visit the clients, Jack Raunsing explains.
“We want to be involved as early as possible in the plans of our customers. When our technical staff visits them, they are often able to suggest small changes in the design or function of the product, which makes it easier and thereby cheaper for us out here to produce the parts and at the same time will increase the quality of the clients’ final product.”
