A distance of thousands of kilometres between the locations of the production and the main office of a company does not mean that you can’t supervise the procedures on the construction site, when you’re not physically present. Webcam and data-transfers between the different sections of the company can ensure the breadth of view of the distant management.
Camera contact
The Danish industrial enterprise Holm Machinery, which produces minor components to industrial production, has ensured themselves the best conditions for a simple overview from the head office north of Copenhagen over their production site outside the city of Udon Thani in the north-eastern part of Thailand,
By webcams installed directly in the construction hall and frequent online contact it is easy to keep track on the output, and to check if that is equivalent to the demands of the clients, without being physical present at the Asian production site all the time.
“Our manager comes out here about four to five times a year so the cameras have made it easier for him to get in touch with the production out here from his office in Denmark. This means he can have an easy overview on the production on a daily basis” says Nantawan Hanprab who is the general manager on Holm Machinery’s factory in Thailand. She likes the frequent contact with the owners because it makes the distant subsidiary feel closer to the rest of the company.
Skilful workers
The production-site has been running for about a year, and so far it is a success. Actually the local workers have impressed their new employers with their technical expertise.
“My new colleges are just as accomplished as Danish machine-operators. The technical education in Thailand is more theoretic than in Denmark, but they are quick to adopt practical skills. Making industrial components requires a great deal of accuracy, one of our biggest customers is FOSS from Hillerød in Denmark, the world’s leading provider of analytical instruments for the agricultural and pharmaceutical industries and that demands high standards of precession of our work ”, says Jørgen Schou, who supervises Holm’s Machinery’s technical production in Udon Thani. It has also been a great experience for him to work in Thailand. Especially now, when the co-workers are getting accustomed to the Danish less hieratical way to run a business – and that’s it is acceptable to joke and laugh with the supervisors.
Close to the family
Where the majority of industrial production is located close to Bangkok the city of Udon Thani is an unorthodox choice for the location of the factory. But according to Nantawan Hanprab, a native of the city herself, it is the best spot Holm’s Machinery could wish for.
Good relations with the fellow Danish owned neighbouring company Styromatic, who provides electronically assistance when needed (and visa versa when the electronic factory has mechanical problems…), a favourable location in a zone three-area, salaries about one third lower than Bangkok-wages and happy workers assures Holm’s Machinery excellent conditions and a high quality in their production, according to the general manager.
“Most of our employees are from Udon Thani, but because of the high unemployment-rate of the region, they used to work in Bangkok only to see their wives and children a few times a month, by working for us they can live with their families in their home city. I think this is the reason why we get numerous of applications from skilled workers each week. Besides, being able to be with the family makes improves the quality of life of our workers, which basically makes them better a resource to us”, says Nantawab Hanprab.
