Bangkok--Oct 20--PITON Communications
SGS Achieves Industry First with Introduction of Automotive Certification Service in Thailand
Development of Thailand’s Automotive Standard to be the Detroit of Asia
Mr. Yudhana Petchmanee, Systems & Services Certification Manager, SGS (Thailand) Co., Ltd. gave a presentation at the Press Conference held at SGS (Thailand) Co., Ltd. office in Thailand on 19th floor, J-Press II Building, to announce SGS’ achievement as the country’s first inspection and certification company for the automotive industry. This new service as a quality and standard certifying body exists for the sole purpose of improving the quality of automobile manufacturers in Thailand and promoting the development of automotive standards to meet international criteria in order to become the Detroit of Asia.
The automotive industry has grown rapidly and is a prominent industry in Thailand. Investments in automotive manufacturers are increasing each year due the high value-added content of every vehicle made in the Kingdom. High quality standards are necessary for local automobile manufacturers to be further recognized by both domestic and foreign car buyers.
Mr. Yudhana Petchmanee, SSC Manager, SGS (Thailand) Co., Ltd. said, ”SGS has recently launched its new services in certification to ISO/TS 16949 for automotive inspection and testing for automotive manufacturing plants. The services have received a very good response from the manufacturers regarding the compliance with EU regulations and Thai Industrial Standards Institute requirements on product safety and chemical residue testing. The SGS brand is recognized as the world’s and Asia’s benchmark of laboratory standards and has the highest reputation in expertise since it was accredited as Thailand’s first system certification company, receiving the ISO 9000 & ISO 14001 Accreditation Certificate from the National Accreditation Council (NAC)
SGS (Thailand) Co., Ltd., the world’s leading verification, testing and system Certification Company for various enterprises around the globe, assists Processors, Manufacturers, Retailers, and Service Suppliers to manage risk and improve efficiency and aid in protecting and enhancing brand image. SGS services embrace a wide range of accredited certification schemes and training programs. The award of the ISO 9000 & ISO 14001 Accreditation Certificate from the National Accreditation Council (NAC), enables customers of SGS to be assured of SGS’ reliable service system which will be of considerable benefit to manufacturers who receive such certification from the Royal Thai Government Bureau in the near future.“
Currently SGS has ten auditors qualified to certify companies in accordance with ISO/ TS 16949. These auditors are automotive specialists and have extended experience working for carmakers. Mr. Yudhana said, “Although SGS is Thailand’s first and number one company in automotive inspection and certification, the industry in Thailand is less developed than other countries in this region, including Japan, Taiwan, India and Malaysia. Those countries are conscious of the importance of Quality Standard certification, especially related to the automotive industry. The competition for auto parts will heat up over the next two to three years, especially for products certified for Quality Standards ISO/ TS 16949 and ISO14001. Suppliers that conduct business with OEM companies need to be certified with these Quality Standards. Suppliers need to understand just how much importance OEM companies place on these standards as well as customer specification requirements.
By gaining the necessary certifications, suppliers can reduce production costs though a number of processes, including Six Sigma, Value Engineering or Lean Manufacturing. Armed with these strategies, Thai manufacturers have a better chance of surviving price competition in the long run. To date, Thailand’s biggest advantage has been its low labour costs, but we cannot deny that China, with even lower labor costs, will be Thailand’s biggest competitor, if China decides to open a market in auto parts. It is time for us to improve the quality of our products to retain the auto-parts market share we have worked so hard to attain.”
Thailand’s potential to be the Detroit of Asia
The automotive industry is Thailand’s main manufacturing sector. To be the Detroit of Asia, we need to improve and implement several strategies for increasing production volume. The car production volume of Thailand is 750,000 units per annum, compared to the United States with 12.59 million, Japan with 10.47 million, China with 4.37 million and India 1.17 million. Based on these figures, Thailand should count among its main competitors China and India.
“If Thailand aims to be a leader in automobile and auto-parts production in Asia, the government should improve all factors affecting the industry, including export processing, closely controlling the sourcing of goods and free trade agreements. The Government should support the establishment of the Research and Development Centre of Thailand, to reduce costs associated with testing. The Government also should be a knowledge clearinghouse for manufacturers to help them qualify for Quality Standard certifications and in turn better compete in the global market place. This includes supporting technical training for automotive engineers.” said Mr. Yudhana
Automotive Industry Services of SGS
SGS provides inspection services to help automotive enterprises achieve effectiveness in production management. The services covering three sectors which are uniquely positioned to meet each client’s needs are product inspection, analytical testing and system certification. The services are specialized for automotive manufacturers and industry-related entrepreneurs around the world.
Systems & Service Certification
SGS assists Processors, Manufacturers Retailers and Service Suppliers manage risk and improve efficiencies and aids in protecting and enhancing brand image. SGS services embrace a wide range of accredited certification schemes and training programs, including among others ISO9001 (quality), ISO14001 (environment), ISO/TS16949 (automotive), OHSAS18001 (occupational health and safety), other food certification programs.
About SGS (Thailand) Limited
The SGS Group is the global leader and innovator in inspection, verification, testing and certification services. Founded in 1878 SGS is recognized as the global benchmark in quality and integrity. With over 42,000 employees, SGS operates a network of almost 1,000 offices and laboratories around the world.
For more information, please contact:
Patcharee Lae-ya, Wipathip Songwanich
PITON Communications Co., Ltd.
Phone: 0.2612.2211-7
Fax: 0.2612.2319
[email protected]@piton.biz
Chompoonute Nakornthap
SGS (Thailand) Ltd.
Phone: 0.2678.1813 ext. 1702
[email protected] www.sgs.com
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