The current stop of the EMO World Tour is Bangkok. Christoph Miller from the VDW impressed visitors and journalists at the international press conference in the Thai capital. The event was completed by top-class guest speakers from industry and business such as Mr. Nopporn Jirojjaturonn from the JSR Group, Dr. Rolandwein from GTCC and Dr. Katiya Greigarn from the Thai Machinery Association.

Thailand’s industrial sector has high hopes of 2017

Thailand is a classical exporting nation. More than half of its total economic output is sold abroad. Declining levels of demand at the major trading partners, and a sluggish domestic economy, have in the past two years up to the present day ensured a weak development in industrial production output, and thus in machine tool consumption as well. Oxford Economics expects it to fall by more than a fifth in 2016.

Thailand’s government, however, has launched a programme designed to place the industrial sector firmly on the path to higher growth. This is to be achieved by utilising new technologies, changing over to more sophisticated production operations, eco-friendly products, plus more research and development, thus enabling Thai firms to become more internationally competitive. Implementation will focus on areas like industrial robots, medical technology, the aviation industry and cars of the future.

For modernising these areas, high-tech machines are essential. “This is why Thai manufacturers need comprehensive information on new solutions for their production operations,” says Christoph Miller of the VDW. Exhibitors at the EMO Hannover 2017 will include representatives from all important supplier nations for Thailand’s industrial sector. Machine tool manufacturers from more than 40 different countries, including more than 400 from Asia, will there be spotlighting their production technology, ranging from simple, sturdy and affordable to high-priced high-tech. Both stand-alone machines and concatenated systems will be on show,plus transfer lines and large machines, featuring a high degree of automation. “The EMO Hannover will be showcasing plenty of exhibits themed around Industry 4.0 and automation,” says Christoph Miller. “It is the ideal platform not only for big investors,” is Christoph Miller’s explicit message to Thai trade visitors. “We are particularly keen to encourage mid-tier users of machine tools to find out in detail what the world of metalworking has to offer.”

Turnaround is expected

In 2017, investments and machine tool consumption are expected to pick up again. This will be reflected in imports, since Thailand buys almost all the production technology it needs abroad, and with a volume of one billion euros ranks 10^th among the world’s biggest importers of machine tools. The most important supplier nations, together accounting for more than 90 per cent of total deliveries, are the Asian countries of Japan, Taiwan, China and South Korea.

Germany follows in 5^th place, with a share of four per cent. German exports to Thailand are repeatedly subject to fluctuations. Following substantial rises in the years 2012 and 2014, thanks to reconstruction work after the major flooding, deliveries during 2015 stagnated at around 36 million euros. Against the background of weak economic development in Thailand, this can be rated as a success. Deliveries were composed primarily of parts and accessories, plus laser machines. In the first three quarters of 2016, German deliveries decreased once more. Thai orders for German machines, too, have as yet shown no sign of a turnaround. In the year’s first three quarters, demand continued to fall.

Photo: VDW