Thai Siam Cement Group eyes expanding PHL operations

Thai conglomerate Siam Cement Group (SCG) is mulling over its Philippine operations, with a view to expanding a factory for building materials and an industrial plantation for its paper business.

 

"We are confident of the country's growth, and this will translate to investments," 

SCG Paper PLC president Roongrote Rangsiyopash told reporters in a briefing in Makati City over the weekend.

 

SCG says it looks forward to new opportunities where it can strengthen its mark in the Philippines, especially with the upcoming ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) integration in 2015.

 

"I would imagine that whatever we do here, we would hope that it would serve the ASEAN market," Rangsiyopash said.

 

SCG international business director Surasak Kraiwitchaicharoen said they are currently in the midst of a study to build a building materials factory – fiber cement boards, smart boards and ceramic tiles – in the Philippines.

 

"We're doing a market study first, if the market is ready for all these improvements, then we will look into it," he said, declining to reply to follow up questions by reporters.

 

For example, Kraiwitchaicharoen said they need source five million square meter of fiber cement board.

 

Currently, the Philippine demand for fiber cement board is 30 million square meters supplied by different companies.

 

SCG is also looking to put up a plantation for its pulp and paper business, which is also part of the study, said Rangsiyopash.

 

"We'd like to look at that. The demand is strong... We hope to use this as a stepping stone to increase the quantity and for the quality of our production," he added. 

 

He noted that in a recent meeting with Philippine government officials the group was being encouraged group to put a plantation for industrial business.

 

"We are looking at the conditions of growth. We have to look at what is the best species and whether that species is grown here... We also have to look at models," Rangsiyopash said.

 

In Thailand, the land for pulp plantation are owned by families and SCG provides the saplings as well as education and support for a successful venture.

 

"We have to study what's working here and what's not," Rangsiyopash said.

 

SCG has been in the Philippines since 1993 through its seven subsidiaries: United Pulp and Paper Company Inc., SCG Trading Philippines Inc., Green Siam Resources Inc., Green Alternative Technology Specialist Inc., SCG Marketing Philippines Inc., CPAC Monier Philippines Inc., and Mariwasa Siam Ceramics Inc. – VS, GMA News