Could you introduce yourself to our international audience?

At Buckman, I look after both sales and operations - sourcing, supply chain, and customer services - for Southeast Asia. While in the past, we were organized by business units, last year we regionalized the structure to be closer to our customers. I am the country manager for Southeast Asia, covering Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Buckman has been present in Thailand since 2007. Could you give us an overview of the company’s current footprint and capabilities, not only in Thailand but also in Southeast Asia?

Over the past 15 years, Buckman has mostly focused on the pulp & paper and leather industries, having grown steadily at a rate of 7-10% every year. Currently, we have manufacturing facilities in Singapore and India, and we plan to invest in Thailand via a contract manufacturing partner to localize our production footprint. This project should be concretized by the end of this year. In terms of our workforce, we have 12 associates to support the customer in Southeast Asia. The pandemic has accelerated growth in the paper sector, due to the increased use of packaging for deliveries of food and other goods. Thailand is also a top-five player in the sugar industry, which provides an opportunity to develop the ethanol value chain. Lastly, investments in data centers around the region are driving demand for the water treatment sector.

How are digital technologies complementing your chemical solutions?

Buckman is known for very strong chemistry. Digitalization is helping us accomplish our tagline vision of “Chemistry, Connected,” because digital tools bridge chemistry with expertise. At our facility in Chennai, India, we have been developing solutions that enable our customers to predict issues before they occur. These technologies will next be brought into Thailand and rolled out in the SEA markets. We have already started to do market surveys and working with some potential partners and customers to introduce these solutions in the Thai market.

What are the main characteristics of the Thai market and what recommends the country as a destination for chemical investors?

As part of the government’s 20 years strategy to achieve high-income status by 2036, something referred to as Thailand 4.0, the government has prioritized investments in 12 priority sectors like automation and robotics, aviation and logistics, biofuels and biochemicals, as well as digital, EVs, life sciences, and renewables. This is the next wave of development after Thailand established a solid base in heavy industries like petrochemicals, steel mills, and power plants, more than two decades ago. Within this strategy, Thailand is looking to develop the Eastern Economic Corridor. Thailand is recommended by superior logistics infrastructure compared to Vietnam, the Philippines, or Indonesia, as well as good healthcare facilities, which this has led to a rise in medical tourism from neighboring countries, and a very robust tourism sector, with more than 40 million people visiting Thailand every year.