Bulletin 1/2011 - Siempelkamp

The first complete Siempelkamp plant
for particleboard supports an ambitious
provider in sustainably conquering a
“hot market” for itself. Metro president
Chatchai Piyasombatkul explains to
Bulletin how the new plant will open
up expansion potentials for the Thai
domes tic market as well as for the export.
What is the history behind Metro?
My father founded Metro in the 1950s.
Back then it was a saw mill for teak wood.
this was followed by the production of
plywood. Later on we produced hardboard
using a wet-manufacturing process. In the
’90s we invested with three Küsters
presses in MDF production. In 2003 we
installed the first Siempelkamp plant for
particleboard. the good relationship to
Siempelkamp presently manifests itself
with the start-up of the new complete
particleboard plant at our location close to
Bangkok.
What does Metro presently
manu-facture?
Metro’s range of products consists of a
total of three areas. the group “Wood
Based Manufacturing” produces a yearly
capacity of approx. 750,000 m³ of MDF as
well as 350,000 m³ of particleboard. With
the new Siempelkamp plant we are increasing
our particleboard production by
another 500,000 m³ to approx. 850,000
m³! Our product range also includes
approx. 6,500,000 m² of melamine-faced
chipboard, as well as hardboard and
plywood. Furthermore, we are also producing
laminate flooring, doors, and veneer
plywood as added value products.
In connection with our “Special Units”
group, we have to mention our own
rubber tree and eucalyptus plantations. In
the future we will increasingly invest in
contract farming of plantation wood in
order to avoid and absorb respectively
bottlenecks regarding the wood supply.
Furthermore, we are operating the group
“Real Estates” including the divisions
service apartments, office buildings, land
development and hotel & resort. From the
profits of the wood industry we have made
investments which will secure our group in
times of crisis.
Where are Metro’s production locations?
Our particleboard production is located in
the nonthaburi province, outside of Bang-
SieMpelkaMp | MACHInERy AnD PLAntS
Siempelkamp support
for a “hot market”
Interview with Chatchai Piyasombatkul, President of Metro-Ply
kok. Our MDF location Kanchanaburi is
approx. 100 km away from Bangkok. Both
locations are very close to our capital,
a megacity with a growing demand for
furniture.
Regarding the demand – where do
you distribute your products?
In the domestic market we supply the furniture
industry and the retail market. An even
stronger growth than our domestic business
has presently the export which is due to the
exchange rate. Exports go everywhere – of
course, excluding raw boards.
What is your strategy by expanding
the particleboard production with a
new plant?
As a key supplier of the region, Metro has
the trust and demand of an existing customer
base. We want to keep it that way.
Since Metro was so far only operating one
particleboard plant, we were always
facing the risk of bottlenecks arising from
unpredictable production stops. the new
plant supports us in avoiding just that und
ensures that we can be a reliable supplier
to our customers.