UPDATE Q2/2019: E-Commerce & Data Security

2/2019 http://thailand.ahk.de

T H E M AG A Z I N E O F T H E G E R M A N - T H A I C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E

E-COMMERCE & DATA SECURITY Thailand strives for data security

PREMIUM PARTNER 2019

Interview: Digitalisation and e-commerce proving successful for Würth

GTCC Ordinary General Meeting 2019 ANNUAL PARTNER 2019

FROM THE EDITOR Dear readers, Thailand’s e-commerce grew 14 per cent in 2018 with a value of about 3.2 trillion baht, the highest growth rate in ASEAN. It is projected to grow 20 per cent this year, according to the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA). The business-to-business (B2B) sector has been growing strongly, with an increase of about 13.6 per cent in 2018, while business-to-government (B2G) e-commerce was the best performer last year, rising by 15.5 per cent.

The significant growth in e-commerce is mainly the result of the Thai government’s efforts to enhance the development of “Thailand 4.0”, a digital economy and a cashless society. E-commerce is also one of the activities under the Digital Technology Industry, promoted by the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI).

Many German companies, including Häfele and Würth, see a high growth potential for Thailand’s e-commerce market. Häfele (Thailand) will invest 700 million baht this year in building a new warehouse, renovating its showroom and upgrading the IT systems. It is also ready to launch the new online shop with a product range focusing on business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce in the second quarter. Würth, which has been online in the Thai market since 2016, has started to pick up and gain an increasing number of B2B sales. Major Thai companies are making purchases through Würth’s most important e-commerce tool, “e-shop”.

One of the key factors in sustaining e-commerce growth is data security. The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which took effect in May 2018, is driving companies to rethink their business strategies, especially in doing businesses with companies in the EU. The GDPR has a big impact on Thailand’s e-commerce, as the online activities involve cross-border flows of information and privacy. Protecting individuals’ personal data is crucial to maintaining company reputation, the trust of customers, and the growth of e-commerce and other data-driven businesses in Thailand. Moreover, businesses violating the GDPR will be fined up to 4 per cent of their annual global revenue, or 20 million euros.

The Thai government is also working on addressing data privacy and data security concerns. The Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) was endorsed by the National Legislative Assembly on 28 February 2019. The PDPA is ready for royal endorsement and subsequent publication in the Government Gazette, with a grace period of one year after the announcement in the Gazette.

I trust you will enjoy an interesting and informative read.

Dr. Roland Wein

UPDATE is published quarterly by the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce and distributed free of charge to members and qualified non-members in Thailand and abroad.

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Dr. Roland Wein

Subscription is also available at an annual rate of US$75 (airmail). Payment can be made in cash or by cheque to the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce, 14Fl., AIA Sathorn Tower, 11/1 South Sathorn Rd., Bangkok 10120, Thailand. Tel.: +66 2 055 0600. Fax: +66 2 055 0601. info@gtcc.org.

Editor & Communications Director: Chadaphan Maliphan

Any opinions expressed in articles in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the Chamber.

UPDATE welcomes story and photo contributions from members and non-members alike. Ar ticles may be reproduced with acknowledgement, except for those taken from other sources.

Circulation per issue : 1,000

Advertising Director: Ganya Aparaks Design & Layout: Sorapol Liengboonlertchai Sub-Editor: Tony Oliver

CONTENTS

06

Thailand strives for data security

15 AHK APC Meeting 2019

18 GTCC Young Professionals Network Evening

21 GTCC Ordinary General Meeting 2019

29 Ministry of Education and Research of Germany delegation visit

E-COMMERCE & DATA SECURITY

GTDEE INSIGHT

08 Perspectives on cybersecurity in an increasingly

25 GTCC certificate presentation ceremony

digital world

10 Impact of data security requirements under

GDPR and draft E-commerce Bill

12 Interview: Digitalisation and e-commerce proving

successful for Würth

CHAMBER ACTIVITIES 16 The first anniversary of GTCC Business Women

Networking event

19 Site visits to Asia Clean Industrial Park, Bosch

Automotive Technologies

26 Inspirational talk on adversity quotient

BUSINESS BRIEFS 31 Häfele introduces new online shopping website

MEMBERS’ CORNER 32 GTCC Member Speed Networking 33 New GTCC members

TRADE FAIRS

20 GTCC delegation trip to Germany

37 transport logistic

22 Thailand Economic Outlook 2019

39 it-sa

“Innovative Products from Industrial Waste”

38 CE China 40 PTC Asia

06 E-COMMERCE & DATA SECURITY

Thailand strives for data security E-commerce needs more legal protection Dr. Waldemar Duscha

Thailand is digitising — a move that requires more data protection and Internet security. With that in mind, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry is drafting four bills aimed at increasing confidence in online shopping and e-payment, which are to be passed by the newly-elected government in the second half of 2018. They are the Cyber Security Act, the Data Protection Law, the Electronic Transaction Law and an additional law for the already existing Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA). Cyber security and data protection need to be applied alongside big data analysis of the three critical components for the efficiency of digital economic policy.

To support the digital society, the government has decided to establish two new agencies in 2019. A Data Protection Agency will protect the privacy of data and deal with illegal data piracy. Furthermore a National Cyber Security Agency is planned as a communication centre and data hub for Internet security.

Digital awakening with risks

With re gard to the d e ve lo pm ent of professional qualifications, Cisco was obliged to train around 1,000 experts and security staff together with ETDA. The IT, networking, and cybersecurity solutions firm Cisco also wants to impart knowledge and know-how to the Thailand Computer Emergency Response Team (ThaiCERT) as the official contact point for security incidents in the local Internet community. The Cisco Talos Intelligence Group wants to provide direct support in cyber security.

Accelerated digitization is a focus of the new development strategy, “Thailand 4.0”, in combination with 10 “S-Curve” industries. Thailand’s profile as a regional hub for manufacturing and distribution is also growing, with the potential for re-expor ts by major investors to ASEAN, especially the neighbouring countries of Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar and Vietnam. However, expansion and regionalization also entail growing risks of data loss or misuse.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), introduced by Brussels in March 2018, also has implications. International legal experts recommend that Thailand, as the third-largest trading partner of the European Union in ASEAN, needs to quickly adapt to the European standard. If customers from the European Union are involved, Thai companies also face considerable financial penalties. Even more fundamentally, the professional service firm KPMG recommends using compliance in the area of data as a competitive advantage. Larger companies such as Thai Airways International or the mobile phone services provider DTAC are already taking compliant measures.

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High dynamic in e-commerce Electronic commerce is expected to have grown by 8.5 per cent in 2018 to almost

E-COMMERCE & DATA SECURITY 07

US$ 93 billion, almost quadrupling in just half a decade. This result is based on ETDA collection of data from about half a million e-commerce entrepreneurs in goods production, trade, transport, hospitality, ICT, insurance, art, entertainment and other services. Above all, wholesale and retail trading is booming online, with an increase of 18 per cent from the previous year and a 34 per cent share of the total electronic commerce, followed by the hospitality industry with 23 per cent, and goods production with 14 per cent.

The most popular products among private buyers are computers, fashion, accessories, cosmetics and beauty ar ticles. According to ETDA, the most impor tant drivers are the Internet, the growing involvement of major Asian suppliers as well as government support for small and medium enterprises (or SMEs), which also benefits scattered communities and remote areas.

As ever ywhere in Asia, it is mostly the younger Thai generation that is showing growing enthusiasm for online shopping. From an economic point of view, the two most important factors are likely to be fiercer price competition and the increasing speed of mobile networks.

The nationwide expansion of 4G wireless technology is expected to accelerate market penetration, while 5G promises another big leap in 2020.

The increasing variety of channels and tools with which service providers encourage end-customers and sellers to carry out transactions is also extremely important for future dynamics. The new online strategies focus on social media and premium services such as e-mail marketing, social marketing and short message marketing. The most popular Thai social platforms are YouTube, Facebook, Line, Instagram, Pantip, Twitter and WhatsApp. Online advertising, product information and promotions are most in demand in the search engines.

Internet penetration at 83 per cent With a population of 69 million inhabitants and 57 million Internet users, Thailand has an outstanding penetration rate by regional standards. A total of 56 million Thais use mobile devices, with social media platforms accounting for 51 million users. A total of 28,304 websites were registered with the Department of Business Development (DBD) in 2017, which was

“Electronic commerce is expected to have grown by 8.5 per cent in 2018 to almost US$ 93 billion, almost quadrupling in just half a decade.” about one-third more than in the previous year.

According to the Ministr y of Commerce, the Government of Thailand’s B2B website “Thaitrade.com” is to be scaled up to become the national e-commerce platform. This is part of the plans for turning Thailand into an e-commerce hub for the region. From its status as a cross-border platform for exporters of SME products, it is planned to make the platform an online business gateway with the full features of B2B, B2C and B2B2C transactions. Within this process, the “Thaitrade shop” has already been introduced and features of a connection point for e-commerce , e-mar ketplace , e-payment and e-logistics.

Contact details: Dr. Waldemar Duscha Representative in Thailand Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI) www.gtai.de/thailand www.gtai.de/asien-pazifik

www.thailand.ahk.de

08 E-COMMERCE & DATA SECURITY

Perspectives on cybersecurity in an increasingly digital world Urmez Daver

With the rise in sophistication and persistence of cyberattacks, our increasingly connected digital wor lds look to build cyber r isk management strategies for a resilient business environment.

To safeguard and protect business assets effectively, some perspectives on what we believe are shaping cybersecurity programs across industries.

Perspective 1: A rising global tide of cyber regulation is increasing the price of privacy Data protection is a critical concern in an increasingly digital world and May 25, 2018 was a turning point in Europe. It marked the end of the transitional period before the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) became enforceable by law. This is disrupting data governance and how information is protected for any organisation controlling or processing the personal data of EU citizens, and leads a growing list of emerging data protection regulations around the globe.

Failure to comply with the EU GDPR could result in fines of up to 4% of global turnover — a significant risk that demands attention.

Perspective 2: The Internet of Things is driving the convergence of safety, cybersecurity and data privacy Recent cybersecurity attacks has demonstrated that Internet of Things (IoT) devices can be

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effectively weaponised as botnets. The risk of it, or something even worse, happening again is increasing as the number of IoT devices proliferates. According to IoT Analytics, there are already well over 7 billion connected IoT devices worldwide, and that figure will pass the 10 billion mark by the end of 2020.

Product development, time-to market considerations, and technical power constraints are leaving IoT devices exposed to exploitation through critical vulnerabilities.

The impact of data breaches now extends far beyond simple data monetisation to ‘kinetic’ threats to health and safety, as devices and systems are directly connected to open networks. It is widely accepted that the state of IoT security is poor. And with over 500 connected devices expected to cohabit with us in our homes by 2022, this represents a major risk to safety, cybersecurity, and data privacy.

Perspective 3: Operational Technology emerges as a frontline for cyberattacks The industrial internet is already transforming global industry and infrastructure, promising greater, efficiency, productivity and safety. To compete means to move process equipment online, often unwittingly exposing component vulnerabilities to cyberattack. Manufacturing plants are targeted to obtain intellectual proper ty, trade secrets, and engineering information. While attacks on public infrastructure is motivated by financial gain,

hacktivism, and national state agendas. Fear of a ‘worst-case scenario’, where attackers trigger a breakdown in systems that underpin society, was highlighted at the World Economic Forum. Industrial systems are particularly susceptible to supply-chain attacks, adversaries have recognised this, and begun to target them.

Perspective 4: With cyber defences in place, focus is shifting to threat detection and response Cyberattacks on high-profile organisations are proving that preventative controls alone are not enough to combat sophisticated and persistent cybercriminals. Today, it takes organisations an average of 191 days to detect a data breach. The longer it takes to spot and respond to threats, the greater the financial and reputational damage caused by the incident. Due to the vast growth of security log data, limitations of incumbent technologies, ineffective use of threat intelligence, the inability to monitor IoT devices, and a shor tage of cybersecurity talent, organisations are exposed to costly dwell times.

Perspective 5: Increasing use of artificial intelligence for cyberattacks and cyber defence As organisations undergo digital transformation, the number of sophisticated and persistent cyberattacks is growing. Malware is becoming

E-COMMERCE & DATA SECURITY 09

smarter, and able to ‘intelligently’ adapt to and evade traditional detection and eradication measures. With a global shor tage of cybersecurity talent, organisations are losing out in the cyber arms race. The volume of security data now far exceeds our legacy capability to use it effectively, leading to a growing number of AI-enabled cybersecurity use cases: accelerating incident detection and response; better identifying and communicating risks to the business; providing a unified view of security status across the organisation.

Perspective 6: Certifications becoming necessar y to inject trust into cybersecurity It is broadly accepted that cybersecurity and data protection are of critical importance in an increasingly digital world. But how can you judge the effectiveness of an organisation’s cybersecurity posture? There is a growing concern for trust in cybersecurity, evidenced by existing and emerging standards. For CISOs and product manufacturers alike, certification validates that you have done what you say you have done. Today, however, product security assurance cer tification schemes tend to focus only on the critical infrastructure and government sectors.

Manufacturers of consumer products and industrial equipment will look for certification scheme to help them demonstrate some level of cyber assurance.

Perspective 7: Passwords being replaced by biometric authentication Our digital lives are ruled by a complex web of online apps, each requiring a username and password to control access. To protect the data behind these apps, selecting an obscure and complex password, and changing it often, is good practice, but also quite rare. With exponential improvements in computing power, and easy access to plenty of it in the cloud, the time it takes to “brute force” a password is shrinking rapidly. What took nearly 4 years in 2000, now takes only 2 months.

And stolen, hacked or traded passwords have never been so openly available. As a result, it is increasingly commonplace to encounter biometric authentication (facial, fingerprint, iris and voice) included in everyday mobiles, tablets and laptop devices, as well as physical access and online ser vices.

“ Recent cyberattacks on high-profile organisations are proving that preventative controls alone are not enough against sophisticated and persistent cybercriminals.”

Perspective 8: Industries under siege: healthcare, finance, and energy The majority of cyberattacks are undertaken by criminal organisations who are motivated by money. The value of information on the dark web depends on demand for the data, the available supply, its completeness, and ability for reuse. As a result, healthcare and personal financial information are highly sought after. Depending on how complete they are, medical records can fetch between US$1 and US$1,000, while credit cards may fetch only $5-$30 dollars, if bundled with the information necessar y to do immediate damage. Other cyberattacks have more political and nation state motives.

In summary, organizations continue to build vast interconnected technology and digital ecosystem that demand new cybersecurity and risk management strategies to enhance

resilience and safety of their business operations. In the past clients have invested in maturing Cybersecurity posture around their IT infrastr ucture and enterprise applications focusing on getting visibility and control. Operational Technology (OT), which sit at the heart of industrial systems, is very rapidly becoming a critical dimension of a cybersecurity risk management program to maintain a safe, secure and reliable operating environment, where our heritage from the functional safety world combined now with cybersecurity is more relevant than ever.

Contact details: Urmez Daver Vice President – Cybersecurity Consulting TÜV Rheinland Tel: +65 6562 8750 Urmez.Daver@tuv.com www.tuv.com

A recently released study Industrial Security in 2019: A TÜV Rheinland Perspective - surveying how industrial organizations protect their operational technology (OT) assets from cyberattacks shows lack of concern toward OT cybersecurity which was evident with 40 percent of respondents stating that they had never assessed the risks posed by cyberattacks on their operational technology. A further 34 percent were not aware of the extent to which these risks were investigated. In addition, only one in five companies has tailored its measures for cybersecurity to operational technology.

www.thailand.ahk.de

10 E-COMMERCE & DATA SECURITY

Impact of data security requirements under GDPR and draft E-commerce Bill Dhiraphol Suwanprateep and Kritiyanee Buranatrevedhya Protecting individuals’ personal data is crucial to the long-term reputation, viability, and growth of e-commerce platforms and other data-driven businesses in Thailand. However, given how quickly the online ecosystem has changed over the past few years, let alone the past decade, laws must keep up with technological changes to ensure such protection. Even where adequate privacy laws have recently been enacted in certain jurisdictions, there are often practical hurdles to compliance, especially in the case of the frequent cross-border transfers of personal data between various countries.

As a result, consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about the security of personal data that they provide to organisations. Ultimately, therefore, those organisations willing to plan for and prioritize security of consumers’ personal data are most likely to earn and keep the trust of customers.

In recent years, a number of high-profile data breach incidents have made headlines, which have involved theft of financial information and ransomware attacks against hospitals,

UPDATE 2/2019

financial institutions, airpor ts and other entities in possession of large quantities of consumer data. Collectively, these incidents have led to much greater consumer awareness concerning data security.

Many governments have recognised the importance of this issue and are already working on the inclusion of data security provisions in the relevant laws. At the global level, one of the strongest and most comprehensive data protection regulations is the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into full effect in May 2018. E-commerce businesses in Thailand, even those operating entirely outside of the European Union, can be subject to the GDPR if their processing activities are related to: (a) the offering of goods or services to data subjects within the European Union (even if free); or (b) the monitoring of data subjects’ behaviour, so long as such behaviour takes place within the European Union.

If subject to the GDPR, e-commerce businesses acting as data controllers must implement appropriate technical and

organisational security measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risks for data subjects. The GDPR also sets out some examples of technical measures that should be implemented where appropriate (e.g., pseudonymity and encryption).

Under the GDPR, if a personal data breach occur s, the controller must notify the competent super visor y authority of the breach within 72 hours of discovery as well as the data subjects themselves if the breach is likely to result in a high risk to such data subjects’ rights and freedoms. Violations of these data security provisions can be up to 2 percent of their total global annual turnover of the preceding financial year, or 10 million Euros, whichever is greater. The threat of these penalties has already motivated businesses to plan for compliance, and will continue to do so.

At the local level, the Government of Thailand is working to address data privacy and security concerns as one component of the Thailand 4.0 plan to grow the country’s digital economy. The Personal Data Protection Bill (PDPB) is in the process of enactment.

E-COMMERCE & DATA SECURITY 11

Similar to the GDPR, there are certain data security requirements under the most recent version of the PDPB. As a prime example, a data controller is required to prepare a security system in order to provide appropriate security measures to prevent loss, access to, use, modification or disclosure of personal data without authorization or in a wrongful manner.

If a breach occurs, under the PDPB the data controller is required to immediately notify the data subject. In addition, if a breach concerns a number of data subjects in excess of a threshold to be prescribed by the Data Protection Committee, the data controller must, without delay, notify the Committee of the breach incident and the remedial measures taken in response. Violations of the

“ …the Government of Thailand is working to address data privacy and security concerns as one component of the Thailand 4.0 plan to grow the country’s digital economy. The Personal Data Protection Bill (PDPB) is in the process of enactment.”

PDPB may result in civil, criminal and/or administrative penalties.

The impact of the GDPR and the draft PDPB on online businesses in Thailand, including e-commerce retailers, will be significant.

However, such impact can be positive both for retailers and consumers if compliance is planned wisely. Working to build trust around

Contact details Dhiraphol Suwanprateep Partner Baker Mckenzie Ltd. Tel: +66 2 636 2000 ext. 4950 Dhiraphol.Suwanprateep@bakermckenzie.com

E-commerce as well as electronic banking, cloud storage of important data and many related services is essential to Thailand’s evolution towards a thriving digital economy.

Ultimately, at a time when consumers are more concerned about the security of their data than ever before, prioritizing consumer trust is crucial to building long-lasting customer relationships.

Kritiyanee Buranatrevedhya Lawyer Baker Mckenzie Ltd. Tel: +66 2 636 2000 ext. 4591 Kritiyanee.Buranatrevedhya@bakermckenzie.com

www.thailand.ahk.de

12 INTERVIEW

Digitalisation and e-commerce proving successful for Würth

Dr. Andreas Sturm, Managing Director of Würth (Thailand) Co., Ltd. and Simon Campostrini, Division Manager – Industry E-commerce is an ever-expanding, fastgrowing industry in the current era of digital technologies, which is changing many business paradigms. For example, industrial, manufacturing and business-tobusiness (B2B) companies are having to adapt themselves to the e-commerce revolution. Würth (Thailand), established in 1990, is one such company that systematically utilises the e-commerce platform for opening up new business opportunities and adjusts its traditional salesforce.

The German-Thai Chamber of Commerce was pleased to meet with Dr. Andreas Sturm, Managing Director of Würth (Thailand) Co., Ltd. and Mr. Simon Campostrini, Division Manager – Industry, to discuss the influence of digitalisation and e-commerce on Würth (Thailand)’s business activities, products and services with the focus on its B2B commerce.

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What are the opportunities and threats of the current trend of digitalisation for Würth?

In which context does digitalisation help enhance your company?

Dr. Sturm: Würth Group has traditionally provided craftsmen, “Handwerker”, with all kind of products they need to build, repair, maintain and clean. By definition, we were a pure direct sales company for high-quality assembly and fastening materials exclusively for B2B customers since the foundation of the company in 1945. However, following the first “dot com bubble”, Würth realised early that the future market requirements would be different. We moved away from the traditional single channel of a direct sales company to a multi-channel organisation and invested heavily in what is now called digitalisation.

Nowadays, all sales channels not only have to adapt; each of them must be specialised and still be interconnected with each other. In this regard, Würth is ahead of competitors in the B2B commerce sector. Digitalisation is not a challenge — it is an opportunity for us to raise our profile within the industry and gain more customers.

What changes have occurred in your company due to digital disruption?

Mr. Campostrini: Twenty years ago, sales representatives with catalogues and samples drove from one customer to the next. Although this still exists and is part of our business, more than 55 per cent of our B2B sales is done “in systems” — a multi-channel sales approach, including digitalisation.

Nowadays, e-shops are used instead of catalogues. We offer more than 300,000 items and we have coded more than one million items into our SAP system. It is impossible to know everything about every item. Therefore, as a first step, our sales representatives familiarise

INTERVIEW 13

themselves with the customers’ business, to understand what they need. Screening the e-shop/SAP, our sales representatives find the right technological and commercial solution, in terms of pricing, etc., for the customer. Then they can offer customers exactly what they need. We also have colleagues in Europe and Asia who support our sales representatives when our customers have technical questions.

Dr. Sturm: Sales representatives are not replaced by e-commerce or e-shops; rather, their role has changed. When we started to use online catalogues and e-shops in Germany 15 years ago, we expected to reduce the number of sales representatives.

However, we still employ the same number of sales representatives.

Today, their roles have changed to be more consultative and they need a basic understanding of supply chain management, especially for C-parts. They now discuss how to guarantee products and stocks, how to cut down the number of suppliers, how to prevent overstock and how Würth can help to achieve this. That’s where digitalisation comes in. The purchase price matters less and customers increasingly want to know the total costs of getting an item into the production line. For example, the pure purchase price of a screw is only a small fraction of the total procurement cost.

In Thailand, customers are gradually becoming aware of the advantages of digitalisation.

In a fully digitalised supply chain everything is done automatically, which cuts costs.

Therefore, companies need to digitalise in order to be competitive in the world market. This is a great opportunity for us to become popular in Thailand and for our Thai customers to become highly productive.

“ In Thailand, customers are gradually becoming aware of the advantages of digitalisation. In a fully digitalised supply chain everything is done automatically, which cuts costs. Therefore, companies need to digitalise in order to be competitive in the world market. This is a great opportunity for us to become popular in Thailand and for our Thai customers to become highly productive.”

It started slower than we expected, although pure B2B transactions always take longer to start. Now we have an increasing number of customers, international companies and big Thai companies, purchasing through our e-shop.

as quick as the customer is getting used to it. Würth now has 500 shops in Germany and our target is to open 1,000 in the next five years. For Thailand, right now we want to focus on our e-shop and we need more industrial customers.

How is the growth of Würth (Thailand)’s online shop compared to the conventional sales through sales representatives/actual stores?

Which of the Würth e-commerce tools (e.g., Würth Industry Services online platform, scanner-based ordering systems, e-shop, electronic catalogue management) are you distributing in Thailand?

Dr. Sturm: Direct sales are still based on human interactions and some customers still prefer paper catalogues simply because it is handy. When you are covered in oil you do not want to touch an iPad, so I guess that the paper catalogue will be available for the foreseeable future. Maybe this will change as the younger generations grow up with new technologies and digitalisation. In the future, we want our customer to get their Würth products everywhere — 24 hours, seven days per week and 365 days a year in a short amount of time — in other words,

Dr. Sturm: We have all of them in Thailand.

Customers can log onto our online platform and place their orders. A further step is to connect our SAP-based system to the customers’ EIP (enterprise information por tal). This is also done in Thailand.

Furthermore, we have introduced payment via QR code, which is printed on invoices.

Our sales representatives can process sales orders and check stock via a Würth app; e.g., during meetings with customers they can already upload information to our system

Würth (Thailand) was established nearly 30 years ago. When did you start being active in e-commerce and what are your main e-commerce activities in Thailand?

Dr. Sturm: Our most important e-commerce tool is our e-shop; it’s the same shop in format and design everywhere around the world. We adapted it to the Thai market and went online in 2016. Our e-commerce activities have just started to pick up. So far, dealings via e-commerce have been small.

www.thailand.ahk.de

14 INTERVIEW

“promotion country”, we offer coupons and special discounts.

How has Europe’s data protection policy affected your company’s business activities?

and our warehouse can start processing the order right away.

Are there any new tools that you are planning to introduce to Thailand?

Mr. Campostrini: The vending machines solution, ORSY®mat, will be introduced to Thailand this year. It does not sell soft drinks, it distributes items like safety gloves and goggles. Basically, anything that is regularly used. Traditionally, an employee from the production line walks to the warehouse, fills in a form, which is approved by a manager who puts the item’s number and quantity into the system. Then the employee receives the item and goes back to the production line.

This process costs time and money, amounting to more than the actual price of the item. Our vending machines accelerate this process. They can be put inside the production line and each user, with their key card, can access the machine and receive items for which they are authorised. The machine tracks the amount and frequency of the taken items and sends the information to the customer’s controlling department, where the monthly costs can be easily calculated.

The ORSY® mat solutions therefore reduces time and costs for the customer.

W h a t i s t h e i d e a b e h i n d W ü r t h ’s e-commerce solution CPS CONNECT? Mr. Campostrini: The idea behind this e-commerce solution is electronic data interchange (EDI). This means that our system and the customer system talk to each other. When the customer places an order in their system, it goes directly into our system. Our system confirms the order, schedules the delivery and all documents are sent directly. This reduces the number of steps. We at Würth use the same system to

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monitor the stock of our products and place an order with our suppliers. This makes things much easier, as everything is done in one system. Previously, the incoming shipment had to be physically checked and put manually into the system. It took us up to three days to complete the process — now we do it in half a day. It is the same for our customers.

This leads to big savings in terms of time and money.

What are the key criteria for being successful in industrial e-commerce?

Dr. Sturm: The key is good customer service.

If someone needs assistance or has a question, a reply needs to be given very quickly.

People want to pick up the phone and call someone if something goes wrong. Therefore, all our invoices and documents have the name and phone number of the contact person on them, so our customers always know whom to call. We believe that good customer ser vice is essential for our success. Furthermore, all the information on the e-shop needs constant and accurate monitoring, e.g., prices. As Thailand is a

Mr. Campostrini: Topics such as privacy policies or data protection are handled centrally by the Würth Group, which owns a data centre in Germany. This means an order placed by a sales representative in Thailand goes first to Germany and afterwards back to us. It is all centralised. We employ a compliance officer here to ensure compliance with the legal requirements of Thailand.

Thailand is five or ten years behind China and India in terms of e-commerce. How does this compare with other ASEAN countries?

Dr. Sturm: In my opinion, Thailand cannot be compared to China, which is a universe on its own. Compared with ASEAN, however, Thailand is in a good position. When I compare my first time at Würth (Thailand) 20 years ago and now, I can see a huge difference. It is much more professional now, very business-oriented, with many managers and owners who are business graduates.

I expect productivity to increase and I am very optimistic about the future of Thai industry. E-commerce will play a crucial role in this.

Inter viewed by Chadaphan Maliphan and Peter Süßmeier, GTCC Team

CHAMBER ACTIVITIES 15

GTCC Breakfast Talk with L&P A GTCC Executive Breakfast Talk with L&P on “Regional headquarters in Thailand – what is new after abolishing the IHQ?” took place on 29 January 2019 at the Pullman Bangkok Hotel G, Silom. Legal consultants from the German law firm Lorenz and Par tner s (L&P), Mr. Till Morstadt and Ms. Athitaya Chanthasirichot, provided the par ticipants with an overview of the new “International Business Centre” promotion.

AHK APC Meeting 2019 The GTCC organised the AHK Asia-Pacific Co-ordination (APC) Meeting for AHK Executive Directors and delegations from the Asia-Pacific region as well as key DIHK representatives, at the Sukhothai Bangkok Hotel during 28 and 29 January 2019. They exchanged and discussed topics and the preparations for the AHK Asia-Pacific Conference 2019.

On the first day of the meeting, Deputy Head of Mission and Head of the Economic Section of the German Embassy in Bangkok, Mr. Jan Scheer, and Counsellor for Economic and Commercial Affairs of the German Embassy in Bangkok, Dr. Alexander Raubold, joined the morning briefing and discussed key issues in Thailand and the region with the participants.

On 28 January, the participants were invited to join the distinguished guests, who included GTCC Board Members, at a welcoming reception hosted by the German Ambassador to Thailand, H.E. Georg Schmidt, at his residence.

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16 CHAMBER ACTIVITIES

GTCC Ice Breaker Networking “Welcome New Year” The GTCC’s first networking event in 2019 GTCC Ice Breaker Networking “Welcome New Year” took place on 31 January 2019 at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers.

The GTCC was delighted to welcome 140 guests who including GTCC member s, par tners and friends. The suppor t of the Event Partners — Kuehne+Nagel Limited, Samitivej Hospital, Turkish Airlines, Media Partner Mega Tech as well as Venue Partner the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers – in providing a friendly and relaxing ambience and excellent F&B arrangements was greatly appreciated.

The first anniversary of GTCC Business Women Networking event The GTCC “Business Women Networking” event with the theme of “Conflict management at mork” welcomed about 30 female business leaders, young professionals and expatriates on 20 February 2019 at the Amara Bangkok Hotel. Marking its first anniversary, the event was moderated by GTCC Board Members Ms. Anja Heck, Ms. Piyakanit Yen-Ura and Asst. Prof. Dr. Monpilai Narasingha prior to the work of the new working group.

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CHAMBER ACTIVITIES 17

GTCC Stammtisch Bangkok at Bei Otto

The first GTCC Stammtisch Bangkok of 2019 was organised on 21 February 2019 at the Bei Otto Restaurant. GTCC Board Member Mr. Michael Welser welcomed about 60 guests from the German-Thai business community.

Bei Otto’s owner, Mr. Sven Michel, introduced his new General Manager and Par tner, Mr. Franz.

GTCC Seminar with VitalLife Wellness Centre The GTCC organised a seminar : “How to look younger, live longer, feel better” in co-operation with VitalLife Wellness Centre on 26 Febr uar y 2019 at Bumr ungrad International Hospital, in the BIC Building Conference Room. Ms. Andrea Howton, Chief Operating Officer of VitalLife Scientific Wellness, Esperance Integrative Cancer Centre, presented VitalLife’s unique treatment for patients at all levels and as well as explaining how the centre can help shape a youthful life. The participants were then led

by Mr. Ali Mezahem, Arabic Customer s Service Manager, in exploring the skin clinic and Dr. Alisara Arirachakaran, who provided the group with infor mation on spor ts medicine.

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18 CHAMBER ACTIVITIES

ASEAN Insights 2019 GTCC Executive Director Dr. Roland Wein participated in ASEAN Insights 2019 on 11 March 2019 in Mannheim, Germany, where he presented an update on “ASEAN – dynamic markets and economic integration”. There were also panel discussions by other AHK Executive Directors and Delegates of German Industry and Commerce in the Southeast Asia. Together they shared first-hand information on the potential of ASEAN’s production as an alternative to China, how sales and sourcing were shaping up in Southeast Asia and what trends are currently occupying the vibrant region. They provided consultations to individuals as well.

GTCC Young Professionals Network Evening 1/2019 The GTCC Young Professionals (YP) Network Evening on “From start-up to household brand – a fireside chat with the founders” was organised on 14 March 2019 at the Red Pepper Restaurant, Rembrandt Hotel & Suites, Bangkok. The keynote speakers, Mr. Alexander Felde, co-founder and Managing Director of foodpanda, and Mr. Johannes von Rohr, co-founder and Director Corporate Development of Rabbit Finance, provided the participants with first-hand insights and experiences on how to develop a start-up into a household brand.

Since its foundation in 2012, foodpanda has partnered with more than 27,000 restaurants in more than 190 cities across 12 Asian and Central European countries, and become a very successful brand of on-demand food delivery services. Following the current trend of e-commerce and digitalization, Rabbit Finance has been developed into the largest financial marketplace in Thailand, with 1.2 million satisfied customers.

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Site visits to Asia Clean Industrial Park, Bosch Automotive Technologies The Chamber led 30 members in a visit to Asia Clean Industrial Park (ACIP) Co., Ltd. in Chon Buri on 15 March 2019. Located in the heart of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), with a total area of 2,112,000 m2, ACIP was established to support the growing demand of industrial customers who are expanding markets in the Asia-Pacific region. The Park provides utilities, infrastructures and tailored industrial investment solutions for customers. ACIP is an affiliated company of the Shaiyo Triple A Group, an international conglomerate, headquartered in Thailand, with core businesses in agribusiness, clean and renewable energy, logistics services, industrial park land development, engineering procurement and construction services, and international trading.

The GTCC members then explored Bosch Automotive Technologies, a subsidiary of the Bosch Group. The company manufactures and markets automotive components for the automotive industry within the ASEAN region. The company was founded in 1996 and is based in Amata City Industrial Estate in Rayong, where mobility solutions in power train solutions, chassis systems control and electrical drive components are manufactured. In 2017, Bosch Automotive Te c h n o l o g i e s ’ p e t r o l e u m s y s t e m s manufacturing plant at the Hemaraj Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate was formally opened. The new facility is highly automated, with connected manufacturing technologies, thus adopting an Industry 4.0 concept. The manufacturing area consists of three parts: fuel injector lines; connector production; and knock sensor production. The factory is combined with a modern Research and Development Engineering Centre.

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20 CHAMBER ACTIVITIES

GTCC delegation trip to Germany “Innovative Products from Industrial Waste” GTCC, in co-operation with Thailand’s National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Innovation Technology Assistance Programme (iTAP) and National Metal and Materials Technology Centre (MTEC), organised a business delegation trip to Germany on the topic of “Innovative Products from Industrial Waste” from 9 to 17 March 2019.

On the first day, the delegation visited STEAG GmbH in Essen, STEAG Power Minerals in Gladbeck and the Remondis Lippewerk. During the following day, the delegation had an opportunity to experience the 1.1 GW coal-fired power plant, “Datteln 4” of Uniper, which is one of the most modern plants of its type worldwide. In addition, the delegates were introduced to the German company BauMineral GmbH.

On the third day, the delegation visited Reiling Group, the leading glass recycling specialist in Germany.

On the fourth day, the delegation was welcomed by MUEG Mitteldeutsche Umwelt- und

Entsorgung GmbH, a leading player in disposal and environmental remediation projects. In the

afternoon, the group had a chance to visit the BSR (Berliner Stadtreinigung) biogas project in Berlin, where bio-methane from organic waste is produced and used as fuel for the BSR vehicle fleet (around 150 Mercedes-Benz garbage trucks), which saves about 2.5 million litres

of diesel fuel each year.

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On the final day, the delegation visited Kvadrat GmbH (sustainable textile solutions, upcycling), Cabka Group (specialists for products made from recycled plastic) and the Federation of the German Waste, Water and Raw Materials Management Industry (BDE) in Berlin.

CHAMBER ACTIVITIES 21

GTCC Executive Breakfast Talk with Sanet (Thailand) In co-operation with Sanet Legal Ltd., the GTCC organised a Joint Chambers Breakfast Talk on “Local content – door opener to duty-free exports to over 3 billion consumers” on 20 March 2019 at the Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit. Experts from Sanet Legal - Dr. Denk & Partners — Dr. Gunter Denk, Mr. Supphanat Vorapurkpisuth and Ms. Pitchaporn Noomnam — introduced the participants to basic rules of local content calculation. They also explained the connection between Rules of Origin, Local and Regional Value, Self-Certification and Certificates of Origin, in addition to Sanet’s education system for dedicated export managers. Zero-duty imports from Thailand to 15 countries, with around 3.5 billion consumers, make Thailand to one of the most attractive free trade hubs worldwide. However, to enjoy tariff-free trading, manufacturers and traders have to stick with tough rules and formalities defined in each of the relevant Free Trade Agreements (FTA).

Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) 2019 The GTCC held its Ordinary General Meeting 2019 on 28 March at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, with the participation of about 100 representatives of GTCC member companies.

The GTCC was honoured to welcome German Ambassador to Thailand H.E. Georg Schmidt as well as keynote speaker Mr. Meetham Na Ranong, Executive VicePresident (Regional Offices) of Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa), who gave a speech on “Digital Thailand”.

Mr. Carl van der Elst, Head of Global Transaction Banking Thailand of Deutsche Bank; Mr. Roland Folger, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) Limited; Ms. Heidi Kleine-Moeller, General Manager of Millennium Hilton Bangkok; Mr. Michael Welser, Managing Director of Powertech 2004 Co., Ltd.; Ms. Waranya Pratumtin, Sales and Marketing Manager of Thai Switchboard and Metal Work Co., Ltd.; and Mr. Marcus Magiar, President and Managing Director of Torqeedo Asia-Pacific Co., Ltd. The GTCC wishes to express our sincere gratitude to outgoing Directors Ms. Piyakanit Yen-Ura, Senior Representative of Commerzbank AG Representative Office, Bangkok, and Mr. Volker Hellstern, Managing Director of Häfele (Thailand) Ltd. for their valuable contributions to the success of the Chamber.

The election of ten new Board Members was conducted successfully. The GTCC congratulates the newly elected Board Members as well as Mr. Markus Lorenzini, President and Chief Executive Officer of Siemens Ltd., on his re-election as the GTCC President and Mr. Andreas Richter, Managing Partner of Blumenthal Richter & Sumet Ltd., on his re-election as the GTCC Vice President.

The ten newly-elected Directors for 2019/ 2020 are Mr. Andreas C. Richter, Managing Partner of Blumenthal Richter & Sumet Ltd.; Mr. Christian Wiedmann, President of BMW (Thailand) Company Limited; Dr. Armin Wiesler, General Manager/Head of Human Pharma of Boehringer Ingelheim (Thai) Ltd.; Mr. Peter Rankl, President ASEAN of Continental Automotive Bangkok Co., Ltd.;

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22 CHAMBER ACTIVITIES

Thailand Economic Outlook 2019 The German-Thai Chamber of Commerce (GTCC) organised the sixth Thailand Economic Outlook event at the Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel on 21 February 2019. The luncheon talk attracted about 120 participants from 15 bilateral Chambers and guests from various business sectors in Thailand for a discussion on economic trends and challenges at the global, regional and national levels.

GTCC President, Mr. Markus Lorenzini welcomed the guests, particularly keynote speaker Mr. Prinn Panitchpakdi, Governor of the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) as well as panelists from GTCC member companies BMW (Thailand), Continental Automotive, Boehringer Ingelheim (Thai), Rabbit Finance. Mr. Lorenzini delivered the opening address in which he pointed out that according to the World Bank, Thailand’s economic growth was projected to slow down to 3.8 per cent in 2019, in line with the global economic trend this year. He continued with a review of current external challenges such as budget deficits in some European countries, the uncertain situation of Brexit, and US-Sino trade tensions. He noted that Thailand was facing internal challenges such as low commodity prices, increasing interest rates during the past year, a strong Thai baht and uncertainties about Thai government’s economic policies after the General Election on 24 March this year.

Keynote speaker Mr. Prinn Panitchpakdi began by reviewing the global perspective by discussing US-Thailand-China relations, the upcoming elections in Thailand and the overall state of the world economy. With regard to Thailand’s oppor tunities and challenges in 2019, he referred to big data and US-Thailand-China relations. He noted that one of today’s main issues was that when corporations entered a new market it was usually the case that they did not enter a country and take a market share.

“Companies take the business as well as the profit home, but they do not transfer technology or know-how to the local economy. There is no win-win situation.”

Mr. Panitchpakdi pointed out.

In terms of improvements, he mentioned that many companies that were operating in some countries were already aware of this issue. According to his point of view, it would be a good idea to build a type of long-term workforce comprised of the Thai domestic community and to get in touch with NGOs and the local population.

Next, Mr. Panitchpakdi pointed out that capitalism had failed to distribute equal profits to the population at large. Thailand’s economy would probably grow by 3.7 per cent in 2019, a slight drop from the 4.1 per cent gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018.

However, GDP only measures the quantity of growth and not the quality, such as wealth.

The headliner numbers looked great. But if

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CHAMBER ACTIVITIES 23

looking more deeply into the numbers it shows that inequality is ever ywhere. For example, tax collection in Thailand comprises 90 per cent from income tax and only 10 per cent from asset banking tax, which often makes competition in Thailand unfair and expensive, especially for smaller corporations.

This becomes clear when start-ups apply for loans and funding to expand as well as to invest in their businesses because the market is performing in favour of the rich and well-established brands. Regulations often raise problems and have a negative impact on competition.

In 2018, the Digital Asset law was introduced, an event that initially sounded good in the first instance. It regulates crypto-currencies, the blockchain and digital assets in Thailand.

Crypto-currencies such as Bitcoin can now be used as digital assets and exchanged. The law also includes a 27 per cent tax rate for crypto-currency trading which usually affects smaller corporations such as star t-ups.

Mr. Panitchpakdi was of the opinion that this is a political issue and said that he hoped that the voice of GTCC and its members would be strong enough to emphasize the need for a change.

The three-course lunch was followed by a panel discussion on the “Transformation to Industry 4.0” which was moderated by GTCC Executive Director Dr. Roland Wein. He was joined by Mr. Markus Lorenzini, President and CEO of Siemens Thailand (Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Myanmar), Mr. Peter Rankl, President ASEAN of Continental Automotive, Mr. Christian Wiedmann, President of BMW (Thailand), Dr. Armin Wiesler, General Manager/Head of Human Pharma of Boehringer Ingelheim (Thai) and Mr. Johannes von Rohr, Co-Founder

and Director of Corporate Development of Rabbit Finance.

The participating panelist, who represented different industries, agreed that the past year had been very successful, with record growth.

Mr. Wiedmann noted there had been demand for more and more connectivity in the automotive industry, including autonomous driving and services. Further, a hot topic was the current PM2.5 pollution that Thailand, especially Bangkok, was currently experiencing.

Mr. Wiedmann said that key issues for improving the air quality in the countr y’s cities would be the introduction of European emission standards 5 and 6 as well as e-mobility.

Mr. Rankl argued that the actual plan of Thai government to introduce the European emission standards 5 in 2021 and 6 in 2028 would be too late since India and China had already achieved success in the fight against pollution. Further, he pointed out the issue in the transportation sector of Thailand that there are 40- or 50-year-old buses still in use. In his point of view, it does not matter how many e-cars are being driven — if all these old buses have not been removed from the public transpor tation sector, pollution would continue to be a major problem.

Dr. Wiesler reflected on the challenges in 2018 that have negatively impacted researching pharmaceutical companies, most notably on cost containment measures.

However, he also outlined the existing opportunities for innovative medicines that address the unmet need of patients in Thailand.

Dr. Wiesler explained how the strong medical infrastructure is a key asset for Thailand that can be leveraged even more in the future.

For example, the role of Thailand as a Medical

Hub and as a preferred country for clinical research can be further strengthened.

Mr. Lorenzini expressed his views about the upcoming election in Thailand, which is seen as an oppor tunity for fur ther growth at Siemens because foreign direct investment is expected gain an additional boost after the new Government has been elected.

Mr. vo n R o hr p o inte d o ut tha t t he e-commerce sector was still growing. On the other hand, he noted, the industry was facing the challenge of creating greater access by human capital to the market in terms of hiring employees and encouraging people to share that vision. Therefore, he stated, Thais need to step up.

Moderator Dr. Wein closed the session by asking for final remarks to sum up the discussion. The panelists agreed that there was still a long way to go to achieve the goals of the Thailand 4.0 project. Considerable education is needed to build an adequate and satisfactorily skilled and well-educated workforce that will be able to cope with automation technology and digitalization.

Written by Erik Mersch GTCC Corporate Services Trainee

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24 GTDEE INSIGHT

Meeting with Eastern Technological College (E.Tech) On 7 November 2018, CIM Integrated Expert and GTDEE Project Director, Mr. Markus Hoffmann, GTDEE Project Senior Manager Dr. Kamonsak Suradom and GTDEE Project Senior Consultant, Mr. Katiphot Kanoknorrasade participated in a meeting at Eastern Technological

College (E.Tech) with College Director, Dr. Prasert Klinchoo, College Deputy Director, Ms. Amporn Auntasoon, Deputy Director of the Quality Assur ance Depar tment, Ms. Natjeera Pramaphan and her team, Head of Industrial Techniques Department, Mr. Pin Pramaphan and his team, and Head of the Electric Department, Mr. Somsak Vachiradusit and his team.

The meeting discussed the following topics: 1) GTCC quality assurance; 2) mechatronics apprentices’ development; 3) apprentices recruitment; 4) Teach the Teacher Workshop and 5) Visual CNC Workshop.

Meeting with Grohe Siam Limited On 14 November 2018, GTDEE Project Manager, Mr. Panuwat Jaitham and GTDEE Project Assistant, Ms. Apinya Ampor n participated in a meeting with Grohe Siam Limited’s Human Resource Development M anage r, M r. R itth aw a t C h i n n awon g , Human Resource Development Specialist, Ms. Supreeda Siripat, and apprentices Batch 2017. The meeting discussed the preparation of the Final Examination 2019. Furthermore, the GTDEE team toured the operational sections of the company led by Grohe Siam Limited’s human resources team.

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GTDEE INSIGHT 25

GTCC certificate presentation ceremony

On 6 December 2018, Mr. Markus Hoffmann and Dr. Kamonsak Suradom, together with Dr. Alexander Raubold, Counsellor of Economic and Commerce Affair s, and Mr. Karl-Heinrich Helmut Ewald Herbert Adam, Third Secretary of Economic and Commercial Affairs from the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Thailand, p ar tic ip ate d in a GT CC c er t ifica t e presentation ceremony for the BMW apprentices of Batch 2016 in automotive mechatronics, B cer tificate. The students were from Kanchanapisek Mahanakorn Technical College, Chum Phae Industrial and Community Education College and Bangkaewfa Vocational College . The apprentices received their GTCC certificates from Dr. Alexander Raubold and Mr. Markus Hoffmann as well as BMW certificates from Mr. Cesar Badilla, Aftersales Director of BMW (Thailand) Co., Ltd. Furthermore, the teachers from the colleges and the BMW trainers participated in the ceremony, which was held at the BMW Group Thailand Training Centre, Pathum Thani.

Monitoring apprentices Batch 2018 On 6 December 2018 GTDEE team members, Mr. Markus Hoffmann and Dr. Kamonsak Suradom together with Mr. Paul Koelker, the German expert from KMUTNB, and Ms. Pattama Kachontrakulsak, Administration Officer of TGDE from KMUTNB, monitored the apprentices Batch 2018 in electric power who are undergoing training at Pathumthani Brewery Co., Ltd. In addition, they participated in the meeting with the company to discuss the preparation of PAL Interim Examination 2019 in electric power, A certificate.

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26 GTDEE INSIGHT

Inspirational talk on adversity quotient On 7 December 2018, the GTDEE team organised an inspirational talk on adversity quotient (AQ) for Mercedes-Benz apprentices.

The meeting invited two Thai guest speakers from Bicycle Wind, Mr. Charoen Othong and Ms. Orawan Othong, who rode bicycles

around the world within 2,000 days. The two speakers shared their experiences and knowledge with the apprentices with the objective of motivating and and inspiring them in facing AQ they faced during their training and work. AQ is the most scientifically

robust and widely used method in the world for measuring and strengthening resilience.

AQ enhancement creates real gains in productivity, capacity, performance, innovation and morale.

PAL interim examination 2018 GTDEE organised the PAL interim examination 2018 in Automotive Mechatronics, practical part, for the BMW apprentices Batch 2017 who were from Don Bosco Technological College.

The examination was held from 18 to 20 December 2018 at the BMW Group Training Centre,

Pathum Thani. Attending the examination were: GTDEE team members Mr. Markus Hoffmann,, Dr. Kamonsak Suradom, and Mr. Katiphot Kanoknorrasade; and BMW (Thailand) Co., Ltd. staff, Mr. Wichit Tangwongcheunsuk, Manager Qualifications and Training; Mr. Natthapong Lorpisanchai, Senior Technical Trainer ; and Mr. Kriskorn Kraichinda, Senior Technical Trainer.

The Examination Committee comprised Assoc.Prof.Dr. Chedthawut Poompipatpong, Head of Department of Power Engineering Technology, College of Industrial Technology, KMUTNB; Asst.Prof.Dr. Warit Thammasiriroj, College of Industrial Technology, KMUTNB; and Asst.Prof. Direk Choowichien, College of Industrial Technology, KMUTNB.  

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GTDEE INSIGHT 27

CNC Programming for Turning Workshop

GTDEE, together with MTS CNC Systems Co., Ltd., organized a workshop on CNC Programming for Turning, from 7 to 9 January 2019 at Don Bosco Technological College, for GTDEE partner companies as well as trainers and practical teachers at partner colleges.

Mr. Tharaphong Taengphet, Senior Engineer from Thai-German institute (TGI), was invited to participate as an instructor at the workshop. The 17 participants in the workshop were from Robert Bosch Automotive Technologies (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Grohe Siam Limited, Don Bosco Technological College, Chitralada Vocational College and Samut Prakan Technical College.

After the completion of the workshop, the participants received acknowledgement certificates qualifying them as advanced users of CNC machines.

GTDEE members Mr. Markus Hoffmann, Senior Manager Dr. Kamonsak Suradom, M r. P a n u w a t J a i t h a m , M r. K a t i p h o t Kanoknorrasade and Ms. Apinya Amporn as well as MTS CNC Systems Co., Ltd., Managing Director Ms. Nutthawan Nomvareeattended and Technical Support Provider Mr. Burintorn Premsamran also attended the workshop.

Meeting with Pathumthani Brewery Co., Ltd. On 10 January 2019 Mr. Markus Hoffmann and Dr. Kamonsak Suradom together with German expert Mr. Paul Koelker participated in a meeting with the management team of Pathumthani Brewer y Co., Ltd. to discuss preparations for a visit to the company by German Education and Research members on 29 Januar y 2019. Mr. Hoffmann also advice on the development of Mechatronics Technicians for Pathumthani Brewery Co., Ltd.

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28 GTDEE INSIGHT

Pre-selection of BMW apprenticeship Batch 2019 On 11 January 2019, GTDEE team members Mr. Mar kus Hoffmann, Dr. Kamonsak Suradom, Mr. Panuwat Jaitham, Mr. Katiphot Kanoknorrasade and Ms. Apinya Amporn introduced the GTDEE programme in automotive mechatronics to Easter n Technological College students who were interested in the course. Furthermore, the GTDEE team organised the pre-selection BMW apprenticeship Batch 2019 Automotive Mechtronics Programme together with BMW (Thailand) Co., Ltd’s Qualification and Training Manager, Mr. Wichit Tangwongcheunsuk, and Senior Trainers Mr. Natthapong Lorpisanchai and Mr. Kriskorn Kraichinda, and Eastern Technological College’s Director Dr. Prasert Klinchoo, Deputy Director of the Vocational Education and Tr aining Depar tment,

Dr. Samruay Mahapram and Head of Industrial Techniques Department, Mr. Pin Pramaphan.

The students who pass the entry examination will be interviewed by BMW authorized dealers and the selected students will then be trained at those dealers for two years.

PAL Interim Examination 2019 in automotive mechatronics

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GTDEE team members Mr. Markus Hoffmann, Senior Manager Dr. Kamonsak Suradom and Mr. Katiphot Kanoknorrasade organised the PAL Interim Examination 2019, practical part, in Automotive Mechatronics for apprentices Batch 2017 from 14 to 18 January 2019 at Mercedes-Benz Competence Centre located at Bangna-Trad km. 19. The Examination Committee comprised the following experts from the College of Industrial Technology, King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok: Assoc.Prof.Dr. Chedthawut Poompipatpong, Head of the Department of Power Engineering Technology, College of Industrial Technology; Asst.Prof.Dr. Warit T hammas ir iro j; and A s s t.P rof. Dir ek Choowichien.

GTDEE INSIGHT 29

Pre-selection of Mercedes-Benz apprenticeship Batch 2019 On 21 January 2019, GTDEE team members Mr. Markus Hoffmann, Dr. Kamonsak Suradom, Mr. Katiphot Kanoknorrasade and Ms. Apinya Amporn organised the pre-selection of Mercedes-Benz apprenticeship programme Batch 2019 in automotive mechtronics, together with Mrs. Vorrarat Ketkrai, Senior Trainer of Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) Co., Ltd. and Eastern Technological College’s Head of Industrial Techniques Mr. Pin Pramaphan at the Eastern Technological College. Furthermore, the senior Mercedes-Benz apprentices shared their experiences while being trained at the Mercedes-Benz Competence Centre (MBCC) and with Mercedes-Benz dealer s. Many interested students attended the event.

Ministry of Education and Research of Germany delegation visit

GTDEE team members Mr. Markus Hoffmann and Dr. Kamonsak Suradom welcomed a delegation from Germany’s Ministr y of Education and Research and provided support for their “Fact-Finding Mission on Vocational Education and Training in Thailand” from 24 to 30 January 2019. The delegation comprised: Dr. Sabine Carl, International Co-operation, Vocational Education and Training (VET); Ms. Eva Hanau, International Cooperation an d Co n s u ltin g / G e r m a n Of fi ce fo r International Cooperation in Vocational Education and Training (GOVET); Ms. Antje

Wessels, Scientific Officer DLR (German Aerospace Center) Project support; Ms. Silvia Niediek, Regional Manager for South Asia and North America, iMOVE Training - Made in Germany; and Dr. Daniel Neff, GOVET/VET Co-ordinator.

The delegation’s activities included a round table meeting at the Embassy of Germany in Bangkok as well as discussions on vocational education with German partner companies such as BMW (Thailand) Co., Ltd. and Grohe Siam Limited, and government departments

such as the Office of the Vocational Education Commission (OVEC), and King Mongkut’s University of Technological College. The delegation also visited Thai government offices such as the Ministry of Labour as well as Pathumthani Brewer y Co., Ltd., SCG Chemicals Co., Ltd., PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited, ZIP Plating Co., Ltd., the Thai-German Institute, King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok, and Eastern Technological College, and Maptaphut Technical College.

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30 BUSINESS BRIEFS

Boehringer Ingelheim (Thai) certified as Top Employer 2019 Boehringer Ingelheim (Thai) Ltd. has been certified as Top Employer 2019 by the Top Employers Institute. The Institute offers a certification programme that enables organisations to assess and improve their workplace environment, and which recognises excellence in people practices.

The award was presented during December 2018 in Singapore, where Boehringer Ingelheim’s country organisations in Singapore, Philippines and Malaysia were also given this recognition.

“This cer tification is a strong motivation for us. We will continue to work to become even better as an employer of choice in the pharmaceutical industry in Thailand.”, General Manager of Boehringer Ingelheim (Thai), Dr. Armin Wiesler said.

BASF launches MyConcrete App B AS F’s n e w s m ar tp h on e a p p l i ca t i on , MyConcrete is now available in Asia Pacific, allowing instant access to information on concrete properties. Intended for contractors, engineers, architects and producers, the free MyConcrete app serves as a channel to a range of information on the fundamentals of concrete use. The app includes items such as concepts and design factors, provides answers to questions on concrete slump, air, finishability and set time and offers information on BASF products for concrete producers.

“MyConcrete is like having a textbook in your hand,” says Viswanath Mahadevan, Director of Admixture Systems Business Management, BASF Construction Chemicals Asia Pacific.

“We want our customer s to get the information they need, when they need it, wherever they are. With MyConcrete on their mobile devices, they’ll always have access to information about our products and how to use them — allowing them to achieve better productivity.”

Temperature calculator for freshly mixed concretes, which help professionals understand the effects of ambient conditions on concrete. Local weather conditions are considered in the calculators based on GPS or chosen location.

MyConcrete app’s includes a Surface Evaporation calculator to determine the risk of shrinkage cracking and a Concrete

MyConcrete can be downloaded free of charge from Apple and Google Play stores by searching for “MyConcrete”. The app is available in English, Japanese and Vietnamese. For additional information, please visit: www.master-builders-solutions.asiapacific.basf.com

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BUSINESS BRIEFS 31

Häfele introduces new online shopping website E-commerce is on an explosive rise. With an anticipated US$ 4.5 trillion to be reached globally for e-commerce in 2021, the current market trends need to be taken seriously.

Following the E-commerce Survey 2018, ETDA, the value of Thai e-commerce was found to have grown by 14 %, reaching a value of some Baht 3.2 trillion. For 2019, growth is expected to reach 20 %.

Häfele sees a high potential for growth of the e-commerce market in 2019, especially in the home appliances and home decoration categories. Since last year, the company has already developed and configured its own online shop, the launch of which is planned in the second quar ter of this year at www.hafelehome.co.th. It will offer a product range focusing on B2C customers.

Häfele will offer new product categories, such as small home appliances, kitchen fittings, LED lighting and other home improvement items as well as the existing product portfolio that includes hardware, tooling, furniture fittings and bathroom accessories. The target customers comprise existing Hafele’s customers, both male and female, who love to shop online.

With the new e-commerce platform offering a wide variety of products, including e-payment suppor ted by great logistics, Häfele follows the company’s maxim of serving high-quality products by fast delivery service to customers’ front door.

For more information please contact Häfele via hthecommerce@hafele.co.th or call +66 2 741 7171, +66 2 768 7171 Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5.15 p.m.

Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Mazars announces 2018 financial results “In Thailand, Mazars had another year of impressive financial growth across our core business lines, with revenues increasing 15% to THB 306 million” announced Rob Hurenkamp, Thailand Managing Partner.

Mazars, the international, integrated and independent audit and consulting firm specialising in audit, accountancy, tax, legal and advisory services, recently announced its 2018 financial results.

“This year’s financial results underscore the resilience and effectiveness of our unique partnership model. In the last 25 years, we have been able to grow more than tenfold, from €100 million to €1.6 billion in global revenues, without ever losing our values or compromising our founding principles,” said Mazars Chairman and CEO Hervé Hélias.

Mazars achieved a number of significant milestones in the Thai market in 2018, becoming the first local accounting firm to become a Xero Platinum Par tner, whilst also winning Xero’s Asian Regional Partner of the Year Award. Additionally, Mazars have expanded their audit service offering after being awarded an SEC public listed company audit license and commencing such audits during the year.

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32 MEMBERS’ CORNER

GTCC Member Speed Networking GTCC organised a GTCC Member Speed Networking at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers on 31 January 2019. Twenty-one representatives of GTCC member companies gathered at the meeting which fruitfully enhanced the development of exclusive connections in the German-Thai business community.

Our participants included: Thomas Brunecker, Aeroklas Co., Ltd.; Dominik Neudeck, Assyce Asia Ltd.; Roland Sensch, BSI Insurance Broker Limited; Jochen Steinbuch, DEG - Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH; Dr. Robert Himmler, EGS-plan (Bangkok) Co., Ltd.; Aphichaya Temwattanangkul, G.M. Tour & Travel Co., Ltd.; Robert Casper, GAUDLITZ GmbH; Martin Rohde, gerenga Service (Thailand) Co., Ltd.; Sammy Carolus, Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit; Rober t Dahlems, INC Corporation Ser vices (Thailand) Co., Ltd.; Pornnapa Sastaruchi, Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Bangkok Menam Riverside; Nicolas Padovan,

RLC Recr uitment Co., Ltd.; Khanittha Hongs-Pan, Robinson Club Maldives & Thailand; Alexander Alles, Sanet (Thailand) Co., Ltd.; Nathan Wood, Satyapon & Partners Limited; Waranya Pratumtin, Thai Switchboard and Metal Work Co., Ltd.; Arisa Kidphoka, Thai Switchboard and Metal Work Co., Ltd; Romeo Ramos De Moreira, Thai Technic Electric Co., Ltd.; Philippe Claire, Ventur y Co., Ltd.; Tayida Sitddhidetchdumgoeng, Viessmann Werke GmbH & Co. KG; Kittiwut Indamra, X2 Vibe Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel.

“Thank you so much for arranging this event. It was a great networking event. My colleagues and I are really impressed and would love to join this event once again.”

Waranya Pratumtin, Sales and Marketing Manager Thai Switchboard and Metal Work Co., Ltd.

“Thanks to you and your team for the organisation. I had a lot of fruitful discussions” Dr.-Ing. Robert Himmler, Managing Director EGS-plan (Bangkok) Co. Ltd.

“I really enjoyed my first time attending your event. I got lots of new friends from the Speed Networking!”

Kittiwut Indamra, Senior Sales Manager X2 Vibe Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel

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New GTCC members up to 31 March 2019

German-Thai Chamber of Commerce warmly welcomes 8 new members ALD Vacuum Technologies (Thailand) Co. Ltd. Mr. Guenter Busch Managing Director Mr. Gundolf Schneider Director Service guenter.busch@ald-vt.com www.ald-vt.com Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c. | Repair and installation of machinery and equipment | Other professional, scientific and technical activities

gerenga Service (Thailand) Co., Ltd. Mr. Enrico Sielaff Managing Director Mr. Martin Rohde Manager contact@gerenga.com www.gerenga.com Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c | Repair and installation of machinery and equipment | Architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis

Aquabiotec Ltd.

Rabbit Insurance Broker Co., Ltd

Mr. Alphones Grillini Director Khun Umapha Ngamsri Managing Director umapha.ngamsri@aquabiotec.com Water collection, treatment and supply | Sewerage

Mr. Michael Steibl Co-Founder & Managing Director Mr. Johannes von Rohr Co-Founder & Director, Corporate Development www.finance.rabbit.co.th Insurance, reinsurance and pension funding, except compulsory social security

Asia Clean Industrial Park Co., Ltd

Rosewood Bangkok

Khun Natt Songmetta Director Khun Angkana Punnabhum Director angkana_p@saaa.co.th www.asiacleanindustrialpark.com Real estate activities | Construction | Warehousing and support activities for transportation

Mr. Thomas Harlander Managing Director Ms. Leanne Hucker Director of Sales & Marketing Thomas.harlander@rosewoodhotels.com Leanne.hucker@rosewoodhotels.com rosewoodhotels.com Accommodation | Food and beverage service activities | Office administrative, office support andother business support activities

Bangkok Survey and Consult Co., Ltd

thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions (Thailand) Ltd

Mr. Juergen Kohnen Khun Daran Kohnen info@bsc.asia, daran@bsc.asia www.bsc.asia Architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis | Activities of head offices; management consultancy activities

Mr. Joerg Ritzmann Financial Director / CFO Khun Yossiri Promchuakeaw Head of business development and sales www.tkisthailand.com Specialised construction activities

www.thailand.ahk.de

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EMO Hannover 2019 showcasing smart technologies for driving tomorrow’s production

Interview with Mr. Christoph Miller, EMO organiser representative and Managing Director of the German Machine Tool Builders’ Association EMO Hannover 2019, the world’s leading trade fair for metalworking, will open its doors for the 22nd time from 16 to 21 September 2019 in Hannover with the theme of “Smart technologies driving tomorrow’s production”.

EMO organiser representative and Managing Director of the German Machine Tool Builders’ Association (VDW), Mr. Christoph Miller, and co-operating partner Deutsche Messe AG representative, Mr. Hartwig von Saß, participated in the EMO Press Conference organised by the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce (GTCC) at the Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn on 18 January 2019. They presented EMO Hannover 2019 and its special features to journalists from all media categories. GTCC was pleased to have the opportunity for an exclusive interview with Mr. Miller at the conference.

According to Oxford statistics, Germany has a 6 per cent market share in the field of metal working. How much of an increase do you expect in the next year?

So far, no figure has been projected, but the German industr y is looking to Thailand’s machine tool market because there is great potential following Thailand’s 4.0 initiative.

German companies have much to offer in helping to implement this 4.0 initiative.

Thailand’s industry sector is also looking to raise productivity, efficiency and flexibility; the 4.0 initiative is the key to achieving these goals.

What technological highlights will be exhibited at EMO 2019?

We will highlight innovations for increasing productivity and manufacturing products faster. In addition, visitors will see many additive manufacturing solutions, which is also one of the biggest topics at the moment.

Almost ever y exhibitor will have new solutions to offer concerning industry 4.0.

Therefore, the process value chain is the main goal. You will see many solutions for achieving this objective.

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What do you feel Thailand is still lacking in terms of technology for Industry 4.0, and what will Thailand need to improve and/ or add?

How do you see Thailand’s industry in comparison to neighbouring countries, and what do you think are the strengths of Thailand’s industrial sector?

Thailand is well known as a car manufacturing country. Fur thermore, Thailand has many subcontracting companies in the car industry and many electronic firms. Nevertheless, a large number are Western or joint venture companies from Europe and Japan. I believe that is also because of Thailand’s plan to boost e-mobility so that Thailand will become a much bigger player in the future in terms of the car industry.

Since a strong focus is on IOT and AM, what is Germany’s status in that field?

EMO 2019 will have a huge star t-up area set up as well as a special manufacturing show. Start-ups offer a big opportunity for Thai companies to join EMO because we suppor t foreign star t-ups in Germany.

Start-ups do not need a large amount of equipment, as many star t-ups are in the software industry. Therefore, EMO will provide a good opportunity for more Thai companies to show their solutions for the production industry.

According to all the figures I have seen, Thailand is doing very well, so there is nothing to say about a lack. It could be seen more as taking advantage of opportunities to increase productivity together with Industry 4.0. The solutions for that can be discovered at EMO Hannover.

Why do you think it is important to introduce 3D printing at EMO 2019?

Additive manufacturing such as 3D printing is a new production process that enables to print large parts that was formerly not possible. Nevertheless, it is not made for mass production; it is for producing smaller and unique units such as dental crowns and specific parts for the aviation industry. The development in this field of production is advancing rapidly right now, with new solutions being found almost every day.

Has Germany previously organised this type of roadshow in Thailand with the objective of encouraging the industrial sector to participate in EMO Hannover?

We are working together with organisations such as the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce which is organising a delegation

trip to EMO Hannover. We are not doing a global EMO roadshow.

Thailand also has very well-organised fairs such as METALEX. In this year’s edition, Germany will be a par tner countr y. That means we will bring German technology to Thailand. Therefore, there is no need to organise another trade show. Nevertheless, when you compare these shows, EMO Hannover will be six times bigger than METALEX. Therefore, EMO is the world’s leading trade show. This due not only to its size, but also to the innovations that our exhibitors display. The whole metalworking sector will be in Hannover in September 2019.

Are Thai users of machine tools well advised to visit EMO Hannover 2019 in order to prepare for their future investment decisions?

Only at EMO, visitors can get a complete overview of the latest related technologies, par ticipate in networking, discover what others are doing and find ways to improve productivity. There is no other event in the world where you can compare all the machine tool manufacturers and all the available solutions for the production processes. That is what makes EMO Hannover so attractive.

Written by Erik Mersch, GTCC Corporate Services Trainee

How many areas can visitors expect to see?

What are your projected ratios between visitors and domestic participants?

Currently, we have more than 1,800 registered exhibitors and the total number is expected to reach 2,200 as we are receiving registrations ever y day. This will be an increase in the number of exhibitors compared with the previous show in 2017. We will be welcoming more companies from Thailand, especially star t-ups, because they often join in the registration process very late. We expect about 130,000 visitors. In 2017, visitors were recorded from more than 150 countries, including almost 300 visitors from Thailand.

Hannover Messe is organised by Verein Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, on behalf of the European Machine Tool Association (Cecimo) in Brussels, and in co-operation with Deutsche Messe AG, Hannover, Germany.

www.thailand.ahk.de

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transport logistic 2019: Optimal solutions for the sector’s every requirement 4-7 June 2019, Munich

As the world’s leading trade fair for logistics, mobility, IT and supply chain management, transport logistic acts as the driving force behind the global logistics and transpor t industry, which meets at this top business platform ever y two years in Munich. The target group of this event, which is open to professional visitors only, includes service providers and decision-makers from the transport sector, industry, trade associations and logistics in freight transport.

This event is the hub of the global logistics industry. The trade fair, which is accompanied by a conference programme, presents the optimal solutions for the sector’s ever y requirement. In fact, transpor t logistic combines innovative products, technologies, and systems with pooled expertise and a strong sales focus.

Also part of transport logistic is air cargo Europe – the gathering for the international air freight industry. Those businesses operating in maritime logistics also attend mariLOG, the international conference for this field.

In 2017, transport logistic welcomed 60,726 trade visitors from 123 countries and 2,162 exhibitors from 62 nations. The trade fair occupied more than 115,000 m² of exhibition

space across nine halls and the neighbouring outdoor exhibition area.

Representing the entire value chain of the transport and logistics industry, transport logistic combines shared expertise in the tr ade with a wide r ange of business opportunities, all in one location. The four exhibition sectors offer everything related to transport on land, on water, in the air and for intermodal freight, including: • I T / t e l e m a t i c s , e - b u s i n e s s , a n d telecommunications, where the latest developments are presented for the logistics industry. Find out more through a direct comparison of innovative products, systems, and solutions; • Intralogistics, warehouse management systems, auto-ID and packaging, which combines tr aditional and innovative solutions for storing, conveying, distributing, packing, and securing the transport goods; • Equipment for freight transport. This sector includes offers for road, rail, water and air transpor t as well as combined transport, plus containers and solutions for special transport goods; • Services, freight transport, logistics. In this sector, specialized service providers demonstrate customized solutions for freight transport and logistics.

More details on transport logistic are available at https://www.transportlogistic.de/index-2. html. For further information, please contact GTCC’s official representative for Messe München GmbH in Thailand, Ms. Patamaporn Wasuwat, by tel: +66 2 055 0641 or e-mail at muenchen@gtcc.org.

www.thailand.ahk.de

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CE China 2019: More business, more efficiency equal more gains 19-21 September 2019, Guangzhou CE Ch in a is th e c o n s u m e r a n d h o m e electronics show for the Chinese and pan-Asian market. This year’s event is scheduled to be held on new dates from 19 to 21 September 2019 in Guangzhou, Poly World Trade Centre Expo China.

CE China, as a global IFA event, is designed to act as China’s leading trade show, linking premium brands, important market players and retailers. The show is a vibrant platform that unites international exhibitors with Asian retailers who are keen to bring new products to their customers.

In 2019, CE China will take place in Guangzhou, a lively mega-city where East meets West, and is therefore the perfect location for an innovative event like CE China.

“With CE China’s move to the Guangzhou Poly World Trade Center Expo and the postponing of the date to September, we are following the numerous demands of the industry and trade partners to benefit even more from the economically important Single’s Day”, according to Mr. Jens Heithecker, Chairman of CE China, IFA Executive Director and Executive Vice-President Messe Berlin.

CE China is taking advantage of the city’s long history as a trading hub and gateway to China. Guangzhou not only provides super-modern exhibition grounds, it’s also

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home to thousands of consumer and home electronics manufacturers and can be reached conveniently by direct flights from Europe and the United States.

The IFA Retail University is creating added value for international brands and 500+ Asian retail representatives, among them the Chinese retail giant Suning. International brands exhibiting at IFA and CE China have the opportunity to present their products and strategies to retail partners in 20-minute Power Briefings, thereby increasing brand awareness and sales in East Asia. Chinese retail giant Suning, a strategic partner of CE China, co-initiated this format.

Besides Suning, China’s largest online retailer Tmall/Alibaba is among CE China’s official partners in 2019.

More information on CE China can be found by visiting http://en.cechina-ifa.com/index. For further information, please contact GTCC’s official representative for Messe Berlin GmbH in Thailand, Ms. Patamaporn Wasuwat, by tel: +66 2 055 0641 or e-mail at berlin@gtcc.org.

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it-sa: The IT Security Expo and Congress 8-10 October 2019, Nuremberg

The IT Security Expo and Congress (it-sa) originates from the Security Forum of Systems Munich. It has been organized as a separate exhibition in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg since 2009. The good growth rates of this event since then confirm the necessity to create a separate annual platform for IT security, and it-sa counts as one of the most important IT security exhibitions in the world – this only a few years after its premiere.

The event’s extensive product spectrum, a variety of special areas and the Congress@it-sa offer the sector an excellent opportunity to discuss in detail the most controversial IT security topics. The expo’s agenda includes presentations, open forums, professional shows and more.

This provides all participants with the opportunity to get comprehensive information and become familiar with the innovations in the IT sector.

The fair trade’s product spectrum includes products and solutions for IT security, physical IT security as well as services, and consulting and research in IT security. This year’s programme will include topics such as cloud computing, mobile and cyber security, data or network security, information technology and security, and digital forensics. a unique platform for C-Level experts and IT security officers, from industry, services and administration to meet developers and providers of products and services for IT security. In fact, it-sa has successfully served as a catalyst for many innovative solutions.

At it-sa 2019, which will be held from 8 to 10 October in Nuremberg, decision-makers from all over the world will gather under one roof. This makes the expo a must-visit platform for C-Level exper ts and IT security officers from industry, services and administration to meet developers and providers of products and services for IT security as well as create new business connections, exchange experience and access the latest information on new security-related developments around the world.

For more information and exhibitor/visitor inquiries please contact GTCC’s official representative for NürnbergMesse GmbH in Thailand, Mr. Nupat Khusribanchong by t e l : + 6 6 2 0 5 5 0 6 0 0 o r e - m a i l a t nuernberg@gtcc.org.

www.thailand.ahk.de

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PTC ASIA: Main meeting platform for the power transmission and control industry in Asia 23-26 October 2019, Shanghai

Power Transmission and Control Asia (PTC Asia) takes place once a year in Shanghai.

Since its initial show in 1991, PTC ASIA has established itself as the main meeting platform for the power transmission and control industr y in Asia. At a time of economic globalization and increasing influence of China’s industries, PTC ASIA is bringing together buyers and sellers as well as inspiring discussions among experts.

Initiatives such as Made in China 2025 and the Belt and Road initiative keep pushing China’s markets and opening up new business potential. With the suppor t of influential industr y associations and international partners, PTC ASIA is addressing industry trends and driving innovation.

The trade fair is divided into the areas of fluid technology, mechanical transmission (MTPE), fasteners, and springs and bearings. Fluid technology, which has been part of this trade fair since 2001, introduces new technologies and products in hydraulics, pneumatics and seals. It is among the sectors that have the greatest potential for growth. In the fields of fasteners, springs and bearings, not only the latest innovations are shown; user-oriented solutions and a variety of applications are also introduced.

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The MTPE area of PTC ASIA is the ideal meeting place and an important platform for companies in related industries such as the production of gears, chain transmissions, belt transmissions, clutches, brakes, electric power transmission, fasteners and powder metallurgy.

The exhibition, which is only accessible to trade visitors, will be accompanied by numerous lectures, seminars and product demonstrations together with discussions on related current issues.

This year’s PTC ASIA will be held from 23 to 26 October 2019 in Shanghai. It is the ideal event for anyone wanting the latest information on new power transmission and control developments worldwide.

For more information and exhibitor/visitor inquiries, please contact GTCC’s official representative for Deutsche Messe in Thailand, Mr. Nupat Khusribanchong by tel: +66 2 055-0600 or e-mail at Hannover@gtcc.org.

www.thailand.ahk.de

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