Day two of the Executive Logistics and Supply Chain MSc study tour: “The best or nothing” in Thailand – Cranfield meets TAAP (Mercedes Benz)
10/05/2018

For the second day of the tour we woke to a magnificent, highly-impressive thunderstorm which set the tone for the much anticipated visit to Thornburi Automotive – the contract manufacturing organisation that produces the equally impressive Mercedes cars desired throughout the world.
Thailand has significant expertise in car production producing two million cars a year, of which half are exported. Thornburi is not in this mass market but focused on the top-end marque to satisfy the local market. They’ve been working with Mercedes since 1950 which shows what a great partnership they have.
Mercedes’ trust in them has been well-placed as they have shown themselves able to continue producing the required quality despite ramping up production by over 30% last year and 300% since 2014! This proven agility has allowed them to adjust too, to the changing product mix as models are launched and withdrawn.
Mercedes strictly control the design of the products and the quality of the components but still source 40% locally with Thai tax regulation providing an incentive. When it comes to process however, Thornburi is its own master and able to innovate and respond to local market requirements. Nowhere was this clearer than the extra focus put on waterproofing and rain testing; a reminder of the morning’s thunderstorm. By restricting automation Thornburi have given themselves the agility and adaptability to adjust rapidly to the market.
After an engaging presentation that triggered a host of questions, we headed off on a tour of the factory, carefully timed to avoid their break. The facility is large, operating from a site of some 200,000 square meters and evidence of continuing investment in further buildings was clear. It was great to learn of their awareness and consideration of their neighbours; in particular the collaboration with a neighbouring school.
The production facility itself was as immaculate as you now expect from a modern plant and we saw the goods-in, quality control, and stores from which forklift drivers delivered the necessary components to each line and station. After the welding and paint shop, the bodies move through to competing lines adding trim and sub-assemblies to produce a product ready to be finished, polished up and quality checked ready for the eager customer.
By having comprehensive, certified quality and environmental management systems in place they have ensured that the product continues to meet the requirements of a very demanding clientele. Of course, that does mean that the staff canteen is a little larger than we may be accustomed to in the UK.
Perhaps Thornburi’s success is helped by the beneficent calm inspired by the Buddhist shrine that welcomes you on arrival..
.
Categories & Tags:
Leave a comment on this post:
You might also like…
A view from inside the Energy Entrepreneurship module
I'm Wayne Coulter, Marketing Manager in the School of Water, Energy and Environment here at Cranfield University. As part of my job I work with our students to produce content that tells the story ...
Protected: Is airport retail digital transformation just another example of “Shiny-Object Syndrome”?
This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password:
Wellbeing activities at Cranfield
Attending to your mental and physical wellbeing whilst at Cranfield is key to creating the ideal environment for academic success. There will be times for us all when the mind needs peace and the ...
Jubilee weekend opening hours for Library services
Library services will change over the weekend of Thursday 2 until Sunday 5 June for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Kings Norton Library and Management and Resource Centre (MIRC) Both library spaces will be open for ...
‘Meet the bees’ tour May 2022
When I started working at Cranfield University in March 2021, a couple of the things that I really liked were the amount of green spaces and their dedication to become more environmentally friendly. I’ve never ...
Introducing…. Orbis BankFocus
For anyone researching the financial sector, Orbis BankFocus is a great place to start, providing financial and company data for finance institutions and companies. The service allows you to search for a single company or ...