Aussie firm shifts to Phuket

       Australia-based swimming pool producer Autumn Solar Pty Ltd will shift its manufacturing base to Phuket to benefit from the Asean Free Trade Area.
       The relocation involves a joint-venture with a local pool producer and investment of 50 million baht.
       Managing director Steve Merrett said the move from Ulladulla, a coastal town in New South Wales, Australia, to Phuket would help reduce manufacturing costs by 15% to 20% due to lower wages,cheaper raw materials and savings in transportation costs.
       The relocation would start this month by moving salt chlorination system production. Full production would be completed within two years when it will close its factory in Australia, he said.
       The firm also plans to close a plastics factory in China which will shift to the new centre in Phuket, he said.
       "It's an opportunity to have Thailand as our manufacturing base," he said."We can import materials from Australia with zero tax and export the products to China, our main market, and the rest of the world without tax as well."
       The firm currently exports 90% of the equipment made at the Ulladulla plant to China, Thailand, Vietnam, Europe and the US. Autumn Solar had a turnover of US$55 million last year, he said.
       The company yesterday announced a joint venture with JD Pools 2004(Thailand) which will establish a firm with registered capital of 50 million baht.
       Thanusak Phungdet, chief executive of JD Pools, said the firm's factory in Phuket would double to 10,000 square metres with Autumn Solar's relocation.
       The company plans to increase its exports from 20% of production to 50%in three years. It targets annual sales of 1 billion baht with the joint venture.
       The Thai pool market this year is estimated at about 2 billion baht, up 10%to 15% on last year. JD Pools expects sales of 600 million baht this year, up 12% on 2008 but below its 15% target.