Purem Aapico to produce emission control systems

Purem International GmbH and Aapico Hitech Plc signed an agreement to establish a joint venture called Purem Aapico Co.

The joint venture will manufacture and supply exhaust emission control systems and components for commercial vehicles and passenger cars in Thailand and the Asean market to meet the highest emission standards.

Purem International GmbH will hold a 51% share of the new joint venture, while Aapico will hold the remaining 49%.

The partnership is set to develop the local market and become a major emission system supplier for the region as Purem by Eberspaecher brings its global industrialisation, development, engineering and product management expertise to the new company, while Aapico adds local market know-how in production, human resources, IT as well as customer service.

A joint local team will also take over the management of the new joint venture.

Volker Cwielong, co-chief executive of Purem by Eberspaecher, said his firm is intensifying its activities for clean mobility and growth in Asian markets.

"We are convinced that with Aapico we have found the best joint venture partner that brings local know-how as well as more than 30 years' experience in the automotive sector to grow together," said Mr Cwielong.

Aapico is a global automotive part manufacturer specialising in jigs, dies, press and assembly parts, chassis parts, forging parts, casting and plastic components.

The new plant will be located in Amata City Rayong, about 100 kilometres southeast of Bangkok.

The facility will be within Aapico's Rayong campus, and the start of production with exhaust systems for an international automotive manufacturer is already planned for the third quarter of 2023.

In the first step, 80 new jobs will be created.

Yeap Swee Chuan, president and chief executive of Aapico, added that by joining with Purem by Eberspaecher, a German firm, a dream has come true to add a new critical product to be made in Thailand for the local car industry.