Issue 35

Chalermsak Karnchanawarin believes that Hazchem’s niche position within the world of logistics is vital to its success.

Logistics is key to business. According to the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI), the logistics sector contributes approximately 300 billion baht to the economy annually or about 3.2% of Thailand’s GDP.

One of the leading logistics companies in Thailand is Hazchem Logistics Management established in 1997 and the winner of the PM Award in 2011 as well as the Export Logistics Model Award (ELMA) Award in 2008, 2009 and 2011.

“In the beginning we focused on international logistics, like ISO Tank Container for bulk liquid transport then we expanded to warehousing and transport and distribution,” says Hazchem’s managing director, Chalermsak Karnchanawarin.

Hazchem offers a combination of logistics management and handling chemical and dangerous goods.

“All kinds of dangerous chemicals are used in different industries and we have many international clients in various industries, for example, Dupont and Bayer,” says Karnchanawarin. “We’re the only company in Thailand that’s a logistics specialist for dangerous goods.

“We’re highly committed to doing the right thing according to the Safety and Responsible Care guiding principles as I’m also the Vice Chairman of the Responsible Care Management Committee of Thailand.”

In order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the business, Karnchanawarin has rejected clients wishing Hazchem to transport or warehouse some highly dangerous items. “We’ve turned down items like airbag initiators as they may be unsafe for other items that are stored in the same container or warehouse,” he says.

The company also advises other companies and students on how to transport and store chemicals and dangerous goods. “From an integrated logistics provider, we’re also a technical knowledge-based service provider due to our experience in handling dangerous goods,” says Karnchanawarin, “We’ve had open house events for university students to learn about the business and create awareness on how to handle these goods.”

With more competitors entering the market, the company is adapting itself to keep up with the industry. “Some of the challenges that we are facing right now is national bidding for international oganisations,” says Karnchanawarin. “The bigger their business is, the more negotiating power they have, so we’re constantly looking for international partnerships to strengthen our network.” Currently, the company has a partnership with Singaporean company CWT to offer regional and international logistics services under CWT Chemical Logistics.

In the near future, Hazchem will expand its services into different areas. “The warehouse and distribution business is growing rapidly,” says Karnchanawarin. “We established Hazchem Transportation Management earlier this year which focuses exclusively on those services. In five years’ time we also aim to build a dangerous goods logistics complex. We also want to explore other niche logistics services such as medical transportation like blood or tissue transportation.”

For more information, visit www.hazchemlogistics.com

Words by Sirinuch Borsub