What makes WHA Thailand's No. 1 Industrial Developer for 33 Consecutive Years?

WHA Industrial Development or WHA ID is one of the businesses of WHA Group in the development and management of industrial estates and is considered the No. 1 leader in industrial estate development in Thailand.

WHA ID has been in the industrial estate development business for 33 years, with a market share in the last five years at 53%. It has 12 industrial estates in management, divided into 11 in Thailand and 1 in Vietnam, with a total area of over 68,000 rai, and more for future expansion. In addition, WHA ID is planning to expand its industrial estate development projects in other locations in Thailand and two more sites in Vietnam.

WHA's industrial estates have the advantage of being close to the logistics network. In addition, each of WHA's industrial estates is outfitted with the latest technology and infrastructure necessary for industrial operations, making it appealing to investors.

Thailand's industrial estates are growing continuously. In the first three quarters of 2021, all industrial estates in the country were worth THB 130,289 million, a 138% increase from the previous year, and international investment was worth THB 278,658 million.

Popular locations are the Eastern Economic Corridor or EEC, which is conveniently located close to ports for shipping networks and air transport hubs. Up to 75% of industrial estates have been established in this location, taking a 46% share of international investment.

Rayong is the province that attracts the most international investment in the EEC, with a value of THB 64,350 million, and is home to Map Ta Phut Port and U-Tapao Airport. Chonburi follows with THB 40,860 million of international investment and Chachoengsao with THB 21,430 million.

The countries with the largest investments in Thailand are Japan, which has invested in automobile and auto parts businesses, followed by the United States and China.

WHA has long-standing experience in developing industrial estates and has been Thailand's leader in industrial estates for more than 33 years. The company has had a 53% market share in the past five years. Its income from the industrial estates accounted for 20% of its total revenue.

The WHA industrial estate sales will likely increase by 56% from 2020. The country that invests in WHA industrial estates the most is Japan, at a rate of 32%, with most investors investing in the automotive and auto parts industry.

WHA focuses on developing its industrial estates to become the automotive cluster of Thailand, enhancing convenience for finding parts and producing complete vehicles in the industrial estates.

WHA has over 33 years of industrial estate development experience with a combined area of over 68,000 rai and a group of investors of 871 companies.

At present, there are 12 industrial estates under the management of WHA:

• 10 industrial estates and lands in EEC areas of Thailand
• 1 industrial land in Saraburi province, Thailand
• 1 industrial estate in Nghe An province, Vietnam.

The Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) location is the most popular location for industrial estate development.

The EEC started with the government's desire to develop the east coast of Thailand, which is not far from the capital city of Bangkok. This area also connects to the northeastern region, a source of work and raw materials. Furthermore, it is adjacent to the Gulf of Thailand as a channel for ocean freight. The EEC area is therefore in a perfect location for industrial estate development.

What makes the EEC ideally situated are the two shipping ports, Laem Chabang and Map Ta Phut, and U-Tapao Airport. In the future, high-speed trains will be developed to connect the country's three airports, allowing traveling and transporting goods to be more convenient for all.

WHA, therefore, chose to develop most of its industrial estates in the EEC area, with each industrial estate having different strengths and groups of industries.

Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate (Rayong) - 9,688 Rai

WHA Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate 1 (Rayong) - 8,003 Rai

WHA Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate 2 (Chonburi) - 3,650 Rai

WHA Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate 3 (Chonburi) - 2,198 Rai

WHA Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate 4 (Rayong) - 1,870 Rai

All five industrial estates come with the advantage of being part of an automotive cluster combining the automobile, auto parts, and related industries into the same industrial estate areas. Transportation costs are kept low by the strategic location in the EEC area covering Chonburi and Rayong provinces. These five WHA industrial estates are close proximity to Japanese investor community in the Sriracha area. In addition, a local workforce with diverse skills are available to work in the industrial estates in this area.

The estates also provide more than sufficient space to accommodate businesses that require large areas for their industrial operations. Apart from the automobile industry, the five estates are well-prepared to welcome investors from other industries and benefit from WHA quality infrastructure to support all enterprise.

WHA Map Ta Phut Eastern Industrial Estate (3,747 Rai)

This industrial estate combines petrochemical industries in the area and nearby areas. It makes it convenient for raw material procurement and delivery. In addition, there is a petrochemical pipeline system for transporting to various factories. The industrial estate's location is adjacent to Map Ta Phut Port and only 13 kilometers from U-Tapao Airport.

The estate has prepared utilities to support heavy industries that rely heavily on utilities for production. There will be a plant that produces electricity and steam for use in the production and maintenance of industrial systems.

WHA Chonburi Industrial Estate 1 (3,482 Rai) and WHA Chonburi Industrial Estate 2 (623 Rai)

These two industrial estates offer easy access to the Laem Chabang deep seaport. Some parts of the estates are designated as an Export Processing Zone (EPZ) or the zone where tax and duty privileges are granted to companies manufacturing for export. Three power plants are also located in the estates to generate electricity into the electricity sales system to the industries inside.

The current customers in the industrial estate are industries related to steel, electronics, energy, and auto parts.

WHA Rayong Industrial Land - 3,439 Rai

WHA Rayong Industrial Land focuses on the electrical appliance, automobile, and construction industries. The location is close to petrochemical production sites, making it easy for industrial production. The area is also close to Map Ta Phut port, only 15 kilometers away.

WHA Rayong 36 Industrial Estate - 1,281 Rai

It is the latest industrial estate of WHA, ready for investment with a plan in place for this estate to become an automotive industrial estate of the future. This estate comes with a solar power generation system service for installation on the factory's roof to circulate energy inside.

Saraburi province is home to several industrial estates and many factories benefiting from a consistent supply of raw materials for the construction industry, including cement and ceramics.

Located close to transportation routes such as the Saraburi highway, the area connects seamlessly to the airports in Bangkok. In the future, there will also be the Kanchanaphisek-Korat motorway linking to the province and high-speed trains will further facilitate the delivery of goods.

WHA Saraburi Land Industrial - 3,619 Rai

WHA Saraburi Industrial Land is in Saraburi province. It is located near the Kanchanaphisek-Korat motorway under construction. Saraburi is home to construction and related industries. The area can easily procure cement and ceramics from nearby factories. It is also close to local colleges and universities, so this makes the location convenient for recruiting workers. Furthermore, the water system from the Pa Sak Jolasid Dam is sufficient for industrial use.

Northern Central Vietnam Locations

Industries in Vietnam

Vietnam is a country that produces electronic components, with many large companies setting up production bases in the country.

Investors are interested in setting up industrial estates in the northern part of Vietnam that has a border with China. The country is also primarily adjacent to the sea, making transportation of goods from this location convenient. Therefore these are the factors that promote industrialization in Vietnam.

Vietnam's significant industries are telephone and computer-related electronics, accounting for 34% of the country's entire industry. The countries that have invested in Vietnam the most are the United States and China, which have large electronics companies. Their investments have further boosted Vietnam's industry.

WHA Industrial Zone 1 – Nghe An, Vietnam - 11,550 Rai

This industrial development is in North Central Vietnam, and its economic recovery plan encourages international investment in the country. Moreover, the location is strategically close to other industrial estates. For example, it is an industrial area close to Cua Lo Port, which is only 6.5 km away and Vinh Airport is 10 km away.

This zone focuses on electronics and related industries and will be a distribution center to various countries.

WHA will expand its industrial estate areas in the country in the future. In northern Vietnam, the new location will be in Thanh Hoa, close to the port and airport. Construction is expected to start in 2023 with an investment value of THB 6 billion.

WHA industrial estate highlights can be divided into three parts:

WHA Industrial Estate Locations

• Located in an easily accessible location, convenient for investors and suppliers to enter the estates
• Near transportation and logistics systems, seaport and airport, on the main industrial highway, convenient to transport raw materials and products obtained from manufacturing
• Can provide qualified workforce from the local area to work in the estates as colleges and universities are training to the market

Facilities in WHA Industrial Estates

• Roads within the industrial estates in Thailand are 30–52 m wide and Vietnam 67 m wide, convenient for transporting goods
• Security system and emergency call center available 24 hours
• Water system available to support industrial work with the amount of water calculated for sufficient use and wastewater treatment systems such as aeration ponds and artificial ponds available
• Natural gas pipeline services within the industrial estates in Thailand from production sites such as PTT to support use in the manufacturing sector
• Telephone network and FTTx internet system installed in the industrial estates
• Environmental quality control system both in terms of water and air quality

Smart Industrial Estate System

• Unified Operation Control (UOC) center, located at WHA, displays an information dashboard of all operations at WHA industrial estates. The dashboard provides real time air quality, water quality, CCTV, and traffic monitoring in the estates.