Charun Business 52 Company Limited is a manufacturer and distributor of precast concrete slab, and a subsidiary company of Thai Beverage Public Company Limited or “ThaiBev”, which is a manufacturer and distributor of spirits, beer, non-alcoholic beverages, and food with more than 43 factories. ThaiBev has placed importance on 3 aspects of sustainable business growth, namely, economy, society, and environment. However, each year a large amount of by-product is produced by the production processes. Therefore, the company has established a policy to reduce the impact on the environment and add value to wastes for sustainable business operations, thus satisfying stakeholders and benefiting the environment and society as a whole.
Ms. Aunchalee Autchimatorn, Managing Director of Feed Addition Company Limited and Acting Managing Director of Charun Business 52 Company Limited, is a leader in charge of waste management of all subsidiary companies in ThaiBev Group. She said that ThaiBev sees that currently, waste management is still in its infancy and the company wants to be informed of the downstream product development, therefore, its staff had been sent to participate in a training program at the National Science Technology Development Agency (NSTDA). As ThaiBev’s beer group produces a large quantity of malt residues from the brewery every year, it was found that these residues can be value-added in order to meet the animal feed stakeholders’ satisfaction and create a circularity in the system. As for a large amount of ashes generated from the production processes of 19 breweries, only the factory in Bang Yi Khan had invested in an incineration system. However, ashes are still wastes that need to be further developed in various ways.
Ms. Aunchalee recalled that before working with MTEC, the company had extensively searched for the practical use of ashes until it found MTEC research, a synthetic lightweight aggregate “G-Rock” developed by Dr.Pitak Laoratanakul, which matched its objectives. This “G-Rock” research had received an outstanding research award from NSTDA. Thus, the company had acquired this technology and further developed it to build a production factory with a quite large capital expenditure at a level that ThaiBev had never invested before. The company appreciates that ThaiBev Executives have placed importance on research and development for further commercial development and is grateful for MTEC’s assistance for the past four years.
Ms. Aunchalee said that the company had focused on the preparation for further construction of the factories with 3 important principles, which are (1) it is believed that the research is completed and will yield green products, (2) the company vision had to be reframed so that its environmental products will be of practical use, and (3) the company must plan for the machinery and personnel for technology transfer. All of these were supported by MTEC research team.
Ms. Aunchalee, who has been playing a leading role in driving this project forward and convinced ThaiBev Executives to approve of the investment, comments that if the company does not start the project today and keep learning theories without practice, it will never know whether its vision conforms to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) or not. As ThaiBev is a large conglomerate, it has to start the project early. This is why the company dare to take action and is readly to accept its consequences, whether successful or not. For the commencement of this project, a support of Mr.Kosit Suksingh, Deputy Director of ThaiBev Group, is greatly acknowledged since he gave the opportunities and provided assistance so that now the production is being realized.
“Working on this project, the company has successfully built an environmental engineering team and, furthermore, created a waste database for managing the data from all subsidiary companies in the ThaiBev Group”
At present, the company has been able to employ the technology received from MTEC to develop a synthetic lightweight aggregate under the trademark name “Green Rock”. It is lightweight and can be used as building materials with enhanced thermal insulation properties. Its strength is comparable to that of conventional concrete. The building materials that contain “Green Rock” can be applied in various applications, such as prefabricated walls, autoclaved aerated concrete, and artificial stones. “Green Rock” can also help the construction works in terms of reducing labor force, providing good soundproofing, lowering the temperature inside the house, saving energy and electricity costs, as well as creating green innovative products for accommodations.
Lastly, the company greatly appreciates working with MTEC. MTEC research team had given the company very good suggestions. Ms. Aunchalee said that as NSTDA is the main organization responsible for the BCG, the company would like MTEC to help promote “Green Rock” to the society, especially in the green business, as well as drive and shorten the accreditation process of innovative works, and provide support equipment. The company is willing to be a part of the cooperation and support the green economy model.