I work for an import company in Australia and will be moving to Thailand to work (off site for same company) within the not too distant future.

My company currently imports from China. Constant price increases due to a rise in wages, improved working conditions, and raw materials has led my company to Explore all other avenues. Quality is also a major concern at the moment.

Given that I will be going to Thailand for work anyway, they have put forward a proposal where by I seek out suppliers and find out if importing from Thailand is a viable option. Vietnam was another location put forward but considering I will be on the ground in Thailand it seems like a good place to start. My company currently imports between 60-90 containers a year from China. We supply 90% of the car seat covers in the Australian retail market.

Where would one start with such a project? Are there any recomended trade websites one could find leads? I have sourced my own products from China in the past and found it to be an easy process. Thailand seems to be a trickier proposition, at this early stage.

I suspect that I would need to target textile factories and see if they could produce out seat covers. The range is quite extensive and would take some time in the development phase. I would fly out one of our pattern makers to liase with the factory during this period if it is required. The other alternative is a factory that specialises in this area already. I'm not sure how the market is in Thailand for car seat covers.

Do those in the know think that this would be a viable option or are the costs of producing in Thailand still significantly higher than China? I have been told that many Thais are now seeking work in China due to the $ and working conditions but I'm not sure how reliable this information is.

I believe that freight costs from Thailand-Australia would be slightly lower than China-Australia but once again am not 100% sure on this.

I have already posted one topic on this forum since my recent join date and recieved some helpful advice from TV members. I hope people can be as informative in regards to this subject.

Thanks guys and girls.

You may want to check out the website for Thailand's Department of Export Promotion

Directory of Exporters

Also given the Free Trade Agreement between Thailand and Australia, you may actually be able to reduce import duty .... you may want to check out ther below webiste and consult your company's customs broker

Thailand - Australia FTA

One thing I can tell you is that (many people don't know this)Thailand is the only country in the world which produces ALL the seats (MB-TEC;Leather)for ALL Mercedes Benz models manufactured anywhere in the world.

I happen to also know,that there are many factories involved in the manufacture of Car-Seat Covers, ranging from the very basic to the super luxurious.

If you want additional information, just PM me or send me an e-mail on [email protected] and I'll try to point you in the right direction, okay ?

Cheers,

Jaap G.Klasema

@jaapfries - I have sent you a PM. Thanks!!