Amata powers ahead with European smart city
Amata Corp has signed a memorandum of understanding with B.Grimm Power that paves the way for its Amata European Smart City, which will draw hi-tech investment from Europe to Chonburi province.
The industrial estate operator is collaborating with B.Grimm Power on its plan to locate the new smart city on 200 rai (32 hectares) inside Amata City Chonburi Industrial Estate. It aims to attract investment in high technology industries from Europe, in addition to the existing zones for Japan, China, Korea, and Taiwan. Amata’s partnership with B.Grimm Power will support investment in the eastern economic corridor.
Both parties intend to extend their cooperation throughout Thailand, and to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
Vikrom Kromadit, Chairman of Amata Corporation Public Company Limited, or AMATA, revealed that on February 9, 2023, AMATA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Harald Link, President of B.Grimm Power Public Company Limited, or BGRIM, to jointly develop the project of "AMATA European Smart City" in AMATA City Chonburi Industrial Estate, in order to support investment in high-technology industries or so-called s-curve industries from European countries, which are likely to expand their production bases to Asia.
Thailand is also one of the key targets of this relocation and this project is expected to gear up the growth of investment in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
“Asia nowadays is considered a potential emerging market with high purchasing power. We are always looking for cooperation not only in Thailand but also in CLMVT. These countries are having promising economic growth and they are attracting European investors to relocate their production base to this region,” said Vikrom.
AMATA Group, the largest private developer of industrial cities in Thailand, has more than 1,000 customers, most of whom are investors from overseas companies. The industrial estates cover an area of approx.. 80 square kilometres; furthermore, AMATA City Chonburi Industrial Estate, which is being transformed towards a " Smart City”, designed to maximize the synergies of the key S-curve industries under Thailand 4.0, and is located at the heart of the EEC, to contribute towards accelerating Thailand and the EEC’s ongoing transformations of a leading innovation-driven economic powerhouse in Asean.
“This MOU will lead to the implementation of future projects, and it is also regarded as the progress of a smart city, in which 15 projects are on the advancement, e.g., smart energy, smart mobility, smart manufacturing, etc. We are conducting the study on the allocation of the zone for European countries so that we will be well prepared to support entrepreneurs from Europe who has advanced technology and innovations and tend to expand their production bases to Southeast Asia, especially Thailand,” said Vikrom.
The development of the smart city is one of the main strategies to enhance the industrial town, which is expected to become a low-carbon city in the long run and in compliance with the green economy. This is also in line with AMATA Group's business commitment to promoting entrepreneurs who manufacture non-polluting products.
Harald Link said, “AMATA is B.Grimm's first business partner, and we have jointly studied and pioneered the private electric power industry in Thailand since 1993. At present, B.GRIMM is operating 10 combined cycle power plants in Amata City Chonburi Industrial Estate and Amata City Rayong Industrial Estate, with a total capacity of 1,321 megawatts. Additionally, we also encourage the use of clean energy in the industrial sector of Thailand by producing and distributing electricity generated by solar rooftops for industrial customers within these two industrial estates. This is corresponding to B.Grimm's “GreenLeap – Global and Green” strategy, aiming to become a leader in sustainable and safe energy development with social and environmental responsibility based on B.GRIMM Power's business commitment to ‘Empowering the World Compassionately'."
“Referring to this MOU, B.GRIMM shall play an important role in the development of utilities and energy innovations. We will promote the use of renewable energy, increase clean energy storage with efficient technology and modern innovations, and strengthen business competitiveness for the customers in AMATA European Smart City. This will also bring about more confidence among foreign investors and meanwhile expand the growth in Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), leading to Thailand’s economic enhancement and achievement of greenhouse gas reduction as well as the target of Net-Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050,” added Link.
The aforementioned MOU shall be effective for two years, ending on 9 February 2025. The two parties will join forces to develop the area of 200 rai so as to accommodate investment from European countries, including the high-potential industrial clusters. This project, thus, will have a very significant role in attracting more foreign direct investment (FDI) to Thailand.
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