AIM’S
Asia integrated Manufacturing Solutions
About
What is AIMS
AIMS
Provides strategic Manufacturing Management based in Bangkok Thailand. What is AIMS all about? AIMS is about creating value propositions for everyone concerned. We achieve this for our customers by a value-add environment. Being a niche company and providing unique services we continuously stretch our team’s capabilities. Our Team has cumulative of 100’s of years’ experience in SE Asia managing and providing manufacturing solutions in SE Asia. Our business model creates value to entry in the Asean Space at very low cost. Having our team here Boot’s on the ground eliminates the need for expense travel and overseas expenses. We can arrange and assist in Material Management, Quality Management and Engineering Management. This strategy allows customers to focus more time on their core business of developing new successful products in this rapidly dynamic global environment. Although we have operational capability into the entire Asean Market and supply chain. Our team specializes in Product and Technology Transfer Management.
Mission
AIMS mission is to provide the highest quality value added consulting service at the most competitive price by offering unique and strategic global sourcing solutions and factory set up advice.
Vision
AIMS is a Global Leader in consulting for all area’s of overall manufacturing and supply chain management, offering unmatched creativity, innovation, quality and excellence
flexibility and innovation
We think outside of the box to innovate new solutions and strategies for any problem a customer may encounter in the development of their products.
Values
AIMS we believe in manufacturing excellence – from and consulting services to manufacturing lines we offer our customers. Excellent products and services start with a dedicated and motivated team. In recognition of this, AIMS has found the following goals to be the core of our business:
exceptional customer service
We always offer exceptional and engaging customer service on-time, every time.
unbeatable value
We strive to deliver the highest quality services at the most cost-competitive price, giving our customers an unbeatable value.
continuous improvement
We challenge ourselves and our suppliers to continuously improve upon best-in-class manufacturing services and practices through training.
teamwork
We believe offering our employees an environment where they can learn, grow, and develop fine-tuned skills translates into a valuable tool for success for all our customers, suppliers, and investors
Operate In
Asian areas we Operate In
Thailand
Every year, the World Bank conducts a study on the ease of doing business in various countries around the world. The World Bank produces an annual report that looks at domestic and medium-sized enterprises and the quantitatively measures regulations that affect them, covering nine indicators for 190 economies.
World Bank Group’s 2020 Ease of Doing Business report ranks Thailand 21st out of 190 countries up by six places compared to the previous year. Among areas in this report which showed the greatest improvement, was a reduction in the number of steps required and the amount of time needed for obtaining construction permits, and the score for ease of shareholder suits that in turn helped improve the ranking for protecting minority investors.
For many years Thailand has been among the most successful countries in Asia for attracting Foreign Direct Investment, which is commonly known as FDI. Forbes listed the country as the 8th best-emerging market of 2020. Its current account balance was 5.6% of GDP, with direct investment stocks inward exceeding US$222 billion, according to UNCTAD’s 2019 World Investment Report. It was rated as the 26th best country overall in the 2020 edition of the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Countries report, which evaluated 73 countries based on 75 metrics such as quality of life, economic influence, power, education, and eco-friendliness, among others. Moreover, Thailand is ranked No. 1 on the US News & World Report’s chart of the Best Countries to Start a Business 2020, among 73 participating countries across the globe. In the ever-competitive investment environment that characterizes the 21st century, Thailand has continued to remain attractive to foreign investors. For more than three decades, successive Thai governments have recognized that the private sector in Thailand has been the main facilitator of growth and the government has actively played a promoting and supporting role. The Thai government has taken a consistently favorable stance to reduce so-called ‘red-tape’ policies and facilitate foreign investors, contributing to Thailand’s economic and technological growth. Multinational Companies (MNCs) have set their foot to Thailand over the decades as a quest to be a part of the thriving economy. Almost all major manufacturing giants have a base in Thailand and continue to grow.
Thailand consistently ranks highly in the world for various elements of business and infrastructure in Thailand and is recognized as being the worlds:
31st biggest economy
22nd biggest economy by purchasing power
24th biggest exporter
16th largest manufacturing output
34th largest services output
11th largest agriculture output
25th largest industrial output.
In addition, Thailand is also:
The world’s leading rice exporter in terms of quantity
The world’s second-biggest pineapple exporter
The world’s second-biggest sugar exporter
The world’s leading cassava exporter
The world’s leading rubber exporter
The world’s sixth-largest rubber tires exports in terms of value
The world’s seventh-largest computer device exports in terms of value
The world’s ninth-largest computer accessories exports in terms of value
The world’s seventh-largest motorcycle exports in terms of value
The world’s fifth-largest truck exports in terms of value
The world’s largest producer of HDD
Thailand’s GDP has increased continuously over the past several years. The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council reported Thailand’s GDP growth for 2018 to be 4.1% and has additionally forecasted that GDP growth for 2019 will be in the range of 3.5 – 4.5%. A shift from the being ranked from 27th largest to the 24th largest in terms of service output proves its improving nature. Year on year, Thailand’s rankings have improved in many areas. Industrial output qualified Thailand for a 23rd place ranking. Forbes listed the country as the 8th best-emerging market of 2020.
In addition to a growing highway system that now connects not only every province in Thailand but also to the neighboring nations of Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Burma and Vietnam, Thailand also offers:
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Seven prominent international airports
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Modern city-wide mass transit in Bangkok
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4G/Wi-Fi and broadband access throughout the country
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Six deep seaports and two international river ports, including containers, tank farms and liquid jetties
Source BOI Thailand To achieve a high level of development, the business leaders and the government have set up a new transformation stage with the name of ‘The Digital Thailand 4.0 program’. The main characteristics of the program include a digitalized social system with an integrated digital business. This program has helped these rural-based small and medium firms to make use of e-markets and e-payments for selling their products. The government of Thailand is striving hard to endorse “Thailand 4.0” as its new ploy and economic model for towing the country out of the middle-income trap and offer an impetus to the country to move into high-income range group.
In fact, one of the fastest rising tourism sectors in Thailand is medical tourism, with international patients visiting Thailand to take advantage of the nation’s world-class and extremely affordable health care system. Our sister concern Travel Motivations can help you to know more about medical tourism and how they can assist you to provide a comprehensive medical package combining all logistics and medical support.
The literacy rate in Thailand is quite high and in recent years there has been an increased emphasis on education. The development of the Kingdom’s human resources is its highest priority. 93% of the population is able to read and write in Thai, proving the literacy rate to be higher than most of the neighboring nations.
Most Thais are well mannered, honest, sincere, and easy to work with. As almost 95% practice Buddhism, working with them requires a cultural understanding and the shift from western work cultures might just give you an initial shock. Check out understanding Thai culture in Business.
Business Language
Most of the major universities in Thailand teach business English, which makes finding Thai employees who have the skills to do business and communicate clearly in English relatively easy.
Chinese and Japanese are also taught in many schools, while the number of graduates who have at least a working understanding of German and French is rapidly increasing. This makes doing business with other countries a lot easier and there is an increasing demand for students to study business both in college and university.
Having said that, the language barrier still prevails to a large extent. Apart from the upper mid-top management people, the rest of any organization speaks the Thai language only, making it often difficult for foreign companies to interact freely.
However, consulting companies like Startup in Thailand assist in bridging this gap and provide 360-degree service support to foreigners so that they can be successful in Thailand.
The Importance of Working with a Business Startup Consultant in Thailand
Foreigners who are planning to start a business in Thailand may find that there are several hurdles that need to be overcome before they are ready to start a business.
These include the fact that obtaining a Work Permit in Thailand is far from easy and it is essential to pay for professional legal services to help cut through the red tape. Many sectors are reserved for work by Thai nationals alone, so foreigners are restricted in the types of business they can run, so legal assistance can be sought on how to incorporate a business in Thailand.
Working with a professional, boutique business consulting company such as AIM’S can help to smooth the way and the experts can help to define the things that need to be overcome and provide the knowledge and know-how to make this much easier.Malaysia
While our major focus is Thailand as a base and recommend anyone setting up a new business in Asia to come to Thailand, we do view Malaysia as having a very strong and robust SME supply chain that is within easy reach of Thailand. Materials can be shipped to Thailand daily by truck and makes the expense of doing so very low. Because of the history of manufacturing in SE Asia and how it was developed Malaysia offers some good value and tressures that are hard to find in Thailand which can be utilized in Thailand.
The good things to consider about Malaysia are:
Malaysia has excellent infrastructure which is positioned to well-serve the businesses in the country. Excellent air, land and sea cargo facilities make transporting goods easy. The international sea and air connections provide multinational corporations with an easy route to deliver their goods and services to places all over the world. With highway access linking the country to Thailand in the North and Singapore at the tip of the peninsula, connectivity between neighbouring nations is also excellent. The telecommunications infrastructure is one of the best developed in the region, supporting a range of domestic and international communication services. This is excellent for any business that has operations in other locations.
South-East Asia has seen rapid development in recent years and is one of the main regions fueling global GDP growth. Malaysia is part of ASEAN, an intergovernmental organisation promoting cooperation between 10 countries, and also the third-largest trade bloc in the world. Located at the heart of ASEAN and surrounded by other major regional powers like Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, Malaysia offers easy access to the 650 million large market. As SE Asia countries progress and its citizens grow more affluent, the consumer spending power of the huge population will grow. Malaysia is strategically positioned to take advantage of this important market, acting as the perfect hub for businesses in the region.
Thanks to the good education system, foreigners will find it easy to communicate with locals as English language ability is common amongst the population. The workforce has all the required skills to operate a business correctly and are also some of the most productive people. Its legal practices are also based on the British system, giving companies excellent protection.
Singapore
Although we do not recommend setting up manufacturing in Singapore dependent on the scale of one’s business and financial needs, Singapore may be an elegant HQ solution for businesses to use in combination with a Thailand factory and Malaysian supply chain. We would only recommend this for innovation type of businesses where extreme scaling is expected and a company wants to remain private for extended periods while attracting funding by issues mutlipule series of share issuances. Issuing more shares in a Thailand private company is very cumbersome. Using a Singapore HQ in combination with a BOI application can have some great advantages. Additionally a company based on manufacturing with innovated IP may own all that IP within the HQ company and release it to the Thailand company for use. Obtaining patents in Singapore is done with more ease than Thailand for instance.
The good things to consider about Singapore are:
A Leading Financial Hub
When it comes to the leading financial hub in the global marketplace, England generally tops the many international lists. However, London’s supremacy is coming to an end in this realm as Singapore is gradually climbing the ranking systems.
According to a 2016 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP study, the Asian island nation is ranked just behind London as the leading financial hub. By using the Cities of Opportunity Index, Singapore is ahead of New York City, Toronto, Paris, San Francisco and Hong Kong.
The researchers alluded to efficient transportation, powerful infrastructure systems, high-end technology and low taxes as some of the reasons why Singapore is surging the list of leading financial hubs. Today, the financial and insurance industries account for 13 percent of the nation’s economy – banking in Singapore has never been this easy or big.
The Political Climate is Stable
If you look to Europe and the United States right now, you will witness an unstable political climate, a fierce upheaval by the electorate and regular domestic strife. It’s bad in the West.
Singapore, however, maintains a stable political environment. It is true that there has been one dominant political party – the People’s Action Party (PAP) – since 1959, but the government still takes the form of a parliamentary representative democratic republic with three separate branches of government: executive, legislative and judiciary. The head of state is primarily ceremonial, though he does have veto power and power regarding civil service appointments and national security. For the most part, the federal government is run by the legislature.
As numerous studies have shown, the Singapore government has a clean image and reputation that is corruption-free. The two biggest complaints that both foreign and domestic critics may have is the restriction of free speech and capital punishment.
Singapore is a Wealthy Nation
Singapore may account for less than one percent of the global economy, but it does have a gross domestic product of $300 billion. In other words, Singapore is a lucrative country.
Here are several statistics to highlight the island nation’s wealth:
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GDP per capita is $55 million.
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A homeownership rate of an astounding 90 percent.
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Gold reserves of close to 130 tones.
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Labor force participation rate is 70 percent.
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Gross national income is $455 billion.
With a growing economy, limited government liabilities and expenditures and soaring foreign investment, Singapore is an affluent state that can withstand global recessions.
Tax Rates are Attractive
If you read stories about Singapore in any business newspaper, you will often find a passage that refers to Singapore’s attractive tax rates for companies, and this plays a big part in its growth.
There are no taxes on inheritance, capital gains or dividends, and the corporate tax rate is just 17 percent. These are tax policies that lure in foreign capital, investors and corporations or startups.
For the individual, however, it may be a bit higher. The personal income tax rate is 22 percent, the sales tax rate is seven percent and the Social Security tax rate for employees is 20 percent.
A Commonwealth-based Legal System
Since Singapore is a Commonwealth nation, the country’s legal system maintains its roots in English law and practice. Singapore was founded in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles as an important shipping route, which also meant that Singapore adopted English law and customs.
In other words, Singapore has inherited the British legal foundation that can be found in contract, restitution and tort. Due to the fact that it remains intact today, you will find certainty, tolerance, stability and even acceptance in the Singapore legal system.
Although it has evolved over the years, you will still find justice in its legal system.
Maintains the World’s Best Banks
Unlike other nations that had financial institutions needing a bailout from the taxpayers, Singapore has the world’s best banking system, according to various studies, groups and outlets. Whether it’s the protection of the banks, such as capital, reserves or security apparatuses, or the ingenuity of a financial institution, banking in Singapore is secure, efficient and affordable.
In 2016, DBS Bank won the world’s best digital bank and was ranked, alongside OCBC Bank, as one of the world’s safest banks.
Simply put: it is unlikely that a financial institution in Singapore will require a bailout.
A Strategic Geographical Location
An island with the size of 646 sq. km, one way Singapore’s economy has been able to grow the way it has is its strategic geographical location. The island is located on a major sea route between China and India. Due to its sublime harbor and free trade harbor status, Singapore attracts investment from all over the world, including the United States and Japan.
Suffice to say, Singapore has taken advantage of its strategic location between the east and west, and has accessed every corner of the global marketplace. As a country, Singapore is able to provide companies with a global platform to expand their international business.
Various Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements
A double taxation avoidance agreement, otherwise known as a tax treaty, is an economic agreement between two nations that looks to eliminate or limit double taxation of the same income in the two nations.
Since the 1960s, Singapore has established numerous double taxation avoidance agreements, or DTAAs, with a wide array of other countries. Over the years, Singapore has entered into these arrangements with the likes of India, Cyprus, Mauritius, Canada and the U.S.
This is one of the major factors in Singapore being able to attract foreign investment.
Easiest Jurisdiction to do Business
Whether it is Singapore company formation, doing business in Singapore or banking in Singapore, the ease of achieving these elements remains significant. If you want to enforce contracts or obtain construction permits then Singapore is the best place to do these functions.
English is the Official Language
Singapore maintains a diverse culture and experiences a multicultural society with more than five million people. It welcomes various Asian cultures, such as Malaysian, Chinese and Tamil. Despite these trends, English has been adopted by the government as the country’s official language because of business and working relationships across the island nation.
Singapore prides itself as being an English-based bilingual nation. When you attend the education system, you will be taught in English as well as Mandarin or Tamil. Moreover, if you travel through the cities you will discover signage in multiple languages, but primarily English.
If you are considering relocating to Singapore, you don’t have to worry if your Mandarin is a bit rusty. A lot of people within Singapore speak English.
Operate In
The AIMS Team
CEO – Martin Eleveld
Sr. Level Engineering and Operations Executive
Industry expert with more than 35-years of experience in manufacturing and operational management. Thorough knowledge of engineering and manufacturing concepts, theories and processes. Analytical thinker and innovative leader that offers unique and effective solutions for any challenge. Management style that provides mentorship, motivation, conflict-resolution and a real “team spirit”. International businessman who understands the importance of culture, building and maintaining relationships, and growing business through new global partnerships. 35-years of Manufacturing, Operational and Sourcing Management experience; 30-years of Customer Service and Relationship Management experience; 25-years of International Business and HDD experience having worked for Seagate and in the WD supply chain for 20 years; 12-years of Business Ownership; and 12 years of Content Solutions Supplier Management experience.
Richard Kent
Sr. Executive Supplier Management
a seasoned ASEAN based executive having worked independently in Asia for the past 25 years. Mr. Kent’s experience in quality and program management is highly desired skills. Mr, Kent assisted many high technology USA based OEM companies finding and qualifying suppliers in Asia using well developed survey systems. Additionally Mr. Kent would managing and monitor suppliers on weekly, monthly and quarterly basis to insure that all quality targets are being met.
AIMS' Recommended Law Firm KSS Legal
Kamthorn Surachet & Somsak was established in 1984. The firm developed from its predecessor, Vertley & Kamthorn, serving international clients in Thailand. In early 1990, the firm’s ownership passed to all Thai partners who proudly manage the firm and the firm’s name was changed to Kamthorn Surachet & Somsak, following the retirement of Mr. James Vertley and the inclusion of new partners.
The firm originally made its name as a specialist in small to medium-sized corporate and entrepreneurial companies, in corporate practice, investment, finance and banking, taxation, real estate, immigration, labor, intellectual property and commercial legal matters. The firm’s litigation practice is also a major area of expertise. This includes commercial disputes, commercial crimes, commercial and contractual claims, arbitration, tax controversies prosecution and enforcement of intellectual property rights. However, their highly specialized and personalized services with sophisticated professional personnel has currently drawn a substantial number of large-sized corporations to their services.
The firm’s clients include multinational corporations international NGOs, manufacturers, service providers, airlines, governments, advertising agencies, real estate developers, private power producers, international software developers, caterers, hoteliers, production houses, etc.
The firm enjoys the following memberships: Lawyers Associated Worldwide (LAW), Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA), Asean Intellectual Property Association (ASEAN IPA) and International Chamber of Commerce Thailand (ICC Thailand). The firm has many partners and attorneys however our primary legal providers are,
Ekapat Anugkakul
A Thai national, graduated from Thammasat University. Ekapat received his LL.B in 2009. He specializes in corporate, foreign business, investment promotion and non-profit organization laws. He has set up regional offices of international non-profit organizations in Thailand from scratch and assisted them in all kinds of registrations and reporting. He also advises and assists the clients in regard to foreign investment and businesses in Thailand, employment related matters, corporate registrations, corporate restructuring, sale of business, business transfer, etc.
