Thread: Best country for engineering business?

I'm looking for some balanced advice from the apparently well-seasoned salts, with deep experiences in the SE Asia business environment.

My wife & I will nominally be based in Laos. I have a range of heat-exchanger technologies I need to have manufactured, for an international client base & am looking for quality manufacturers & assemblers. With the recent instability in Thailand, I've begun to get a little concerned with Thailand's ability to manufacture a quality product over the next 15-20 years. I don't see a problem finding decent component suppliers - am more worried about stop/start & ongoing VISA changes.

I have been investigating the following countries:
1. Thailand
2. Malaysia
3. Vietnam
4. Indonesia
5. Singapore

I'll be really interested in hearing different views on the subject & would appreciate all constructive comments & applied wisdom.

Thanks so much, everyone, for your time.

Have you tried venturi high speed air cooled system and to replace water driven exchanges.

It's not about where you build the system it is all about where you set the system up.

Hi 'Loy Toy'. Thanks for your comment.

Have you tried venturi high spsed air cooled system and to replace water driven exchanges.

Interesting. If you let me know more, I'll read up & return with a hopefully sensible comment. Most venturi-based systems blend motive & driven fluids. Heat-exchangers keep them separated.

It's not about where you build the system it is all about where you set the system up.

Can you perhaps elaborate a little more on this?

48-module system. Extremely aggressive fluid on shell-side.

Originally Posted by Waid

Interesting. If you let me know more, I'll read up & return with a hopefully sensible comment. Most venturi-based systems blend motive & driven fluids. Heat-exchangers keep them separated.

I have purchased many machines with water driven heat exchanges and either their cooling efficiency is too low or within 6 months the chambers are clogged with calcium because the water is so hard here.

I am mucking around with air driven exchanges with extremely good inwards filters and can maintain a 5 degree inflow level with an output 7 degree level.

When looking at your diagrams I could build a system a fraction of the size but not compromise efficiency with a lot less maintenance.

May I ask where is your design technology from and please do not mention the manufacturer.

My experience is that most European suppliers have no idea about designing heat exchanges for South East Asia.

I have asked in the past for the suppliers (mostly German) to double the cooling capacity and to accommodate the increased ambient temperatures here.

Also in 90% of the factories here no evaluation of the source water supply is evaluated and the effectiveness of the system is negated in less than 6 months.

This is not a European product. Your operational challenges are not overly complex.

What are you attempting to cool? I assume you are using local cooling water, or water from a cooling tower? Happy to discuss further, to see if I can assist.

The beauty of the modular design is that all heat-transfer surfaces are readily removed & can be swapped out, cleaned, or replaced within a short time-frame - extending the unit operation indefinitely. Lime deposits can be managed.

Originally Posted by Waid

This is not a European product.

Your first marketing challenge as most serious businessmen here buy European machines, I have no idea why but they inevitably do.

But as you say you wish to ex-port your machines there may not be an issue.

My only advise to you is to tie up with an end product supplier so you can jointly supply a proven and reliable turn-key solution.

Interesting thread this, I reckon , waid, I notice you say Laos will be your base but your not interested in the manufacturing aspect, why is that? I'm guessing it's because you don't think the locals are up to it? You would be correct in that assumption, sadly, not many skills here, in my experience the Thais are your best bet , I base my opinion on 8 years in the mining industry in Laos

Loy toy has probably forgotten more about manufacturing than I know however,

Originally Posted by beerlaodrinker

Interesting thread this, I reckon , waid, I notice you say Laos will be your base but your not interested in the manufacturing aspect, why is that? I'm guessing it's because you don't think the locals are up to it? You would be correct in that assumption, sadly, not many skills here, in my experience the Thais are your best bet , I base my opinion on 8 years in the mining industry in Laos

Thanks for your comment, BLD.

In the long-term, I am keen to see a building operation in Laos - for supply of units within Laos - as the economic drive picks up. I have no problem with training up local labour to assemble the products. These units are very much like Mechano sets & have been super successful in an emerging economy. They will be great for Laos, within Laos.

My main thoughts for an export-based operation, is to minimise the number of international borders that need crossing. More borders = more pockets to take care of - hence countries bordered by ocean.

Happy to discuss further in terms of Laos, per private mail. Plan to be up in Vientiane fairly soon. These units have become industry standard in many Gold Mining operations & are incredibly profitable. Energy recovery in Elution processes can be as high as 70% - saving huge operating $ per year. We sometimes combine with heat-packs on a skid-mounted solution. Mines stuck out in the nether regions like these.

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

Originally Posted by Waid

This is not a European product.

Your first marketing challenge as most serious businessmen here buy European machines, I have no idea why but they inevitably do.

But as you say you wish to ex-port your machines there may not be an issue.

My only advise to you is to tie up with an end product supplier so you can jointly supply a proven and reliable turn-key solution.

Thank you, Loy Toy. Good advice - well taken.

The product is built from off-the-shelf components, to suit various process requirements. Can go from a small single module design, right up to the larger units shown - using the same components. Very, very flexible machines.

My thoughts were to connect with some of the reliable manufacturers/end product suppliers - along the lines you mentioned. I have a few outfits I've met over the years who impressed me in Thailand. My concerns have been Thailand over Malaysia, Indonesia etc. Thailand seems to be in a spot of trouble at the moment.

That makes sense waid, the less borders the better I've never tried to run a company in Laos or fabricate anything, im a salaryman an economic whore , I'm out in in bum fuck Southern Laos and deal mostly with rural folk , they get it done but it's at there own pace, and quality is a word they have never heard of, likewise in Vientiane skills in all trade disciplines seem lacking, I sometimes suspect they can do the task but just can't be arsed to do so, even Lao people in vientiane prefer to hire the local Vietnamese , only slightly more expensive than the Lao counterpart but you are guaranteed to get the job done, small or large for what is agreed upon, perhaps you should take a gander at Vietnam ? Feelfree to drop me a pm

Originally Posted by beerlaodrinker

I'm out in in bum fuck Southern Laos and deal mostly with rural folk , they get it done but it's at there own pace, and quality is a word they have never heard of, likewise in Vientiane skills in all trade disciplines seem lacking, I sometimes suspect they can do the task but just can't be arsed to do so, even Lao people in vientiane prefer to hire the local Vietnamese , only slightly more expensive than the Lao counterpart but you are guaranteed to get the job done, small or large for what is agreed upon, perhaps you should take a gander at Vietnam ?

Interesting experiences with the Vietnamese workers. I saw something similar when I spent time in the region, some years back. I'll certainly take a good look at Vietnam - it is definitely on my shopping list.

Feelfree to drop me a pm

Thank you. I'll take you up on your offer when we land back in Laos. Plan to take a few months scouting.

Interesting developments with the not-coup today. Will have to watch Thailand a little more carefully for a while.

I'm beginning to consider Malaysia in a bit more depth. Their economy seems to be growing well & they appear stable.

Thailand to be placed on indefinite HOLD. It needs a lot of water to pass under its bridge/s, it seems.

Looking to Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, China in the short-to-medium term.