▲ Examples of TAD products
Over nearly three decades, TAD has continued to grow, expanding from an initial workforce of just 20 employees to nearly 300 today. This growth reflects the expansion of its business, the diversification of its product portfolio, and the trust it has earned from automotive manufacturers.
“In the early stages of production, we mainly focused on products based on designs from our parent company in Japan, using Japanese drawings as our reference. As the business grew, however, we developed our own design and product development capabilities. This enabled our Thai operation to create its own drawings and respond more directly to our customers’ needs.” (Mr. Koide, President)
To further strengthen its product development capabilities, Asahi Denso operates R&D teams in three countries: Japan, Thailand, and India. These teams collaborate on the development and design of new products to meet the evolving needs of the manufacturing industry. In addition to these three R&D locations, Asahi Denso also has branches in Taiwan, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
Beyond motorcycle components, TAD manufactures products for other types of vehicles and machinery, including marine applications, agricultural engines, and tractor components. This diverse product portfolio reflects the company’s broad expertise and continued commitment to development.
From Business Growth to the Challenges of Preparing for Industry 4.0
TAD’s growth has involved more than an increase in its workforce and a broader range of products. It has also required the company to incorporate new technologies into its operations.
As part of its preparation for Industry 4.0, TAD has continued to develop its internal systems by applying technologies such as automation, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning. The company is also working to connect and collect data across departments and production processes, using big data analytics to improve operational efficiency.
These changes have highlighted certain limitations in the company’s existing systems and IT infrastructure, including processing speed, data storage capacity, and the ability to accommodate growing usage and future business requirements.
As a result, TAD initiated a project to upgrade its servers and IT infrastructure to support continued business expansion.
To ensure the project could be implemented effectively and address existing challenges, TAD sought a technology partner capable of supporting its digital transformation and long-term business growth. The company considered several key factors:
・Responsive service: Since IT systems are closely connected to business operations and manufacturing processes, technical issues must be addressed quickly to minimize disruption.
・Local presence: The service provider needed to be located close enough to the operational site to respond promptly when problems occurred.
・Cost-effectiveness: The proposed solutions and service costs needed to be appropriate for the company’s requirements.
・Technical expertise: The provider needed the knowledge and capabilities to support the company’s IT infrastructure effectively.
Based on these considerations, TAD selected Thai NS Solution to support its infrastructure upgrades and help prepare the company for future growth.
Beyond resolving existing issues, Thai NS also places importance on understanding how systems are used in practice and anticipating future requirements. This approach helps ensure that the infrastructure can accommodate ongoing business changes and provide a stronger foundation for the transition to Industry 4.0.
Advancing Toward Industry 4.0 with a Strong IT Foundation and Thai NS Solution
Thai NS supports TAD in upgrading and improving its IT infrastructure to enhance system capabilities, accommodate business expansion, and prepare for future growth.
“One of the things TAD values most is responsive service. Thai NS has a support team based in Rayong, close to our operational site. This allows them to respond quickly when issues arise and helps minimize the impact on TAD’s business operations.” (Ms. Siriporn, Assistant Chief, IT Department)
Thai NS does not focus solely on TAD’s immediate requirements. By understanding the company’s operational environment and future business direction, Thai NS can propose infrastructure solutions that are appropriate for its long-term needs. This includes preparing for further expansion and supporting TAD’s transition toward Industry 4.0.
TAD is moving toward Industry 4.0 by using automation and digital technologies to connect machinery, network systems, and data from manufacturing processes. The company also plans to build on its use of AI, machine learning, and big data to enhance data analysis and improve production processes.
The project has received investment promotion support from the Board of Investment (BOI), reflecting TAD’s direction in technology investment and its transition toward digital manufacturing.
This BOI investment promotion approval marks another important step in TAD’s Industry 4.0 development. Meanwhile, internal systems, servers, data storage, and other infrastructure equipment have become essential components supporting this transformation.
Having a technology partner that can provide consultation, maintain systems, and respond quickly to technical issues helps TAD move its projects forward while maintaining continuity in its manufacturing operations.
Cybersecurity Challenges in Industry 4.0 Manufacturing
As TAD increasingly connects production systems, machinery, networks, and digital technologies, cybersecurity has become another important consideration in its transition toward Industry 4.0.
Thai NS plays a role in maintaining and preparing TAD’s IT infrastructure to help reduce risks and strengthen operational continuity amid increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
Strengthening Cybersecurity to Maintain Business Continuity with Thai NS
ASSESS → DETECT → PROTECT → RESPOND → RECOVER
Thai NS supports cybersecurity through five key stages:
1. ASSESS — Assess the environment: Examine the existing IT infrastructure and identify potential vulnerabilities and risks.
2. DETECT — Detect threats: Identify suspicious activities and potential security threats.
3. PROTECT — Prevent and protect: Establish appropriate safeguards to reduce risks and protect systems and data.
4. RESPOND — Respond to incidents: Take appropriate action to address security incidents and minimize their impact.
5. RECOVER — Restore systems: Recover affected systems and support the continuity of business operations.
Through this approach, Thai NS supports infrastructure security from assessment and threat detection to prevention, incident response, and system recovery. These measures help reduce potential risks and minimize the impact of cyber threats on manufacturing processes.
Looking ahead, Mr. Jittpong, Executive Vice President, shared the company’s perspective on ongoing technological development:
“We believe that technology development must be an ongoing process. This includes AI, software, networks, servers, and data infrastructure. These technologies will support the adoption of AI to improve the work of individual departments and accommodate the growing volume of data generated by manufacturing processes. At the same time, we will continue to place strong emphasis on cybersecurity.”
Modern manufacturing depends on more than the machinery and products that can be seen on the factory floor. IoT systems, networks, servers, and data also play essential roles behind the scenes, supporting production continuity and operational efficiency.
Although these components may be less visible, they are fundamental to the performance of a modern manufacturing operation. With a technology partner such as Thai NS helping maintain and develop this infrastructure, TAD can reduce concerns about its IT environment and focus more fully on improving its manufacturing processes and products.
▲ From left: Ms. Thanyalak from Thai NS, followed by Mr. Jittpong, Mr. Koide, and Ms. Siriporn from TAD
【Interview cooperation】THAI ASAHI DENSO CO., LTD.
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