On July 19, 2017, SCG accentuates its vision to be a regional market leader in sustainable innovations in ASEAN, launching “Open Innovation Center by SCG”, a center for innovation research and development collaboration with government, private and education sector worldwide. It aims to drive faster and better creative innovations network with its resources and dedications in driving research and development to commercialization to respond consumer needs and enhance quality of life as well as to increase competence of Thailand’s industry in ASEAN level. The opening ceremony was honorably attended by Dr. Suvit Maesincee, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office and Dr. Atchaka Sibunruang, Minister of Science and Technology, together with Mr. Roongrote Rangsiyopash, President & CEO of SCG and Mr. Cholanat Yanaranop, Executive Vice President of SCG and Chairman of SCG Innovation Committee.

         Dr. Suvit Maesincee, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, said in the opening ceremony of Open Innovation Center by SCG that “The Open Innovation Center by SCG can be a key driver to stimulate potential for Thailand’s economy to shift from a middle-income to high-income country, from efficiency-driven to innovation-driven economy and from knowledge society to quality of life enhancement era.”

         Dr. Atchaka Sibunruang, Minister of Science and Technology, said that “It is a great pleasure for the opening of Open Innovation Center by SCG that it will advantage all sectors in enhancing knowledge on science and technology to creating innovations along with improving Thailand’s industry to be more competitive in ASEAN level.”

         Dr. Narong Sirilertworakul, President, NSTDA said during the panel session of “Innovation-Driven Economy” that “NSTDA has set up TSP not for government R&D center but to be a place for private companies to do R&D with supports from government in term of financial, equipment, mechanism, and experts. With ultimate goal to facilitate private sector, agriculture and industrial, to create economically impact innovations for Thai economy.  I hope the launch of SCG’s “Open Innovation Center” in TSP will bring greater collaboration amongst TSP’s tenants; large and small, Thai and Foreign. SCG may find that there are many interesting innovation in TSP that catch SCG attention and may lead to business partnership. I believe that when the “Open Innovation Center” is fully operate and open for people around the world, TSP will be even more lively and become greater place for R&D.”

         Mr. Cholanat Yanaranop, Executive Vice President of SCG and Chairman of SCG Innovation Committee, said that “with over 1,800 R&D experts of SCG, budget of more than 6 billion baht per year for R&D with experiences and customer insight through a long-time business operation in both Thailand and ASEAN, the Open Innovation Center by SCG has full capability to strengthen innovation development for company’s 3 businesses and partners to faster create high-value added (HVA) products and services in order to respond to various customer needs at the present time.

        “R&D is significant for SCG in enhancing competitiveness. In 2016, SCG recorded sales of 160 billion baht from HVA group in which accounted for 38% of the total revenue from sales. Today we still keep moving forward by integrating our expertise in creating innovation to develop into the Open Innovation Center with an aim to be an open space for R&D collaboration between SCG and government, private and education sector from both Thailand and international. Also, the Open Innovation Center by SCG can draw capability from each sector to share innovation ideas to improve standard of products and services together in enhancing better living for consumer,” Mr. Cholanat said. 

         Open Innovation Center by SCG also supports R&D for worldwide startups who possess intellectual property in science and technology to collaborate with SCG in developing high-capability innovation in Materials, Clean Tech and Sensor & IoT to become SCG’s business partner in the future.

         “SCG aims Open Innovation Center to advantage all sectors and drive R&D to be more beneficial in terms of commercialization and build sustainability for business sector by utilizing resources efficiently. Furthermore, the Open Innovation Center will offer education sector an experience in innovation experimental process directly with consumer in lower expense and build economy’s strength and drive Thailand’s industry to ASEAN level, aligning with the government’s Thailand 4.0 policy,” Mr. Cholanat concluded.