Banpu’s grand celebration for its 40th anniversary welcomed partners from public and private sectors, reinforcing its standpoint in delivering “Smarter Energy for Sustainability”
Banpu Public Company Limited celebrated its 40th anniversary in energy business with its current position of “an international versatile energy provider” that has driven energy sustainability in Thailand, Indonesia, China, Australia, Laos, Mongolia, Japan, the United States and Vietnam. Reinforcing its goal to grow continuously, Banpu is committed to developing its business to be in line with future energy trends, in parallel with social and environmental development, in order to power a better living for all.
From the first day of the establishment of Ban Pu Coal Company Limited in Banpu Village, Li district, Lamphun province, in 1983, Banpu has grown to become an international versatile energy provider, operating three core groups of businesses – Energy Resources, Energy Generation, and Energy Technology. For more than four decades, Banpu has adapted and driven the organization to overcome all challenges while also being ready to grow into the future under the “Greener & Smarter” strategy. The aim of this strategy is to deliver the best energy solutions that respond to the demand for more environmentally friendly business while also creating a better quality of life for people and ensuring energy sustainability worldwide, in line with Banpu’s brand promise of “Our Way in Energy”.
“Business can grow strongly” if we “think ahead and act fast” while caring for our society and the environment.
Mr. Chanin Vongkusolkit, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Banpu Public Company Limited, one of the co-founders and the first CEO of the Company who has shaped “Banpu” to grow strongly with his “think ahead, act fast,” concept said, “Since the beginning of the business 40 years ago, Banpu has remained committed to a determination that ‘an industry will be strong only when it is developed in tandem with social and environmental responsibility.’ This is our guiding principle and serves as a compass for Banpu, frames our business practices, and embodies our identity. As the social context has evolved, we have adapted our thinking and approaches to align with the ESG principles, which consider the importance of environmental, social, and governance aspects, along with being a good corporate citizen wherever we operate. More importantly, we also focus on developing the potential of ‘our people’. All of these have enabled us to overcome any obstacles and become a successful international organization, while consistently demonstrating our commitment to environmental and social responsibility.”
“Good leaders” will encourage employees to show their potential and cultivate a seed of knowledge.
Mr. Metee Auapinyakul, Director of Banpu Public Company Limited and one of Banpu’s co-founders, said, “I think the key to our success today is a ‘leader’ like Mr. Chanin who can manage to bring in a good cooperation with experts in many fields. This is not to mention that we have also put a lot of budgets to develop the potential of ‘Banpu people’ because ‘people’ or employees are the most important resource in driving a business to grow. Moreover, the positive relationship we have with all our stakeholders over the past 40 years are also an integral part of the growth of our business which also allows us to give back to the society.”
“A good team” must never stop learning, always look for opportunities in every crisis and be bold when it comes to investment.
Mr. Ongart Auapinyakul, Director of Banpu Public Company Limited and another co-founder of the Company, added, “Mr. Chanin and I have known each other back when we were studying in the United States. When I was looking for another alternative fuel source for curing tobacco which was my family’s business, I discovered coal. And because at that time in the world, there was an oil price crisis. Almost 100% of oil in Thailand was imported. To find another natural energy source like coal as an alternative for oil, it was a good hope for Thailand to be dependable on domestic ones. That was why Metee and I started looking for an opportunity to do coal mining business and we decided to invite Mr. Chanin to join us.”
“Starting a business 40 years ago was not easy. We had to walk for days and camp in the middle of nowhere for several months. The communication was very difficult because at that time there was no mobile phone. But what we had was ‘our team’ who was always eager to learn. They have always gained knowledge and looked for opportunities whether it was from books, people or any circumstance that was happening. Our team practiced and practiced until we became ‘confident and had enough courage to invest’. These factors enabled Banpu to adapt well to energy trends and global situations. Thus, our company can grow continuously and was able to expand our business overseas, starting with an investment in mining in Indonesia. We used it as a production base for exports. That was a leap forward to success for Banpu before we continued to expand our business in other countries which made us grow strongly until today.”
Build upon the founders’ vision, drive business through “Greener & Smarter” strategy for strong growth into the future.
Mrs. Somruedee Chaimongkol, CEO of Banpu Public Company Limited, who has been behind the success of Banpu transformation, said, “I am deeply grateful to have been part of this journey almost from the very start, having jumped on board the Banpu ship in 1983. I have seen the growth of our company and the growth of our employees. And no matter what business obstacles or challenges we encountered; we have surpassed them with a strategy to create diversified portfolio of energy including establishing a subsidiary to solve energy problems in various dimensions. After I took the position of CEO in 2015, we have spearheaded an implementation of the Greener & Smarter strategy to drive business operations. With this strategy, we seek new investment opportunities, cooperate with partners that have special expertise, and integrate synergy within the Banpu ecosystem to add value that will further strengthen our growth.”
“I believe that our success stems from how we do from the heart or as we call it “Banpu Heart”, a corporate culture that unites over 6,000 employees towards the same goal. That is to deliver sustainable energy, create value for all stakeholders, and power a better living for all.”
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About Banpu
Banpu Public Company Limited is an international versatile energy provider, operating 3 core groups of businesses – energy resources, energy generation, and energy technology in Thailand, Indonesia, China, Australia, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Japan, the United States of America and Vietnam.
