Oz Converter of U.S.-Built Vehicles Expands in Asia
Performax’s general manager says the Thai R&D facility will leverage the company’s 25 years of experience as Australia's leading importer and converter of performance vehicles from the U.S.
Australia’s Performax International is expanding into Southeast Asia, establishing a research-and-development facility in Thailand.
Performax was the first company to re-engineer the current Chevrolet Camaro to right-hand drive and recently developed RHD electrically-assisted power steering for the new Ford Mustang.
The Thai subsidiary will develop products for Performax's vehicle-conversion business and undertake projects for auto makers and Tier 1 suppliers in the region.
General Manager Glenn Soper says the new business will leverage Performax’s 25 years' experience as Australia's leading importer and converter of American-built performance vehicles.
“We are uniquely qualified to provide services such as compliance, research and development, complete-knocked-down kits, training and component development from the vehicle-conversion perspective,” Soper says in a statement.
“Converting cars and pickups, especially those that rely heavily on electronics, from left-hand drive to right-hand drive, has become a highly technical process.
“This capability translates into many other tasks in the motor industry, and we're confident of finding new markets as the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region continues to grow as a manufacturing hub for global automotive brands.”
The Thai R&D center will provide a lower-cost base for developing the company’s own products, such as dashboards.
“We'll use Thai-developed specifications in seeking manufacturing suppliers from China, Thailand and other countries that will significantly lower the cost of our vehicles in Australia,” Soper says.
Performax supplies Australian agents, wholesalers and direct customers with the latest American cars and fullsize trucks, including the Chevrolet Corvette and Silverado, GMC Sierra and Toyota Tundra in addition to the Camaro and Mustang.
It expects to add the Ford F-Series and Dodge Ram 1-ton pickups to its lineup in coming months.
The company is joining an upcoming Australian trade mission to Thailand, hoping to parlay its expertise into new business opportunities in Southeast Asia.
Australian Auto Week, which starts today in Bangkok, will showcase the country’s automotive capability in a series of events, seminars and factory visits.
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