Jakjit Klomsing
Drives Collaborations to Respond to Sustainable Packaging Trend
As the business world is now full of challenges, collaboration becomes a crucial component. Enterprises need to forge collaboration both internally and externally to keep pace with the changing situation and new trends. Mr. Jakjit Klomsing, Chief Operating Officer of SCGP’s Fiber Packaging Business, shares this view with P-DNA. His perspectives promise to inspire younger staff to grasp every opportunity and rise to challenges.
Realistic Approach to Work
Mr. Jakjit’s career path started in 1989 right after he graduated with a mechanical-engineering degree. Throughout his career, he has accumulated work experience and snatched any opportunity coming his way. Every few years, he had been rotated to different SCGP’s plants in both Thailand and other countries. While at the plants, he had overseen production, maintenance, and technical improvement for better production process, as well as production-capacity increase. As his experience grew, he was assigned to the company’s business-development field paving the way for his rise as an executive.
“My work philosophy since my days as an engineer is to focus on fact and data. I have also embraced Japan’s 3Gs that stand for GENBA, GENBUTSU, and GENJITSU. This concept reminds us that if we plan to do something, we must go to the place where we will implement our plan. We also must develop practical guidelines and solutions.
“At the same time, I always think positive. I have a can-do attitude. Even when our work does not fully meet our target, I don’t consider it a failure. It is just that we need to develop solutions or improve plans. But if it is really a total failure, I accept what happened. I won’t blame anyone. I will just try to help my young team members and look for better solutions.
“In an executive position, I have managed both work and people. Many of the businesses that used to be under my supervision are joint ventures where fairness and mutual trust must be strictly upheld for all sides to work as a team. My mindset has become focused on collaboration after a senior, during my stint at the Prachin Buri-based box plant, told me that I didn’t have to do everything myself because we had a team. Since then, I have seen clearly that I really cannot accomplish all tasks myself. I need to learn about and work with people. When I face a new environment, I adapt and seek to learn new things. When working overseas, I also open up to local culture. With an open mind, I can collaborate with local teams and move ahead together.”
Driving Collaborations for Sustainable Packaging Trend
“Low-carbon societies, anti-global warming efforts, greenhouse-gas reduction, the use of clean energy, and 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) are driving Sustainable Packaging trend. Many of our customers have laid down clear sustainability guidelines. The European Union has now applied Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) too, requiring exporters of products to Europe to report carbon emissions during production process and buy CBAM (CBAM Certificate). Such measures constitute taxation on carbon emissions. The bigger the emissions, the higher the taxes. We therefore need to urgently prepare solutions for our customers.
“Our strategy has two key parts. The first is about collaboration. SCGP has responded to green trends and has headed towards net zero emissions as we collaborate both internally and externally. Today, we have calculated carbon emissions from the production process at all our plants through our collaboration with the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (Public Organization). Also, we are now in the process of preparing a system for carbon-emission declaration no matter what type of packaging our customers choose. On top of that, we are looking for more ways to support our customers. Probably, we will innovate solutions that enable resource-usage reduction or develop products made from recyclable paper.
“Our Clixpak, for example, is a multi-cup holder made of a single paper sheet. With well-thought design, it is durable and easy to hold. Users can easily hold a Clixpak with just one hand. It is also easy to separate this holder from other types of waste and recycle it. When we develop a product with our customers, our designers focus on reducing resource usage. The design is then backed by our production team. Such approach reflects that collaborations thrive in every step.
“The second part is about sustainability awareness among employees. We have now improved our production process so as to minimize resource usage. Clean energy is embraced. SCGP’s fibrous and paper packaging businesses in Thailand have already integrated solar roofs. All our plants have replaced oil/gas-fueled forklifts with electric forklifts too. We have also conducted a study on how to integrate biomass to our businesses.
“Aside, we have continued to improve our production efficiency, with an emphasis on yield increase and loss reduction. Both resource usage and energy consumption should drop for carbon emissions to plunge. Our efforts focus on answering the trend for Sustainable Packaging. We seek to respond to our customers’ new needs in support of mutual and sustainable business growth.”
Flexible & Ready to Grasp Opportunities
“Currently, SCGP has already expanded businesses to various regions. So, I would like to encourage younger staff to adapt and be keen about rotations. That’s how you can step out of your comfort zone. Be happy when your new job enables you to do things outside offices. If you work in provinces or overseas, you will learn lots of new things and get lots of experience.
“As our company is now growing, you should prepare yourself well in terms of capabilities, functional performance, and leadership skills. Just as our company needs new tools and innovations, plenty of opportunities will be coming up. You should get ready and grab them.
“I think good luck is a blend of opportunities and readiness. When an opportunity arrives at the time you are ready, you are lucky. But it will even be better if you seek out opportunities. I myself had been assigned to work in many areas. As the company’s businesses are now growing, it may look for staff who volunteer to work at a new location. When opportunity comes your way, grab it for your growth. If you want to grow, hone your leadership skills. Don’t just focus on functional abilities. I hope you will prepare yourself well.”