B.Grimm

B.Grimm
Private
Industry Energy, Cooling, Healthcare, Real Estate, Internet
Founder Bernhard Grimm
Erwin Mueller
Headquarters Bangkok, Thailand
Area served
 Thailand
Vietnam
Laos
Key people
 Harald Link (Chairman)
Caroline Link
Revenue US$1+ billion (2015)
Number of employees
 1,750
Website www.bgrimmgroup.com

B.Grimm Group (B.Grimm) (Thai: บี.กริม) is a multinational conglomerate based in Bangkok, Thailand. Founded in 1878, the company is one of Thailand's fastest-growing energy producers, with 22% annual growth in recent years.[1] The company's chairman and CEO, Harald Link, is a noted polo player and philanthropist.[2][3]

Business areas

Energy

B.Grimm has two major power plants in Thailand and one in Vietnam. Amata Power a joint-venture with Amata and the Sumitomo Corporation, with the majority stake owned by B.Grimm, builds and operates power plants in Thailand and Vietnam, providing electricity and steam for those nation’s power grids as well as nearly 200 large manufacturers. Another four power plants in Thailand are under development. B.Grimm Energy and Amata Power also plan further plants abroad.[1]

Other energy initiatives include Siemens Limited, a world leader in Electrical Engineering; Hamon, a market leader in cooling towers for power plants; KSB Pumps, which provide pumps for the energy-related industry and B.Grimm Trading Corporation supplying energy equipment to industries and buildings. In addition, B.Grimm Green Power, majority owned by B.Grimm in a joint-venture with STRR Engineering Co., Ltd., produces biodiesel in Chumporn province.[4]

Hamon B.Grimm Co., Ltd. is a joint venture with Hamon of Belgium, the world leaders in the manufacturing of large cooling towers in power generation and the petrochemical industry. The company, in operation since 1993, is engaged in local subcontract fabrication of parts for and installation of cooling towers and as such operates in synergy with B.Grimm for the marketing and distribution for large industrial and infra-structural equipment.[5]

Building and Industrial Systems

B.Grimm manufactures and distributes air-conditioners through a joint venture and licensing arrangements with US-based Carrier Corporation. The company also provides parts for air-conditioning and refrigeration units through a joint venture with Beijer of Sweden, Beijer B.Grimm (Thailand).[6]

Healthcare

The company is a major distributor of foreign healthcare devices through formal partnerships with Merck, Maquet, Siemens and Carl Zeiss AG.[7][8]

Real estate

B.Grimm has developed two high rise office buildings: the Alma Link Building, located in the central business district, and the Dr. Gerhard Link building, located in eastern Bangkok near Suvarnabhumi Airport. The company has begun the development of a 600-acre real estate project in Pattaya.

Internet

B.Grimm is the majority owner of online financial comparison platform, Masii.com, which launched in February 2016.[9]

Transport

Bangkok's Airport Rail Link was built in 2005 by a consortium of B.Grimm, STENCON, and Siemens. The line connects Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport to the city center. It is operated by SRTET (SRT Electric Train Company), a wholly owned subsidiary of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). The cost of the project was 25.9 billion baht.[10]

Logo

B.Grimm's logo comes from the Phra Prang of the Temple of Dawn. A prang is a Buddhist tower-like spire, usually richly carved, that were especially symbolic during Thailand's Ayutthaya Kingdom (1350–1767) and Rattanakosin Kingdom (1782-1932). Phra Prang was selected as the company’s logo due to the location of the first B.Grimm & Co. by the Chao Phraya River overlooking the Phra Prang of the Temple of Dawn.[11]

Wat Arun Phra Prang,
Inspiration for B.Grimm's Logo

History

B.Grimm was founded in 1878 when German pharmacist Bernhard Grimm and his Austrian partner, Erwin Mueller, started a chemist's shop, the Siam Dispensary, on the Oriental Avenue off New Road.[12] The shop, one of the earliest incorporated businesses in the country, prospered and it was soon appointed official pharmacist to the Thai royal family.

As early as 1900, the company had secured partnership with global heavyweights like Siemens Corporation.[13] In 1903, Adolf Link was hired as a manager to help expand the growing business. After King Chulalongkorn returned from his grand tour in Europe, he began putting in place measures to modernize the country to bring it more in line with European nations.[14]

Following the outbreak of World War I, Link, as a German national, had all his assets seized on orders of the British government and was sent with his wife, Erma, and two children, Herbert and Gerhard, to concentration camps in India.

The Links had much credibility in Thailand and they knew the Thais hadn’t taken away their assets on their own initiative. They returned to Thailand after the war ended in 1920. In 1928, HRH Prince Bhanurangrsi built on his property the new premises for the company at Wang Burapha and Their Majesties King Prajadhipok and Queen Rambhai Barni presided over the opening of the new offices.[14]

Herbert Link reopened the company in Thailand in 1949, while brother and partner Gerhard remained in Germany to help expand the B.Grimm name in Europe. In 1953, Gerhard Link was also appointed Thailand's honorary consul and later its consul general in Hamburg.

Over the next decade, the brothers expanded the business so that by 1964 it included engineering and equipment for healthcare, power generation, telecommunications, air conditioning and mechanical engineering.[14]

The company’s new office and warehouse on New Petchaburi Road was opened by HRH the Princess Mother in January 1967. In 1975, Herbert’s wife, Alma, was bestowed the title of Khunying by HM the King in recognition of her tireless work for various charitable foundations. She was the first foreign woman to receive such an honor in Thailand.[15]

In 1988, Dr Gerhard Link’s son Harald Link expanded B.Grimm Group into power generation, manufacturing and real estate, and also forged joint ventures with some of the world’s largest corporations.

Harald Link, who had been raised in Germany and had graduated from University of St. Gallen business school, had joined his uncle Herbert in Thailand in 1978 to help manage the growing business. He moved to Thailand with his wife, Princess Assunta of Liechtenstein, descendant of Prince Aloys of Liechtenstein.

In 1992, the company built new factories and work also began on another new head office. Soon afterwards, B.Grimm expanded into power generation, bio-diesel production and the lifestyle industry. The company has since rapidly expanded into power generation which now accounts for 70% of total revenues.[1]

Forbes recently reported that Harald Link’s daughter, Caroline Link, is being trained to play a key part in the business.[14] She recently was named as one of "12 women to watch" by Forbes.[16]

Polo

B.Grimm is heavily involved in recreational and charity-based polo events through Thailand. The company frequently hosts international polo competitions including the annual BMW-B.Grimm Thai Polo Open 2015 from the Asia League. Proceeds often go to educational charity endeavors such as the Chitralada Vocational School.[17]

B.Grimm's Chairman and CEO Harald Link established the Thai Polo Club in Pattaya in 1990.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Thailand, Nation Multimedia Group Public Company Limited, Nationmultimedia.com,. "B Grimm plans IPO in Q4 to support diversification - The Nation".
  2. ↑ Communications, Forbes Corporate. "Forbes Asia's Heroes of Philanthropy List Features Notable Givers Making Their Mark on the Region".
  3. ↑ "We wanted it to be a happy place".
  4. ↑ http://www.cimbthai.com/CIMB/en/news/press_release/b.grimm_power_successfully_acquires_of_163mw_power_plants_from_sime_darby_group_in_laem_chabang_industrial_estate,_chonburi,_thailand/
  5. ↑ Trevor F. Starr (1999). Composites: A Profile of the Worldwide Reinforced Plastics Industry, Markets and Suppliers : Market Prospects to 2005. Elsevier. p. 193. ISBN 978-1-85617-354-4.
  6. ↑ Thailand, Nation Multimedia Group Public Company Limited, Nationmultimedia.com,. "Carrier, B Grimm extend JVs to home air-con market - The Nation".
  7. ↑ Thailand, Nation Multimedia Group Public Company Limited, Nationmultimedia.com,. "B Grimm to pour Bt100 billion in power projects - The Nation".
  8. ↑ http://www.merck.co.th/en/company/merck_ltd/merck_ltd_thailand.html
  9. ↑ "Masii Group (Thailand) Company Limited : The American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand".
  10. ↑ David Briginshaw (April 2005). "Work starts on link to Bangkok's new airport". International Railway Journal.
  11. ↑ "B.GRIMM GROUP : Doing business with compassion.".
  12. ↑ "Thai utility B Grimm Power aims to raise $296 mln from IPO in 2016". 26 May 2015 – via Reuters.
  13. ↑ https://www.siemens.com/history/en/countries/Thailand.htm
  14. 1 2 3 4 Asia, Forbes. "Fourth Generation: Caroline Link is Being Groomed To Run Thailand's B. Grimm".
  15. ↑ FARANG, DER. "Grimms Märchen in Thailand".
  16. ↑ PCL., Post Publishing. "Bangkok Post article".
  17. ↑ "Thai Polo & Equestrian Club Thailand - BMW – B.GRIMM Thai Polo Open 4-17.01.15".
  18. ↑ "Thai Polo Club".

External links

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