Program Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC) along with the Textile Industry Development Institute is moving forward with the big project to strategize on technology and innovation, propelling SME textiles towards large-scale innovation-driven businesses to support the S-Curve and New S-Curve industries, aiming to increase revenue by at least 20% within 3 years.
On February 14, PMUC revealed that, in line with the government’s policy to foster Thai industries with technology and deep innovation across various sectors, there’s a focus on fostering Innovation Driven Enterprises (IDEs) in every industry. The textile industry is considered adaptable and capable of evolving into industries utilizing innovation or advanced technology, such as medical textiles, agro-textiles, industrial textiles, automotive, and aerospace textiles. However, a significant challenge lies in commercializing most research works. PMUC, tasked with supporting research funding to enhance the country’s competitiveness, encourages collaboration between public and private sectors domestically and internationally, enabling research outcomes to be commercially beneficial. Thus, in collaboration with the Textile Industry Development Institute, they are implementing the “Sustainable Innovation Entrepreneurship Development Project through Nanotechnology, Biomaterials, and Electronics towards S-Curve and New S-Curve Industries” for the fiscal year 2024, supporting textile and garment industry entrepreneurs, both medium and large-sized, with potential to grow into innovation-based businesses. This is coupled with the development of the Textile Industry Development Institute, serving as an intermediary and management mechanism, linking specialized experts. The goal is to increase Thailand’s IDEs in the textile industry, fostering rapid growth with revenue increasing by over 20% within 3 years and further growing towards achieving 1 billion baht in revenue in the future, to enhance Thailand’s competitiveness sustainably.
Dr. Chanchai Sirikasemlerd, Director of the Textile Industry Development Institute, stated that as an institute, they serve as intermediary and management mechanisms, and in the year 2567, they outlined the driving directions for entrepreneurs or IDEs, which consist of three main directions: Circularity, Sustainability, and Digitalization, focusing on technology and innovation as the core. These are divided into four dimensions: 1. Product Innovation, 2. Process Innovation, 3. Market Innovation, and 4. Organization Innovation. Their aim is to provide advice on strategic business planning and develop networks to facilitate technology transfer in the textile and fashion industries both domestically and internationally.
Their economic goals include increasing sales of entrepreneurs’ products by at least 20%, creating added value for textile products resulting from innovation by at least 10%, increasing employment within the system, improving the quality of life for consumers at affordable prices by using innovation, and adding value in terms of the environment. Innovation and technology used in processes will help reduce environmental impact, pollution, carbon footprint, and greenhouse gas emissions.
However, from the overall implementation of these projects, it is expected to elevate Thai textile entrepreneurs to become large-scale innovative entrepreneurs (IDEs) and advance knowledge exchange among entrepreneurs in value chains in an open innovation format. This will help reduce imports of technology products or services and promote cooperation and investment between the government sector and large-scale entrepreneurs, creating long-term competitive advantages in the market. Entrepreneurs interested in participating in these activities in the fiscal year 2025 can inquire for details at the Textile Industry Development Institute, Tel. 0 2713 5492 – 9, Public Relations Department, or follow details at www.thaitextile.org and Facebook: Thailand Textile Institute.
