INDUSTRY NEWS
Founded in 1994 as a subsidiary of Radicon, Alexon Co. Ltd. designs and manufactures a broad range of heat exchangers and oil coolers mainly used in larger off-high- way and industrial equipment. The combination of a diverse product line with a high degree of customization available, a global focus and efficient manufacturing en- ables Alexon to continue its growth even through the cur- rent economic turmoil.
KEEPING COOL THROUGH THE DOWNTURN Thailand’s Alexon continues growth trends despite global economic turmoil; strategy based on diverse, highly customized heat transfer components
BY SANDRA REITMAN While in the midst of what is arguably one of the worst slowdowns in the global vehicle and equipment industry, heat transfer components and systems manufacturer Alexon Co. Ltd., a sub- sidiary of Radicon Co. Ltd., is manag- ing to do more than hold its own. By focusing on diversity in its product line, its global reach and plans for the future, the company is continuing to carve a growing niche in the on- and off-highway markets worldwide. Established in 1994, Alexon spe- cializes in aluminum heat exchangers for a wide range of mobile equipment, from motorized scooters to large hydraulic excavators. The company is based in Bangkok, Thailand, where it has 500 employees, including both office and factory workers, and seven factory warehouses. A second loca- tion about 30 minutes away in Cha- choengsao, Thailand, houses addi- tional manufacturing and has another 300 employees. Beginning as a solely domestic busi- ness, Alexon’s customer base has grown significantly outside of Thailand since President Wisit Yawapongsiri began Radicon more than 30 years ago. Its product line comprises small heat exchange components for cars, motorbikes and trucks, as well as medi- um- and large-scale heat exchangers for commercial vehicles, wheeled load- ers and hydraulic excavators. The company has three types of radiators: plastic tank radiators, stamped tank radiators and extruded tank units. Plastic tank radiators are generally used in automotive and other light-duty, higher-volume appli- cations where intricate connections and mountings can be produced effi- ciently by injection molding. Stamp-tank radiators are more suit-
60 DIESEL PROGRESS NORTH AMERICAN EDI TION February 2010
Sandra Reitman is an independent jour- nalist based in Bangkok, Thailand.
able to applications where space is restricted, the company said, and they can be more specifically cus- tomized to match variable-size radia- tor cores and inlet/outlet pipes at dif- ferent locations. Alexon also designs and manufac- tures a range of oil coolers, including engine oil coolers, transmission oil coolers and hydraulic oil coolers. Mobile applications typically use com- pact and lightweight stacked-plate oil- to-air designs, while welded-tube oil coolers are more suitable for the high- er flows and pressures found in indus- trial applications. The stacked-plate configurations are available with core depths of 1. 26 and 1.89 in. and can accommodate oil flows up to 2. 64 gpm and operating pressures to 145 psi. Welded tube coolers incorporate welded flat oval tubes brazed with inner turbulators, which provide enhanced performance and strength. The whole cross-sectional area of the tubes is fully
