Thailand's leading stainless steel pipe maker Thai-German Products (Thai-German) has temporarily suspended production at its Rayong plant in eastern Thailand.
According to a company statement, the shutdown is due to a dispute between the company and its labour union, which had demanded bonuses and other benefits for the 2008 performance.
Thai-German says it currently has more than 4,000 mt of finished goods and raw materials in stock, which will enable it to sustain sales for four to six months, while the shutdown will not affect more than five to seven percent of its annual sales.
The company has an annual combined production capacity of more than 50,000 mt of stainless steel pipes, tubes and sheets for industrial use.