Tamiya confirms P2-B expansion in PH (Sabong News)
Author
Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat
Date
APRIL 26 2022
Tamiya Chairman and President Shunsaku Tamiya has confirmed the company’s decision to pour in fresh P2 billion investments in the country this year for the construction of a new facility inside the Cebu Light Industrial Park.
Trade and Industry’s Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Tokyo led by Commercial Counselor Dita Angara-Mathay, reported the expansion of Tamiya’s investments in the Philippines.
The new plant and building will occupy 22,579 and 30,765 sq. meters respectively, which will generate 300 additional job opportunities and increase output by 5 percent over three years and overall capacity by 20 percent.
The company’s factory in the Philippines in Mactan, Cebu is housed inside a 40,000 sq. meter facility with over 1,200 workers engaged in model assembly.
Tamiya’s annual production for export is currently valued at $30 million, 80 percent of which is produced in the Philippines. The company is targeting to begin operations in the new factory located in the Philippines by September 2023.
Tamiya is the world’s leader in the production of plastic and radio-controlled models of sports/racing cars, bikes, airplanes, ships, and battle tanks. Its models are patronized by hobbyists all over the globe for their exceptional quality and scale accuracy. The company has also received numerous awards for their products including the prestigious Model of the Year award from Germany’s ModellFan.
While the Japanese toymaker’s sizeable overseas regional operations are located in the United States (California) and Europe (Germany), Tamiya has only one production facility outside of Japan in Cebu.
Philippine Ambassador to Japan Jose Laurel V recently visited the headquarters of Tamiya in Shizuoka. During his visit, Ambassador Laurel and Chairman Shunsaku Tamiya discussed their shared passion for models, both as toys and collectibles, and how this hobbyist tradition has been passed on to the younger generations in their families.
For his part, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said, “The fact that Tamiya has been operating in the country for about 30 years and is now moving forward with expansion plans despite the challenges of the pandemic, is testament to the enabling environment that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte together with his economic managers have set up for foreign direct investors. We are proud that a company known to espouse a philosophy of “First in Quality Around the World” has entrusted our workers with such a huge responsibility. The quality, efficiency, and productivity of Filipino workers will always remain to be the Philippines’ best and most competitive resource.”
