Shipbuilding Firm to invest $100m in 2007 expansion

The town of Balamban in the Philippines is expected to grow further next year with the expansion of a large ship manufacturing company located in the municipality. In an interview, Aboitiz and Co. president and chief executive officer Jon Ramon Aboitiz said Tsuneishi Heavy Industries Inc. (THII) would invest some $100 million for the expansion of its shipbuilding capacity, which will begin next year. In a related development, AboitizLand chief executive officer Roberto Aboitiz clarified that the company’s plan to invest at the South Road Properties (SRP) is not yet in its final stage.

But, if ever the Aboitizes decide to invest at the SRP, it would not duplicate the development at the Aboitiz-owned and managed Mactan Economic Zone (MEZ) 2. The company, he said, believes in the country’s potential to attract the growing business process outsourcing (BPO) global market, especially the contact center services.

He said AboitizLand has the West Cebu Industrial Park (WCIP) in Balamban, where THII is located, to offer for the growing sector. The WCIP, also an economic zone, can still accommodate locators in the IT and IT-related industries, Roberto said. source: Sun Star