Japan’s Terumo vows to expand PHL facilities

Disposable-syringe maker Terumo Corp. pledged to expand its manufacturing facilities in the Philippines, Malacañang said Tuesday. President Benigno Aquino III received a “letter of commitment" from Terumo Corporation officials who paid him a courtesy call at the Imperial Hotel Tuesday morning. Terumo officials promised to expand their investments in the country by further developing their factory in Biñan, Laguna and acquiring additional lands to build other factories. The company also makes hospital equipment. President Aquino noted the commitment to expand as a “significant development" because this complements plans by the Philippine government to come up with a vaccine plant. The establishment of a vaccine factory is among the four priority PPP projects laid out by the President to Japanese business leaders during their roundtable discussion. The creation of 10,000 school buildings, the Daang Hari-South Luzon Expressway road construction, and the North Luzon Expressway-SLEX connector, are among the priority projects under the Philippine public-private partnership program. Terumo is "very upbeat" In a statement, Presidential Communications Operations head Herminio Coloma, Jr. said Terumo is “very upbeat" about its commitment to increase its investments in the Philippines “because they like the work ethics of the Filipino workers that are also highly skilled." “They want to double or triple their workforce as soon as the new land or new space would have been acquired," Coloma told reporters at a press briefing held at the Tokyo, Kaikan after the roundtable discussion of the President with Japanese business leaders. He said Malacañang would disclose the numbers pertaining to the Terumo pledge along with those that have been committed by other Japanese firms once they are through with all the business meetings lined up for President Aquino.. Terumo was represented by its chair and CEO Koji Nakao, its president Maki Takizawa — whose letter of commitment was turned over by President Aquino to Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo. Founded in 1921 by Dr. Kitasato Shibasaburo, Terumo started in business by making thermometers. It has since grown to become one of the world’s largest producers of medical devices. The company opened its first overseas office in the United States in 1971. It has since established subsidiaries in Europe, China, India, Philippines and Thailand. In the Philippines, Terumo has it headquarters and factory at 124 East Main Avenue, Laguna Technopark in Biñan, Laguna. Its products include medical disposables, blood bags, coronary stents, and catheters. — VS, GMA News