The West Cebu Industrial Park (WCIP) continues to keep its lead in the shipbuilding industry, attracting more locators to pour investments in the facility in Balamban town and propelling the Philippines to become the fourth largest shipbuilding country in the world.
Recently, Austal Philippines inaugurated its shipyard in Barangay Arpili. The event was attended by President Benigno S. Aquino III and key local government officials.
Austal Pty. Ltd. started its operations at WCIP in February last year, effectively transferring its global manufacturing facility to Cebu. The decision to establish the Austal Philippines shipyard was influenced largely by encouraging local partnerships, business-friendly rates, competent English-speaking workers, and favorable economic conditions, the company said.
The Australia-based company is the world leader in design, construction and servicing of military and commercial customized aluminium sea-faring vessels.
Austal Philippines’ first product, a 27-meter trimaran wind farm transfer vessel, has been launched and will be delivered to Europe next month. Another two larger vessels are being built on the bay.
The Austal facility occupies 97,900 square meters of the Cebu Industrial Park Developers, Inc. (CIPDI), operator of the seafront industrial zone where Austal Philippines is located. Over 20,000 square meters will be added for its expansion program this year.
Austal Philippines directly employs 345 workers. Hundreds of other workers are also being employed by WCIP’s other locators—Tsuneishi Heavy Industries (Cebu) Inc., which supplies bulk and car carriers; support facilities Air Liquide Pipeline and Utilities; Balamban EnerZone Corporation; K & A Metal Industries; Linde Group; Mactan Rock Industries, Inc.; Metaphil International, Inc.; and service providers Globe Telecom, City Savings Bank and Three Sixty Pharmacy.
CIPDI, a joint venture of home-grown real estate development company AboitizLand Inc. and the Kambara Group of Japan, counts 20 successful years of operating the WCIP, opening job opportunities to the local community with the entry of each new locator-company.
CIPDI is planning more operational improvements and community-oriented programs in 2013, boosted by its recent Outstanding Community Projects Award given at the 17th Philippine Economic Zone Association (PEZA) Anniversary and Investors’ Recognition Night at the World Trade Center in Pasay City last year.
CIPDI continues to study means of improving services and increasing prospective locators’ interest in the special economic zone. An industrial development of AboitizLand, it demonstrates its brand promise of creating and sustaining nurturing and assuring communities.