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SUBIC
BAY FREEPORT—With electronics firms reclaiming lost
ground in production last year, Subic exports surged to
a three-year high of $971.7 million in 2007, according
to figures from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).
The 2007
export record represented an increase of 40.6 percent
over the 2006 total of $691.1 million, which in turn
marked a slight dip from the total export value of
$719.71 million in 2005.
SBMA
Administrator Armand Arreza said the increase in export
production here was buoyed mainly by a resurgent demand
for electronic products, computer peripherals and
precision equipment manufactured in the free port.
He said
that computer maker Wistron Infocomm Philippines for
one, delivered some $448.73 million in freight on board
(FOB) value last year, compared with $355 million in
2006 and $386 million in 2005.
“Subic’s
export performance followed a positive trend all the way
from January to December last year,” Arreza said,
describing the growth as indicative of Subic’s
“brightening prospects.”
“We’ve
averaged more than $80 million per month last year, and
now we’re aiming to breach the $1-billion mark in 2008
as shipbuilder Hanjin is scheduled to deliver this year
the first cargo vessels out of Subic,” he added.
Figures
supplied by the SBMA Business Group indicate that the
top-20 exporters in Subic delivered more than 95 percent
of the exports in 2007.
These
include eight Taiwanese companies, six Japanese firms,
two Filipino corporations, and four other entities
separately owned by Hong Kong, Swedish, Danish and
American locators, whose aggregate exports totaled
$929.8 million.
By
nationality, Taiwanese firms contributed the biggest
production last year, at $606.27 million, followed by
Japanese firms, with $159.53 million; and Filipino
exporters, with $15.8 million.
The
single-biggest exporter in 2007 among some 190 exporters
in the free port was Taiwanese firm Wistron Infocomm,
with $448.7 million, while Hong Kong firm Lets Do Mobile
Philippines which is engaged in the import-export of
mobile phones and accessories, landed in second spot
with $132.9 million.
The
other top exporters in 2007 were Hitachi Terminals Mech.
Phils. Corp. (Taiwanese), which posted $90.56 million;
Sanyo Denki Phils. (Japanese), with $71.82 million;
Juken Sangyo Corp. (Japanese), $42.32 million; Tong Lung
Metals Inc. (Taiwanese), $21.45 million; Nidec Subic
Philippines. (Japanese), $20.29 million; Hitachi Air
Conditioning Products Inc. (Taiwanese), $19.87 million;
Koryo Subic Inc. (Japanese), $10.03 million; and
BayDesign Inc. (Filipino), with $9.86 million.
Also in
the top-20 exporters list were Philippine Inter
Electronics Corp. (Japanese), with $8.28 million; Tailin
Abrasives Corp. (Taiwanese), $7.29 million; Chung Nan
Textile Corp. (Taiwanese), $6.89 million; Nicera Phils.
Inc. (Japanese), $6.81 million; Polarmarine (Swedish),
$6.26 million; Subic Bay Apparel Corp. (Filipino), $5.94
million; Taian Subic Electric Inc. (Taiwanese), $5.84
million; Subic Technics Inc. (Taiwanese), $5.59 million;
Lindberg Subic (Danish), $4.67 million; and Printing
Images Ctc Inc. (American), with $4.27 million.
Arreza
said the biggest volume of export was recorded in
October 2007—a total of $122.43 million, while the
biggest jump in monthly comparative export figures
occurred in July when an 81.85-percent increase over the
2006 figure was recorded.
In terms
of imports, Arreza said
Subic posted a
total of $1.78 billion last year, which is 10.01-percent
higher than the $1.62 billion recorded in 2006.
Again,
Wistron Infocomm, topped the importers’ list with a
total FOB value of $375.74 million.
The next
biggest importer was HHIC-Philippines Inc. with $235.29
million; followed by Lets Do Mobile, with $226.63
million; PTT Philippines Trading Corp., $168.30 million;
Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Corp., $121.35;
and Hitachi Terminals, $81.89 million.
Ten of
the top-20 importers in
Subic were also
in the top-20 exporters list for 2007. |
