AN official of DB Schenker of Germany has noted the increasing investment opportunities in the transport and logistics sectors in the Philippines owing to the developments of new ports and airports.

Reinier Allgeier, managing director of DB Schenker Philippines, predicted the country will continue to draw the interest of logistics firms owing to the government’s priority in developing infrastructure.

“The growing activities in Clark and Subic and enhancement of airports and ports, particularly in Batangas and Cagayan de Oro, continue to provide opportunities for logistics providers,” said Allgeier in his presentation before the 16-man delegation of Philippine honorary consuls in German federal states this week.

The delegation, led by Dr.Gerhard Zeidler, Philippine honorary consul general to Baden-Wurttemberg and Hesse, is in the country until April 21 to explore business opportunities for German companies.

DB Schenker Philippines is the new subsidiary following its merging with BAX Global, CPI Transport and Star Global in January 2007. The company is the transportation and logistics corporate division of Deutsche Bahn AG with five global units—land transport, air/ocean freight, contract logistics/SCM, rail freight and intermodal.

The Schenker official said the significant presence of semiconductor and electronics entities is also an advantage for logistics firms investing in the Philippines. The Philippines supplies 18 percent of worldwide semicon production and enjoys an increasing trend for outsourcing companies, he said.

The growing economy of the Philippines, with growth of 7.3 percent in gross domestic product in 2007, as well as 6.8-percent import and 6.1-percent export increases on the same year, provides a lot of incentives for foreign investors, according to him.

Deutsche Bahn has an overall revenue of €31 billion worldwide with 220,000 employees. Schenker operations worldwide raise an annual €14 billion from 1,500 locations and employ a total of 55,000 staff.

Allgeier said Schenker Philippines has raised revenue of €40 million from its eight locations in the country and employs more than 500 people.

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RAZON-CONTROLLED International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) said it is not unfazed by the economic recession in the United States, and will continue its acquisition of various strategic facilities in several parts of the globe.

THE LOGISTICS unit of Aboitiz Transport System Corp. (ATSC) has teamed up with a subsidiary of De La Salle University System to offer a postgraduate course in supply-chain management.

AN official of DB Schenker of Germany has noted the increasing investment opportunities in the transport and logistics sectors in the Philippines owing to the developments of new ports and airports.