HOMEGROWN electronics manufacturer Integrated Microelectronics Inc. (IMI) is ready to seize the opportunities present as an automotive electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider in the global market.
Product and Business Development Manager Roderick Javate said the potential is quite huge, because automotive cars are focusing in making their cars safer for the drivers.
“IMI sees a double-digit growth for cameras annually,” Javate, head of the camera and vision technology of IMI, told the BusinessMirror.
According to him, there were 2 million cars in the world in 2014 that were equipped with cameras. By 2018, he said that number would hit 8 million. In 2022 the increase is expected to grow more than four times, Javate said.
“We saw the growth as early as 2005,” he said in a one-on-one interview. “That’s the reason IMI decided to focus on the auto camera because of the growth potential.”
IMI started to manufacture automotive cameras in 2006 for Bosch. Since then, IMI has done several other camera projects, such as the rear-view type with a leading company.
The automotive capabilities of IMI include design-development engineering, advance manufacturing engineering, electrical design, mechanical design, optical design and imager module test and characterization capabilities.
Right now, IMI is designing and developing its latest miniature camera for Tier 1 companies. According to Javate, the device guides the driver in parking the vehicle.
Logical
JAVATE said it is logical for IMI to focus on the safety aspect of automotive EMS, because the majority of road accidents is caused by the driver.
The automotive camera project will be under the IMI camera platform. The program was developed to promote IMI camera design, optics test development and manufacturing experience.
Right now, IMI is manufacturing the MiniCube for a major client in Europe, according to Javate. It is suitable for advanced driver assistance systems and mirror replacement application.
It is a versatile device because it is adaptable to various types of lenses and can deliver an excellent thermal-management performance as it has been tested in extreme weather conditions in a simulated environment, he said.
The current generation of MiniCube is smaller by 8 to 12 millimeters from the earlier generation’s 20 mm.
For Javate and his team, it feels privileged to handle a product for the global market. On a personal note, Javate, an applications engineer by training, is grateful to IMI for giving him the opportunity work on an innovative product that will change the driving landscape around the world.
“IMI gives us an opportunity to promote the technical talents of the country,” Javate said in his office on September 29. “There’s no stupid idea here in IMI.”
Supply chain
IT takes more effort for a Philippine company to compete in the global arena against the more established brands in the world. As far as IMI is concerned, strengthening the value chain is one of the main factors that enabled the Ayala Corp. subsidiary to thrive in the competitive world of electronic exports.
The 36-year-old company is spreading its best practices in management, skills development and upgrading capability are the factors that enabled the company to be a global leading EMS provider.
“Creating shared value practices enables the company to become tougher in competition,” IMI Vice President and Head of Philippine Operations Mario Bernardo Santos told the BusinessMirror. “At the same time, the society around it benefits from that setup. Moreover, it fosters competition to make us a better company.”
The Laguna, Philippines-based company recognizes the fact that the other components in the value chain share the same values and vision of the company. “For me, it is not actually philanthropy but an intricate part of the company’s mission because the society around benefits from it,” said Santos, head of Philippine operations of IMI.
Creating meaning
CEO Arthur Tan said he believes IMI should be able to provide “not only profitability and financial growth but, more important, ensure that the people [who] are involved, the communities that we serve and the products that we build are actually entwined in making the world a better place.”
Tan said that in doing so, IMI “creates meaning.”
“We improve lives, because we see potential in our communities and augment or build businesses that serve all of us,” he added.
Gilles Bernard, IMI COO, concurs. According to him, corporations should exert more efforts to alleviate the conditions of poor communities.
“We do this by engaging either in sustainable community-development projects or shared-value businesses,” he said. “The latter involves having in our portfolio profitable innovative businesses that propose solutions to social problems.”
IMI believes the concept of shared value goes beyond philanthropy and corporate social responsibility (CSR) by coordinating and sharing the benefits by helping each other, especially in time of need.
“In the long run, everybody benefits from it,” Santos said.
Valuable resource
AS far as the work force is concerned, Santos said IMI gives premium on their health and productivity.
Since the manufacturing unit works on a 24/7 basis, he said the company provides the workers benefits to ensure they are productive, healthy and motivated. For instance, workers in all the three shifts have a free bus service to and from the different pickup points to the plant. The company also offers the usual health and other benefits to employees.
IMI also sends its people to different training programs to boost motivation and develop their total personality. The human resources division implements several programs to help the company enhance its initiatives in culture-building and assimilation, competency development and talent sharing to obtain a relevant employee engagement.
Moreover, the HRD implemented in 2015 a program that enabled IMI employees to enjoy discounts and promotional packages in selected restaurants, hotels and entertainment facilities.
Meanwhile, the IMI University led in providing employees technical, leadership training and development programs based on assessed gaps or needs. These programs are carried by internal subject matter experts and external partners, such as schools and training institutions, in the Philippines and overseas.
Last year the IMI University implemented 161 training programs that were participated in by 2,441 employees (49 percent).
“We view our people as an integral part of our success,” Santos said.
Foreign links
SANTOS said it is both a privilege and a challenge to do business with a foreign partner, because IMI also represents the country in its own little way.
“In order to sell IMI, I have to sell the Philippines,” Santos explained. “You have to show them [foreigners] that you have a qualified supplier and also prove that you are a credible organization.”
The suppliers also have a major role in the development of IMI, according to him. IMI develops and enhances its suppliers’ capabilities mainly by providing them free training on different best-practices programs and the use of the right tools.
“We develop our suppliers to ensure they will work out the same route,” Santos said.
The company has a total of 14,000 employees based in the Philippines and overseas operations in China, Mexico, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Singapore, the United States and Japan. The Philippine operations have a total work force of 4,500.
He cited the Japanese’s emphasis on efficiency and productivity has a big influence on the company’s work culture, because it worked with a lot of Japanese companies. Beyond the development of the product is the strong partnership formed with Japanese companies.