Industrial News

Converge ICT Solutions Inc. announced that the 20,000-kilometer Bifrost Cable System, a major transpacific subsea network connecting Asia and North America, is now ready to carry data traffic to and from the Philippines. The milestone follows Converge’s multi-billion-peso investment in 2021, which granted it long-term capacity rights and named the company as the landing party for the cable’s Philippine branch in Davao. Bifrost Cable System goes live with 15 terabits per second of intra-Asia Pacific capacity. Management’s view “Four years after we’ve announced our landmark participation in this transnational infrastructure, we’re proud to now declare, with our partners, that it [...]

ACMobility to transition out of Honda retail sales There is no question that Honda Cars Philippines hasn’t been its former self as of late. The company which had once been the beacon of what a Japanese car should be and the pride of many car enthusiasts in the country has been jogging in place for the last few years. They haven’t been driving forward in terms of sales, especially when faced with newer competition from fellow Japanese brands, as well as much more affordable competitors from China. It was only a matter of time before we see more dealership closures, [...]

BERLIN, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Germany's Robert Bosch (ROBG.UL) will cut 13,000 jobs as the world's top autos supplier battles a sluggish market, high costs and pressure from rivals that have left it with an annual cost gap of 2.5 billion euros ($2.9 billion), it said on Thursday. The company has previously said it expects to "fight over every cent" in a cut-throat market as demand remains weak and trade barriers exacerbate an already challenging economic environment. Bosch said in a statement it wants to reduce costs as quickly as possible. As well as job cuts, it wants to reduce [...]

VW Philippines: A series of unfortunate decisions and events So Volkswagen is out of the Philippines. The Ayala-led company, AC Mobility (and Automobile Central Enterprise, Inc.) has concluded its tenure as the importer, distributor, and dealer of the brand after 12 years. To be honest I’ve been dreading having to write this, but I've been waiting 7 years for it to happen. Yes, I’ve been staring at the writing on the wall for Ayala and Volkswagen since 2018, wondering when it will actually happen. Now while I have never been employed in an automotive company like a distributor, I did [...]

The Philippines' economic partnership with Taiwan is getting a significant boost with the establishment of a $4.3-million manufacturing facility in Batangas by Aromate PH Assets Corp., a local subsidiary of Taiwan-based Aromate Industries. Driving the news: The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), signed a registration agreement with Aromate PH during an investment promotion mission in Taipei from Aug. 25 to 30, 2025. The deal formalizes Aromate’s expansion at the LIMA Technology Center, Batangas, following the start of its Philippine operations in 2024. The new facility will serve as a [...]

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said over the weekend it secured more than $10 million in new investments from Taiwanese firms after promoting the Philippines as a competitive hub for advanced manufacturing and exports. PEZA chief of staff Napoleon Ferdinand Melendres, who led a recent mission to Taiwan, said a highlight was the signing of a $4.3-million registration agreement with Aromate Industries in Taipei. The deal will see the company build a new air care product manufacturing facility at the LIMA Technology Center in Batangas. Another confirmed project is a $5-million to $6-million consumer electronics investment that is expected [...]

MANILA, Philippines — A well-known motorcycle manufacturer has filed a notice of lockout against its 289 rank-and-file union workers citing unfair labor practices stemming from an illegal strike and boycott of company activities. In a notice dated August 4, Kawasaki Motors accused the 289 union workers of violating the “No Strike/No Lockout” clause of the collective bargaining agreement between the union and management in 2022. Kawasaki said the violation was committed after workers boycotted company-sanctioned activities, particularly its anniversary celebration last July 24, Sportsfest last June 15 and the mandatory overtime to catch up on production on April 30, 2025. [...]

Producer of high-quality products in the manufacturing and assembly of plastic parts, Paintplas Global Corporation now joins the roster of locators at the Lima Technology Center – Special Economic Zone (LTC-SEZ) located in Malvar, Batangas. This followed the signing of the Registration Agreement between Philippine Economic Zone Authority Director General Tereso Panga and Paintplas President Nilo Magbanua on 01 August 2025 at the PEZA Head Office in Pasay City, marking a significant development for the country’s manufacturing and export sector. Also present as ceremonial witnesses were PEZA Deputy Director General for Operations Vivian S. Santos and Paintplas Executive President Jacqueline [...]

Manila, Aug. 3 (CNA) The United States' decision to levy a 19 percent tax on imports from the Philippines has prompted concerns that this could discourage Taiwanese businesses from relocating their factories to the Southeast Asian country. Meanwhile, export-oriented Taiwanese firms primarily targeting the U.S. market are beginning to cut labor costs and shift their focus to the Philippine domestic market, according to Taiwanese business leaders based in the country. U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced a 19 percent tariff rate for goods from the Philippines after a meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. in Washington on July 22, [...]

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has designated a parcel of land within the De La Salle University Science and Technology Complex in Biñan, Laguna as a Knowledge, Innovation, Science and Technology (KIST) Ecozone under Proclamation No. 985. According to a palace statement released on Saturday, the 50,000-square-meter parcel of land will be known as the De La Salle University Innovation Hub. It is located at Leandro V. Locsin Campus, Laguna Blvd., Barangay Malamig, City of Biñan, Laguna. The newly designated ecozone is subject to compliance with the provisions of Republic Act No. 7916 or the “Special Economic Zone Act of 1995” as amended by Republic [...]