Universal Robina embarks on P165-M expansion

The Gokongwei Group’s Universal Robina Corp. (URC) is embarking on a P165.5-million expansion project which will give American potato chips manufacturer Pringles some competition.

In its application with the Board of Investments, URC disclosed that it will manufacture stackable potato chips both for domestic consumption and for export to Malaysia, Hong Kong and Thailand.

URC is registering its expansion project with the BOI as a new export producer under a non-pioneer status.

URC which will manufacture the stackable potato chips in the firm’s existing plant in Canlubang, Laguna, is set to start commercial operation in July this year.

URC is the Gokongwei Group’s consumer goods unit.

URC Chief executive officer Lance earlier announced that the company plans to spend P3 billion this year to build new plants here and in China and Indonesia.

The Gokongwei group is bent on building up its food group not only in the Philippines but also in neighboring ASEAN countries and China.

URC now operates in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and China.

It is also exploring the possibility of setting up food manufacturing operations in Vietnam.

However, it is going ahead first with confectionery plants in Shanghai, China and in Jakarta, Indonesia.

It is also expanding another existing plant in Batangas which manufactures flexible packaging materials and is building a new flour factory in Pasig City.

Gokongwei had also reported that URC’s offshore food manufacturing business was growing by 20 percent annually and contributes about 13 percent of revenues from its branded foods business.