Chinese glassmaker keen on Clark site for $312-M plant

China’s Hebei Jingniu Crystal Bull Group Co. Ltd., is interested in developing a 100- hectare industrial park in Clark for its planned $312-million glass production facility.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand Arreza said Jingniu has still not decided where it will locate its glass plant, initially narrowing its site choices to either Maritan Hills or the Tipo area in Subic.

But because of the glass plant’s requirement for a long and flat site for its flat glass production, Jingniu reportedly needs at least a 100-hectare space.

The available space for Jingniu in Subic, however, is only 50 hectares at the Subic Bay Industrial Park.

Apart from the glass plant, Arreza said Jingniu has also expressed interest in putting up another industrial park which it plans to develop together with China’s Ministry of Commerce.

However, since Subic is running out of space, Arreza said the SBMA has offered Clark as an alternative site for the planned industrial park.

Arreza recently went to China to finalize the contract with officials of the Hebei Jingniu Group.

He said, the planned $312-million investment by the group would result in the creation of about 6,000 new jobs in the Subic freeport.

The Chinese glass manufacturing plant is supposed to be the biggest single investment of China in the Philippines.

The Hebei Jingniu Group had initially approached former Trade and Industry Secretary Cesar V. Purisima about the project in 2003.

Jingniu chose the Philippines because of the skilled Filipino workers and as a base for its exports to the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) and Japan.

Jingniu’s plan is to put up two online float coated glass lines; two high tech rolling crystallite glass line; one glass deep processing line and one crystallite glass deep processing line.

It also plans to set up one power generating plant with a capacity of 30,000 KVA (kilo volt ampere) and one plastic yacht line which is currently not produced in the Philippines.

The Philippines had also wanted Jingniu to manufacture tempered automotive glass since it is no longer being manufactured by Asahi Glass.

Jingniu’s main products include a variety of float sheet glass, online solar control reflective glass, high tech rolling crystallite glass with all kinds of color and specifications.