Davao ecozone attracting more high-value locators

MANILA, Philippines — Damosa Land Inc.’s (DLI) premier agro-industrial hub Anflo Industrial Estate Corp. (AIEC) eyes more investments as large international contingents flock to Davao City.

Well-known foreign manufacturers have chosen to expand their Philippine operations in AIEC’s 63-hectare Philippine Economic Zone Authority-approved ecozone.

“After seeing what industrial parks in the country comprises of, we saw an opportunity to leverage our mother company Anflocor’s strength in agriculture and endeavor take on the role as the industry’s innovator,” DLI head Ricardo Floirendo Lagdameo said.

In the current line-up of companies located in AIEC is global brand Del Monte, which is considered as one of the world’s largest agricultural companies. Packwell, a Japan-based global leader in the design, manufacture and sale of quality paper packaging containers to famous brands such as Godiva Chocolates and electronic-tobacco maker IQOS is also putting up its manufacturing plant in the ecozone.

On the local level, homegrown companies such as First Panabo Tropical Foods of Sagrex, have also decided to locate in AIEC. Founded by a former PLDT Bossing awardee and Ernst & Young finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year, First Panabo is famous for its export-quality banana-based products such as saba and turon, aimed at addressing the demands of the OFW market.

Recently, AIEC forged a partnership with plastic manufacturer Manly Plastics Inc. to occupy a 1.1-hectare land. Manly will produce plastic products for food and beverages, expediting the production of packaging products in Mindanao, instead of sourcing them from distant Luzon facilities. Manly is the largest integrated plastics company in the country whose clients include Datu Puti, Gatorade, Boysen, Toyota, and Nissan to name a few.

The partnership with Manly adds up to AIEC’s 14 locators involved in the agricultural value chain. The estate also anticipates international investors like their current partners from Japan, China, US and the Netherlands.