Sumitomo chemical opens subsidiary in RP

MANILA, Philippines - Sumitomo Chemical Group, a multi-billion dollar company based in Singapore, opens a subsidiary in Manila –a bold initiative for the market leader in chemicals with a strong conviction that research and development will spur growth.

“The move is strategic for Sumitomo as it aims to develop diverse business to keep up with the changing needs to the global market,” says Ferdinand De Gala, Sumitomo Chemical Philippines, Inc. (SCPI) country manager for Environmental Health and Vector Control Divisions.

SCPI will focus on developing high quality products that are safer, more environmentally-friendly, and targeted towards professional and industrial users. This is the basis of the regional expansion, according to De Gala who said that a large focus of their operations will be on research and development.

Among the priority projects of SCPI is the introduction of new products and technologies in the environmental health and vector control markets. Environmental health products deal with products for professional use (e.g. wood protection/termite control, residential pest management/pest control and industrial/commercial pest management; while vector control products deal with prevention of disease that threatens public health such as malaria and dengue.

With ore than 100 subsidiaries and affiliates, Sumitomo Chemical has six major business sectors – basic chemicals, petrochemicals and plastics, fine chemicals, IT-related chemicals, agricultural chemicals, and pharmaceuticals – and supplies a broad range of products for global markets.

According to De Gala, Sumitomo’s strong commitment to solve environmental problems and contribute to the development of agriculture will resonate on the way SCPI will operate business in the Philippines.

“Echoing the message of Sumitomo Chemical president Hiroshi Hirose ‘to work not merely for profit, SCPI contribute broadly to society – to improve people’s lives and solve problems related to resources, energy, food and the environment,” the country chief assures.