Australian firm to put up thermal paper plant in Phl

MANILA, Philippines - Australian thermal paper manufacturer TMA is putting up a multi-billion peso plant in the Philippines, a first in the country, to supply the growing needs of various industries.

 â€œTMA Australia Pty. Ltd. is definitely consolidating its manufacturing operations in the Philippines. It has entered into a lease agreement to put up its manufacturing facilities in one the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) zones,” Anthony Karam, TMA chief executive officer said.

The multi-billion peso thermal paper plant in Laguna will be the first in the country and will start operations using state-of-the-art equipment and machinery before the second quarter of this year, Karam said.

Initial reports have indicated that TMA is pulling out of China and will relocate to the Philippines as its regional hub for Asia and the Pacific.

TMA, a leading manufacturer of thermal and other paper products in the Asia Pacific and Australia, is now in the process of making the Philippines as its regional hub in the Asia-Pacific region.

It is the only thermal paper plant being set up in the country using high-tech machinery while other local suppliers have to import thermal papers being utilized by government agencies, airlines and other private firms.

TMA products’ pricing is also competitive since TMA will not have to deal with tariffs and other duties.

Full operations are expected early in 2013, the Australia-based company said, with 500 workers to be hired initially. This will grow to about 5,000 in the coming years.

TMA’s manufacturing facility in Laguna will supply its more than 2,800 customers all over the Asia-Pacific region.

The company said its decision to locate its regional hub in the Philippines was the result of the invitation extended by President Aquino for Australian companies to participate in the country’s economic growth.

With the entry of TMA, Australia has firmed up its role as a leading investor in the Philippines, with billions of dollars ready to be poured into mining, manufacturing and other sectors.

During his visit to Australia and New Zealand in October, Aquino signed an agreement with Prime Minister Julia Gillard to increase trade and investment flows, with Gillard giving emphasis to the huge potential of the Philippine manufacturing and mining sectors.

TMA was organized in 1990 as a thermal paper ticket printing factory and was acquired by the Karam family in 1996.

 â€œIt has since developed into a sophisticated business engaged in manufacturing and printing thermally reactive tickets, tags, labels, point of sales rolls and security products,” the company said.

Its facilities are located in Granville, New South Wales, Melbourne, Brisbane, Shanghai and New Zealand.

Among TMA’s major customers are Qantas, Virgin Airlines, Ticketek, Westfield Ltd., Coles Group, Sydney Olympic Park, Art Series Hotel in Melbourne, Tattersalls, China Lotteries, Supadockets Advertising, Chubb Security and Hong Kong Jockey Club.

TMA manufactures food labels and tags, thermal rolls, ATM rolls, lottery tickets and rolls.

The company is also engaged in print management, logistics labeling and the development of anti-counterfeiting technology.

It said that the company’s process capacity covers the manufacture of thermal coatings and thermal inks and the application of thermal inks to paper board or film.