Danish firm to hike Phl investments to $30M

BATANGAS, Philippines – Sonion the local unit of Danish components maker and solutions for hearing instruments is investing $30 million to expand operations and increase its workforce here by the end of 2014.

Sonion Philippines director general Niels Ole Jeppesen said in a statement given to reporters during the inauguration of the firm’s facility in Batangas yesterday, there are plans to bring the company’s total investment in the country to $30 million by the end of next year and to hire about 800 employees.

The employees to be hired would include product and process design engineers

The company has already poured in $22 million to set up its 11,500 square-meter facility.

Installation and run in of the first production line of the facility began in  November last year.

At present, Sonion Philippines has 130 employees engaged in the manufacture of armature receivers and high-end microphones as well as components.

All products manufactured in the facility would be shipped to other countries.

“Why did we choose the Philippines? We find enthusiastic, energetic people and there is high educational level here,” Sonion Group chief executive officer Jorn Morkeberg said in the same event.

The available infrastructure as well as competitive incentives offered to foreign investors, he said, are also among the reasons for the firm’s decision to invest here.

“Maybe in the next few years, we can meet again for a second plant here,” he added.

European Union (EU) Ambassador to the Philippines Guy Ledoux said in the same event the inauguration of the facility is a good illustration of the strong and growing economic relationship between the EU and the Philippines.

“The remarkable example we have today, is not hot money invested by stock brokers which can be withdrawn in a few days. This is an investment with a brick and mortar factory that demonstrates the confidence of the investor in the Philippine government and the quality and reliability of the Philippine workers,” he said.

He noted that 289 EU firms engaged in the production of food, textiles, chemicals, precision as well as optical instruments have invested in the Philippine Economic Zone Authority’s economic zones as the government is working to provide an environment for business development.