US electronics firm sets up facility in Lapu-Lapu

CEBU, Philippines - Knowles Electronics (Philippines) Corporation, designer and manufacturer of advanced acoustic components, will build a 2,000 sq m manufacturing plant at the Cebu Light Industrial Park (CLIP) in Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City.

Knowles (Phils.)  is part of Dover Communications Technologies,  a multi-billion dollar diversified global manufacturer headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois.

The company focuses on innovative equipment and components, specialty systems and support services through its four major operating segments: Communication Technologies, Energy, Engineered Systems and Printing & Identification.

In a press conference held yesterday after the ceremonial ground breaking of the plant, Dan Giesecke, vice president for Dover Communications Technologies, said that the company is initially investing P630 million for the facility.

Cebu was chosen over other locations because it has a steady supply of educated and talented workforce, ease of doing business, government is very friendly to business, and accessibility to airport and major seaports, Giesecke added.

Although known primarily as the manufacturer of innovative hearing aids, the Cebu plant, one of Knowles’ largest in the world, will be producing mostly microphone, speakers and receivers which will be distributed to major  mobile phone manufacturers.

The plant is  expected to start operation around September  2013.

It is currently looking for highly-educated, English speaking individuals specifically engineers, technicians and technical staff  for its assembly line.

So far, the company has  hired 37 people to initially start the plant processes including training and hiring.

According to Joseph Emmnuel Liwag, managing director of  Knowles (Phils.), the company expects to hire over  4,000 people for its Cebu operations.

Knowles (Phils.)  is   the single largest manufacturing foreign direct investment (FDI) that entered Cebu this year. It’s the 17th locator at the 62-hectare CLIP.

CLIP, located about six kilometers from the Mactan Cebu International Airport,  is an economic zone developed and operated by the Science Park of the Philippines, Inc. (FREEMAN)