Wilcon offers depots as training ground for architecture students

CEBU, Philippines - The entry of Wilcon Depot in Cebu with the opening of its two new construction and building material supplies’ store in Talisay City and Mandaue, is seen to help develop more good architects and enhance the capability of Cebu in the architecture skills.

“We are going to offer our Depots as training ground for architecture students. With this, we are partnering with the academe, as well as the industry groups in architecture here,” said Wilcon Builders chief operations officer (COO) and executive vice president Rosemarie B. Ong.

Wilcon Depot formally opened its 6,500 square-meter store in Lawa-an, Talisay City last week. The company is also up to open a similar facility in Mandaue before the end of this year, or early next year.

According to Ong, Wilcon’s entry to Cebu will not only give the booming construction and real estate sectors here wider options of construction and building materials, but it is also committed to help the soon-to-be architects to be the best on their fields, and introduce to them to newer and latest technologies, and products in the construction sector.

At present, Ong said the company is on discussion with the Philippine Institute of Interior Design (PIID), to pursue the establishment of informal training centers within their facilities in Cebu. Wilcon has already establish a training facility for student architects in Manila, also with updates provided to the practicing architects in the country.

One of the company’s advocacies is to promote the “green architecture” technology, thus its depots are offering growing number of environment friendly building and construction materials that are affordable.

Ong said that environment friendly construction and building products will get more in-expensive as demand grows.

At this time, however, consumers still need to be educated on the benefits of adapting “green architecture” technology, saying “demand is still very low.”

“We would like to be the premier venue for green architecture in Cebu. We have been supporting this technology in the last six years,” said Ong.

She said the company is going to partner with different organizations, such as schools, the players in the construction sector, and real estate, as well as the architects, in promoting “green architecture” adoption.

The 35-year-old  construction and building supplies provider which has now a total of 28 branches nationwide, has seen the profitable market for these particular market segment despite the fierce competition.

The company is bringing its significant investment in Cebu, while giant real estate developers in the country are also putting in their multi-billion pesos projects in Cebu, both in commercial and residential developments.

As of 2012, Wilcon already has a total of five traditional Wilcon Supply outlets in Metro Manila, one in Davao City and 20 well-known Wilcon Depots nationwide, a total of 30 outlets including the two branches in Cebu.

The company also launched two Wilcon Home Essentials stores inside Alimall and Wilcon City Center in Metro Manila recently.  (FREEMAN)