Property boom builds up Wilcon’s business

MANILA, Philippines - Wilcon Depot and Home Essentials, owned and operated by the Belo family led by its patriarch William Belo, is riding on the continued growth of the property business in the country.

“More and more households are doing also doing renovation,” Belo said during a recent briefing.

He said the sustained demand for condominiums and other types of homes bodes well for businesses such as Wilcon.

Indeed, Wilcon has become a household name – quite literally – in the country.

From individual homebuilders to institutional clients, Wilcon Depot has met and continues to meet the needs of its wide variety of customers.

Since opening its first branch in 1977, the company has expanded to a network of 230,000 square meters of retail space with 38 stores nationwide and has successfully established itself as the “top-of-mind” depot for local and international brands of tiles and flooring, plumbing and sanitary wares, electrical and lighting products, hardware and tools and furniture.

And it continuously improves its portfolio of offerings.

Belo put up Wilcon because he was driven by his dream to be of service to Filipino homebuilders.

Indeed, an ordinary man with big dreams and huge determination, Belo started his own hardware store in 1977 located at Quezon Avenue, with only few hardware and construction materials available.

From this small Wilcon store, Belo has expanded Wilcon Depot to open big stores with a wide variety of products and has established itself as the trusted name by many industry professionals, home enthusiasts and homeowners nationwide.

“Filipinos should be given the best product choices for their homes,” Belo said.

With this belief, he made it possible to bring in globally trusted brands within the reach of the ordinary Filipino.

Indeed, today, Wilcon is a haven of international and locally produced products. It is the one-stop shop for Filipinos looking for quality yet affordable products for their dream homes.

He is also the man behind Desigño Atelier, a design center that is the first of its kind and which showcases the most luxurious brands and products that suit the taste and needs of very specific and discriminating customers.

The year 2017 marks Wilcon’s 40th year of providing building solutions to homebuilders and it is also the year where they head full force to the advocacy of sustainability.

Last January, it launched a new campaign—Sustainability is the New Green at Desigño Atelier in Makati City.

As part of the campaign, there is now a dedicated area inside Wilcon stores that showcases sustainable products so that customers can easily locate them. Products that conform to the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) factors such as durability, easily recyclable or reusable, free of toxic materials, energy efficient, zero or low emissions of toxic chemicals, manufactured in a low-pollution process, low maintenance, and more are the featured sustainable products for the whole year.

The company also has a portfolio of brands promoting sustainability.

Pozzi, Wilcon’s very own line of sanitary ware and bathroom fixtures, among others, is featured in the sustainable campaign. Pozzi gives value through the integration of water-saving property to every product to minimize water usage by means of dual lever flush.

A world-class water heater—Ariston, is another Wilcon brand that incorporates sustainability factors into their products. Ariston Aures Easy, Aures Luxury, and Aures Velis, are some of their models that are featured in the campaign.

All these products have energy-saving performance and a minimum water flow of two liters per minute. All Ariston water heaters are also easy to maintain and are built with a total safety system.

Similarly, ceramic tile brand NovaBell products are made from 40 percent recycled materials, and are compliant with international quality standards. The brand denotes sustainable development program with their meticulous research, reduction of waste, reuse of waste materials, and minimization of the consumption of energy and resources.

Rubi Tile Cutters is a producer of manual tile cutters, automatically making their products a cost efficient alternative. Rubi manual cutters do not need electricity and water. Their cutters do not emit noise pollution, and do not generate dust. Altogether, Rubi is a brand you can rely on when it comes to energy and cost efficiency in the market.

Grohe, another Wilcon exclusive brand, is a sanitary ware and bathroom accessories luxury line that stands for quality, technology, design, and sustainability. Their products allow a responsible and safe consumption of water and energy resources by the end users.

Franke, an international kitchen appliance brand that is being exclusively distributed by Wilcon, also has eco-friendly sinks and ovens. The stainless steel they use for their sinks and faucets are 100 percent recyclable, and their ovens belong to Energy Class A, the highest rating for energy efficiency.

Global sanitary ware brand Kohler’s sustainability goal is a net zero carbon and solid waste footprint. It has water-saving faucets, showerheads, and toilets deliver smart design, style, and a single level of quality with compromise.

Indeed, Wilcon is always in line with the latest trends and innovative technology.

Constantly, the company provides solutions that are eco-friendly, and makes use of resources more responsibly.

Indeed, it also started with a one man’s dream. Forty years later, Belo gives back to the community and also strives to help Filipinos reach their own dreams.

The company made its debut on the Philippine Stock Exchange last March 31.