Japanese company sees Philippines as key growth area

CEBU, Philippines — Japanese printer maker Brother Industries Ltd cited the Philippines as its second largest market in Southeast Asia considering the growing businesses here.

In a recent interview, Takao Shima, the company's managing director for ASEAN operations, said the Philippines is growing and that there is so much potential for the firm’s expansion here.

The company recently opened its newest service center at the ground floor of The Mahogany Place in Cebu City.

Brother Philippines president Glenn Hocson said the retail market remains a key growth driver of Japanese firm’s revenue in the country.

Hocson also noted a rising demand from the corporate and small and medium business (SMB) markets.

He said the company’s expansion in Cebu signifies its confidence in Cebu’s economy as businesses here continuous to expand.

Its Cebu office caters to sales and after sales services.

“Brother Philippines has been operating in Cebu for years now and business has been doing well,” he said.

Despite the era of digitalization, Hocson said Brother’s business prospect remains bullish noting it has innovated its products to remain relevant in the market.

He said producing multi-functional printers that can perform tasks like scanning, copying, printing and transmitting of faxes.

Hocson said scan to edit feature has also been added to some of its printers.

 “We have been evolving our printing business to cater to the new requiremets of companies and even the younger generation, who are becoming more digitally inclined," he said.

The company has factory in Batangas. It also has in Vietnam and China.

The Philippine manufacturing plant makes ink-jet printers that are sold in the country and to other foreign markets.

Hocson noted the firm sells at least 100,000 printers annually.

Aside from Cebu, Brother also has extension offices Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Pampanga, Naga and a new office in Iloilo soon.

Aside from printers the company also offers home and embroidery sewing machines, labelers and scanners. (FREEMAN)