MORE than 1,000 jobs will be generated by an Austrian-based rubber company, whose facility is being constructed at the Anflo Industrial Estate (AIE) in Panabo City, Davao del Norte, Ricardo “Cary'' Florendo Lagdameo, president of Damosa Land Inc (DLI), said.
Lagdameo said during a Business Forum at Hukad in Ayala Malls Abreeza on June 19, 2024, that Head Sports, the largest manufacturer of tennis balls globally and responsible for meeting 40 percent of the world's demand for tennis balls, will be operating in the region.
“They are finishing up their facility in the AIE and that should be done in maybe one to two months. I think they’ll produce by either the end of this year or early part of next year,” he said.
Lagdameo expressed that once the facility’s construction is complete and operational, Head Sports will close its hub in China. He noted this as a significant opportunity, given that most relocations from China to Southeast Asia typically occur in neighboring countries like the Philippines. However, Head Sports chose to construct its facility here in Mindanao due to its abundant supply of rubber.
“We were able to work with people on this project and this is not just for us but for the country because we really need foreign investments right now,” he said.
“For Head Sports from what I understand, their main raw material is rubber. Rubber is found in Mindanao. All of the rubber manufacturers in the country source their materials in Mindanao. They wanted to take advantage of the rubber that is available in the country,” he continued.
He mentioned that with the facility in AIE, the Davao Region will have more than 1,000 job opportunities and can now export world-class quality tennis balls globally.
Lagdameo emphasized that Head Sports aims to encourage companies to cultivate more rubber.
He stated that the presence of this Austrian-based company will increase the demand for rubber in Mindanao and will surely revitalize the declining rubber industry in the region over the years.
One of the reasons Head Sports chose to develop in the AIE is its proximity to a port terminal, Davao International Airport, and housing one of the top container terminals in Mindanao, which allows efficient delivery of their products.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) reported in 2021 that the top rubber province in the country is Cotabato with about 143,000 metric tons (MT) of coagulated cup lump produced. Second is Zamboanga Sibugay with 117,314 MT, Basilan with 76,433. RGP
