GOVPH

MIRDC Links-up Metalworking Industries to Allied Industries

By: Jim Patrick S.D. Erispe 

"Hitting two birds with one stone" is an idiom that gave the Department of Science and Technology-Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC) inspiration when it conducted a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) as part of its industry study entitled Active Businesses in the Region: Market Opportunities for the Metalworking Industries on October 28, 2021.  

True to its mission, the MIRDC provides assistance to the metalworking industry and allied industries.  The FGD was an opportunity for the Center to achieve two things simultaneously.  Frontline industries discussed their current metalworking-related requirements to the metalworking industry.  Metalworking companies took note of the requirements and expressed their willingness to provide the needed solutions.  It will be crucial in revitalizing their respective industries to cope with the effects of the pandemic.  In return, the metalworking industry can provide a course of action to the given requirement. 

Personalities from the metalworking industry, allied industries from NCR, Region VI, and Region XI, and focal persons from the DOST Regional Offices attended the online FGD.

Engr. Robert O. Dizon, Executive Director MIRDC, commenced the dialogue.

In his opening remarks, he reiterated that MIRDC is providing consultancy services, both for the metalworking industries and allied industries, and that MIRDC is offering its facilities for the industries.  "We are here to support you.  We are here to listen to you.  The three of us should help each other.  I hope that we will have a fruitful discussion and come up with new opportunities for our businesses and the industry," Engr. Dizon said.

            The MIRDC industry study team presented the consolidated survey results before the FGD proper.  

Below are some of the points discussed:

To kick off the FGD proper, Mr. Domingo P. Videña of the Native Pinoy Coffee and Cacao Enterprise revealed that their company needs a coffee bean separating machine.  The machine enables them to separate the coffee pods from the coffee husk.  They also require a medium-sized cacao roaster that can accommodate 5 to 10kg of cacao beans and technology that can preserve beans.  He also added that they are having difficulty in finding the right fabricator for their machinery needs.

Mr. Nolan Torralba of the Metalworking Industries Association of the Philippines (MIAP)-Butuan responded to the said requirements of Mr. Videña, saying that his company has already made coffee roasters with dryer and dust cleaner with a 2-5kg capacity.  He pointed out a need for testing facilities in Mindanao island, such as Agricultural Machinery Testing and Evaluation Center (AMTEC) in Los Baños, Laguna, to certify the machines they are producing.

Mr. Virgilio Lanzuela of the Rollmaster Machinery and Industrial Services Corp. said that his company has also produced coffee roasting machines.  He added that the DOST should organize a business-to-business (B2B) meeting to further discuss specific requirements.   

Mr. Alejandro Dajac of Roadtrip Sandals in Marikina City disclosed that the footwear industry of Marikina City requires various spare parts of their machines, improved design of shoe last or "hulma," and localization of "plehe" or shoe shank.  He also cited that the industry requires shoe accessories.  He wished that there would be a local manufacturer to cater to their need for accessories such as buckles.  He emphasized that having local accessory manufacturers will omit their burden of waiting for the delivery of the imported products, which usually takes two to four months.  With locally-made accessories, shoe manufacturers can eventually lower the price and allow them to design new patterns or styles of shoes.

Mr. Reden Reyes, a shoe manufacturer in Marikina City, strongly agrees with the statements of Mr. Dajac.  He added that their shoe association has a 5-axis CNC machine that caters to their needs of shoe soles; however, their problem is the soaring prices of metals.  He also mentioned that their company needs a decorticating coconut machine. The machine can be vital in their operation since they use coconut husk in manufacturing shoe soles.

"I think our cooperative can contribute to supply that need because we are in the process of producing coconut coir.  Our only problem is that our machines provided by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) are not producing good quality fiber.  That is why we like to seek the assistance of the DOST, for us to improve the quality of our end product," Ms. Alfreda T. Lanticse of the Fairtrade Farmers Coconut Multipurpose Cooperative in Davao del Sur said in response to the needs of Mr. Reyes.

Engr. Joseph Alan Abrenica of the MIAP-Metro Manila and Operations Manager of ABCOR Industrial Corp. stressed out that currently, the Philippines has no steel mill, unlike our ASEAN neighboring countries such as Thailand and Indonesia.  “That's the reason behind the high prices of metals in the country,’ Engr. Abrenica said.

Mr. Dennis E. Caraecle of the Caraecle Farm Corp, more popularly known as Rangers Farms in Region VI, stated that their company's requirements are a steel greenhouse and upgrading their current farming machines.

Ms. Andrea Marie Dizon of the Davao Beta Spring, Inc. and MIAP-Davao emphasized that their company is not an expert on decorticating machines.  Still, she will raise the requirements to her organization for them to help Ms. Lanticse find the most suitable fabricator for her needs.  Ms. Dizon highlighted that the MIAP-Davao is very open to meeting the market's requirements, and those big companies should distribute labor to small-scale shops.  She stressed that machine shops should specialize in a specific job.  With this, machine shops will hone their skills and improve the quality of products.  "Fabricators and manufacturing should learn jigs,’ commented Ms. Dizon.  She recognized that there is a need for metalworking companies to specialize.

Ms. Dizon also commended MIRDC for the training of CNC machinists.  She shared that her company hired three program graduates and said that they are outstanding, a cut above the rest.  In addition, she suggested that the MIRDC should continue the ISO program that could help standardize the quality of manufactured spare parts.  Another suggestion from Ms. Dizon is for MIRDC to provide testing equipment in Mindanao.

Key personnel from the DOST delivered their statements to acknowledge present-day concerns.

DOST-NCR Dir. Jose B. Patalinghug III stated, "I would like to congratulate Dir. Dizon and his team from MIRDC for coming up with this FGD.  I think this is very important for all of us.  There has to be continuous communication among the players from the industries."

As for the shoe industry, Dir. Patalinghug cited, "We are already providing so much assistance in the shoe industry per firm basis in Marikina.  We are always in touch with MASIDO (Marikina Shoe Industry Development Office)."  He also added that he agrees with Mr. Lanzuela to have a B2B dialogue to solve issues that will lead to business advancement.  And lastly, Dir. Patalinghug stressed the importance of universities being involved in the equation to strengthen our workforce's fundamental skills.

Mr. Allan Francis Dara of the DOST VI mentioned that by the third quarter of 2022, the region's Metals Engineering Innovation Center (MEIC) will be established.  MEIC will cater to the needs of hard-to-find metal spare parts in the area.  He also encouraged Mr. Caraecle to submit a proposal for a collaboration project with the DOST VI.

DOST XI Regional Director Dr. Anthony C. Sales informed the FGD participants that Davao is now the Cacao Capital of the Philippines.  He recognized the efforts of DOST to complete the Science, Engineering, Technology, and Innovation (SETI) Ecosystem, in which the DOST X handled the design and engineering ecosystem.  He also mentioned the establishment of MEIC in the region.  In conclusion, he expressed gratitude to MIRDC for initiating this dialogue.

In addition, Engr. Benjamin Estrellado said that DOST XI had constantly communicated and linked up the food and metalworking industries towards a harmonious business relationship.

MIRDC's Technical Solutions Services Sections Chief Mr. Edilbert Dela Peña emphasized the facilities and services that MIRDC is offering.  He mentioned the continuous support of MIRDC to the metalworking and allied industries.

Engr. Dizon added that the Center's consultancy services are open to metalworking industries to MSMEs and frontline industries.  He stressed that it is better to seek MIRDC’s experts for technical advice first since research and development may take some time.

In closing, MIRDC's Deputy Executive Director for Technical Services, Engr. Jonathan Q. Puerto underscored a need to mechanize and automate various business operations.  He affirmed that the establishment of MEIC addresses the machinery requirements of the frontline industries in the regions. 

Engr. Puerto cited the crafting of the roadmap of Agricultural and Fishery Requirement Machinery, in which the localization of equipment will be realized.  To sum up, he ended the program by updating the FGD guests about the ongoing establishment of a steel mill in Mindanao.  The steel mill will be very beneficial to the metalworking industry and frontline industries soon.

The recently held FGD achieved its objective of linking up metalworking industries with frontline industries.  This partnership, to be supported and strengthened through the science and technology interventions of the DOST-MIRDC and DOST Regional Offices, will contribute significantly to the robustness of the country’s economy.

MIRDC may have scraped the tip of the iceberg through the 2021 industry study.  Expect that the Center will not stop here.  Researches on other frontline industries will be served in the years to come. 

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METALWORKING COMPANIES TO STRENGTHEN TIES WITH FRONTLINE BUSINESSES IN THE REGIONS

By: Eldina B. Pinca

Metalworking companies and frontline industries met to discuss potential areas for business partnerships through a focus group discussion held on October 28, 2021.

Discussed during the FGD were the pressing requirements of frontline industries such as footwear, fruits and nuts, and coffee, cacao and coconut industries.  Among the requirements from the footwear industry are making available various designs of metal accessories for shoes such as buckles and spare parts, as stated by one respondent from the National Capital Region (NCR), Mr. Alejandro Dajac, owner of Roadtrip Sandals.  Engr. Domingo P. Videna, owner of Native Pinoy Coffee and Cacao Enterprises, shared that they require a new design of smaller roasting machines and localization of separator machines for coffee and cacao.

Attuned to the needs of the frontline industries, the participating metalworking businesses, most of which are members of the Metalworking Industries of the Philippines (MIAP), responded to the concerns.  From MIAP Davao, Ms. Andrea Marie Dizon stated her concerns about the market requirements and the quality issues of the metals industry for them to establish the most appropriate strategy in addressing the requirements of the frontline industries they serve. 

The DOST Regional Offices were also present to express support to the activity. Dr. Anthony Sales, Regional Director of DOST Regional Office XI, shared that Davao region is implementing programs to support regional development efforts such as establishing S&T-supportive ecosystems, and having the Metals and Engineering Innovation Center (MEIC) as a facility to encourage research and development.   

The FGD was organized by the DOST-MIRDC which is the sole government agency mandated to assist the metals, engineering, and allied industries.  Director Robert O. Dizon stated that MIRDC is always ready to serve. He shared that apart from research and development, metalworking industries may also partner with the MIRDC for technology advisories and technical consultancies.

The FGD is part of the industry study entitled ‘Active Businesses in the Region Open Marketing Opportunities for the Metals Industry.’  This event was held with the objective of presenting the results of the survey covering active industries in the NCR, Region VI, and Region XI.  Through the survey, the Center was able to gather inputs of active industries regarding their requirements from their suppliers in the metalworking industry.  During the FGD, these requirements were discussed and the metalworking industry players recognized opportunities for widening their network and engaging in beneficial business partnerships. 

Based on active participation of the guests, the next step is for the Center to analyze the needs and requirements of the metalworking industry so that the necessary interventions may be offered to them.  In closing, Engr. Jonathan Q. Puerto, Deputy Executive Director for Technical Services, detailed the programs of MIRDC and expressed his support for the activities that may ensue from this event, such as the B2B discussions of the active industries with the respective metals industry partners in the selected regions.