The Philippines“ Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has closed a USD 300 million investment deal with the Hebei Jingniu Group, the largest high-end glass manufacturer in China. Hebei Jingniu“s …
The Philippines“ Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has closed a USD 300 million investment deal with the Hebei Jingniu Group, the largest high-end glass manufacturer in China. Hebei Jingniu“s plans to build a production plant in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone are expected to generate a total of 6,000 new jobs from building through to full operation. “We can see its impact not only in employment but from the export standpoint as well,” said SBMA CEO Armand Arreza on his return from the official trip to China with the top-level investment mission led by Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila. The project will require more than 3,000 skilled and non-skilled workers during building work. On completion, the company will employ 2,000 production workers and 1,000 administrative staff. Jingniu makes float glass, solar-control reflective glass and rolling crystallite glass. Its products are exported to more than 70 countries in Europe, Asia, the United States and Africa. “For instance, the glass components of the high-rise buildings that you see in Makati – a lot of those are imported but now, its going to be manufactured completely here in Subic”, Arreza pointed out, adding that “(Jingniu) want to use Subic as their base to export to the rest of Southeast Asia”. The Chinese glassmaker will send technicians to do soil tests and other technical studies at possible plant sites after Easter. Two sites have been identified in the Subic Gateway District near the Subic-Tipo expressway. Jingniu needs more than 100 hectares of flat land for its Freeport operations, which include two online coated float glass lines, two high-tech rolling crystallite glass lines, a glass deep processing line and a crystallite glass deep processing line. Mr. Arreza noted that Jingniu is also planning to source its silica locally. Jingniu is based in Hebei province in Northern China, near Beijing and Taijin. China is the Philippines“ sixth-largest source of foreign direct investment after the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and Korea. Jingniu is one of only three glass companies in the world that own patents to glass production: seven national patents for rolling crystallite glass and online solar control reflective glass. It is a pioneer in high-technology production of rolling crystallite glass and online float coated glass and has manufacturing and trading companies in Zimbabwe and Kenya.