Thai firm upbeat about Philippine infra growth

By Daryl Rose Virtudazo 

With the country’s robust economic growth and the infrastructure golden age era pronouncement of the administration, Thai firm Siam Cement Group (SCG) is optimistic in its business operations in the Philippines. 

According to SCG Philippines Country Director Phaskorn Buranawit , the company’s projected growth for the next three years is the same with forecasted gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate at 6.0 to 7.0 percent.

In 2016, SCG Philippines’ revenue grew by 10 percent to around P10 billion.

In the same year, the Thai company invested some P60 million here to boost the production capacity of its ceramic subsidiary Mariwasa Siam Ceramics Inc.

Aside from Mariwasa, SCG’s subsidiaries here include United Pulp and Paper Company Inc., SCG Trading Philippines Inc., Green Siam Resources Inc., Green Alternative Technology Specialist Inc., SCG Marketing Philippines Inc., and CPAC Monier Philippines Inc.

Burnawit added that SCG has introduced new products for sustainable infrastructure in the Philippine market.

These new products include:

■ SCG Portland Cement, a fiber cement which is a new trend for sustainable construction and is used in international infrastructure such as Kizuna Bridge in Cambodia, Luang Prabang Airport in Laos, Sakura Tower in Myanmar, and Dusit Thani Hotel;

■ SCG Smartwood, a fiber cement wood substitutes, which is more durable and less prone to shrinkage, warping, and bending; and

■ SCG Smartboard, which is used for walls and floors.