TI to invest $1B in new Philippines assembly, test plant
By Ann Steffora Mutschler, Senior Editor -- EDN, May 3, 2007
DSP giant Texas Instruments confirmed it plans to expand its assembly and test operations in Manila, Philippines with a new site that it aims to be the most environmentally efficient such site in the world.
The site is 77,000 square meters in size, and is expected to eventually employ about 3,000 workers -- doubling the capacity that TI currently occupies in the Philippines. Construction is expected to start in the second half of this year, with initial production in the second half of 2008.
Kevin Ritchie, senior VP of TI’s technology and manufacturing group said in a statement, “This is an important site for TI because it will add capacity to support our growing business and serve our customers.”
“Once built, we expect to quickly ramp the site with the help of our experienced team in Baguio, where we’ve had assembly/test operations for almost three decades,” he added.
Philippine President Gloria Arroyo said during a ground-breaking ceremony that the country welcomed the news that TI would grow its operations in the country.
“Today TI is the leading exporter from the Philippines and this announcement demonstrates how successful the relationship has been with TI,” President Arroyo said.
The company said it plans to invest $1 billion over the next 10 years, and that it intends to incorporate many of the environmental and energy design features first used in the U.S. at its newest semiconductor facility, including the reduction of water, energy and waste, which will be given priority consideration from the start of building design and construction.
Further, this site will be the first ground-up facility to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) registered in the Philippines. The LEED Green Building Rating System is a voluntary U.S. standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings that assigns a score based upon a variety of factors, including the construction materials used, water and energy efficiency, waste recycling and indoor environmental quality.
TI first established its presence in the Philippines in 1979 in Baguio City, today one of its most sophisticated assembly/test sites, which performs final assembly and testing of semiconductors for customers in the computer, aerospace, telecommunications, and automotive industries in the U.S., Asia, and Europe.
