Logistics van launched

Centro Manufacturing Corp. has rolled out a light truck dubbed “C-Van” in an effort to ride on a projected double-digit yearly growth in the Philippine logistics industry.

Jerryme Garcia, Centro’s chief financial officer, in a statement noted that the Philippines —though dubbed as the rising tiger of Asia in the logistics sector—ranked only 71st among 160 countries worldwide.

Garcia said Malaysia ranked 32nd, Thailand was 46th, Indonesia was 63rd and Vietnam, 64th.

He also cited a transport industry report that said “the logistics industry in the Philippines was expected to have a compounded annual growth rate of 10 percent to 16 percent annually from 2013 to 2020.”

“We need to play catch up because we are far from our full potential,” Garcia said. “And to support the country’s rapid growth in logistics, Centro has introduced the C-Van.”

Garcia describes the C-Van as a logistics van with double stainless steel lock rods, stainless hinges, aluminum claddings and more durable components such as checkered plate flooring, EPDM (ethylene propylene diene terpolymer) door rubber seals, marine plywood interior panels and LED lights.

“With these features, it is expected to last longer,” he said. “Thus, our C-Van is becoming more and more popular among logistics companies who are now increasingly looking for higher value for money and giving more importance to quality and durability.”

The CFO said that with the expected improvement in infrastructure in the country through the government’s “Build, Build, Build” drive, the logistics industry was also predicted to take advantage of the demand for bringing raw materials, finished goods, various other products and even passengers to markets faster and easier across the archipelago.

“Naturally, this serves to stimulate Philippine growth further and Centro will be there to support it with the C-Vans of various sizes and other required vehicle solutions,” Garcia said.

Centro manufactures passenger van bodies, school service bodies, cargo van bodies, drop side truck bodies, wing vans and trailer vans, refrigerated van bodies, bottle carrier bodies, customized utility van bodies, and load handling equipment.
According to Centro, its clients include vehicle manufacturers sucj as Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Hyundai, Suzuki, Toyota, Foton, JMC, Piaggio, Haima and TaTa.