COVID-19 pandemic boosts demand for Cirtek’s medical chips

Cirtek’s manufacturing hub in Laguna
(photo: www.cirtekholdings.com)

The global war against COVID-19 pandemic has boosted the order book for Philippine-made electronic chips needed to produce critical medical devices.

Laguna-based electronics manufacturing service provider Cirtek Holdings Philippines Corp. reported a surge in demand for chips used in producing medical equipment for applications such as ventilators, CT scanners, defibrillators, ultrasounds, blood glucose, thermal scanners and oxygen level monitors.

Demand for such medical devices has increased globally. To date, the COVID-19 virus has infected about two million people and killed close to 127,000 around the world.

Cirtek vice chair Jorge Aguilar disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Wednesday that several customers had tapped the company’s wholly-owned semiconductor arm, Cirtek Electronics Corp. (CEC), to supply the chips used for these medical equipment desperately needed all over the world.

Cirtek committed to produce one million chips per week in its Laguna Technopark facility for these medical devices.

“In view of the recent manifestation of COVID-19 around the world, it is critical for hospitals to have enough medical equipment to save lives, flatten the curve, prevent further spread of the virus and control the pandemic,” the disclosure said.

Cirtek currently operates its manufacturing facility 24 hours a day six days a week to keep up with the pace in global demand.

“We have the responsibility to prioritize products used in the front lines and do our part in this fight to save lives,” Aguilar said.

The group added that its unit in Silicon Valley, telecom base station antenna equipment maker, Quintel USA Inc., was also experiencing surge in antenna demand as the global lockdown and work-from-home policies translated to massive data demand.