Boeing, Airbus supplier keen on expanding PH operations

Collins Aerospace office in Singapore. | PHOTO: Official website of Collins Aerospace / collinsaerosapce.com

MANILA, Philippines — US firm Collins Aerospace, a unit of RTX Corp. that manufactures interior aircraft products for Boeing and Airbus, is looking to expand its manufacturing line in the country within five years, a company executive said on Tuesday.

Collin Aerospace Facility general manager Mary DeStaffan shared the plan to expand the lineup of products they are manufacturing locally during the 6th Indo-Pacific Business Forum held at Shangri-La Hotel at the Fort in Taguig City.

“We are actually looking at additional opportunities to grow and expand in the Philippines,” DeStaffan told reporters in one of the side events during the forum.

Peza facility

“We do our strategic and financial plan in a five-year period,” she added when asked for a hint on the timetable of their expansion.

DeStaffan said they currently produce interior aircraft products such as galley inserts, lavatories, and cabin seats.

Records obtained by the Inquirer from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority show that the company has invested around P7.74 billion since 2010 for its local operations.

Growth support

This investment includes its facility, which sits on a 4.4-hectare facility at the First Philippine Industrial Park in the province of Batangas.

Across Asia, the company also employs around 18,000 people, according to DeStaffan.

“We continue to partner with airlines to understand what they need and how we support that growth,” she said.

Aside from expanding their product lineup, the company executive said they also plan to further develop the supply chain to improve their local business.

“As we bring in more products into the site, we are also looking to bring in more supply chain support,” she said. INQ