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Philips Sets Up Plant in Guangdong
Philips Semiconductors opened its first wholly-owned assembly and test plant in China recently to meet a growing demand for semiconductors in Southeast Asia.
The Guangzhou-based plant, with first-phase investment of US$24 million, is designed to run at full production capacity of 4 billion components by the end of 2001, while the sales volume is estimated to be US$80 million a year.
"This investment project is part of our programme to promote our position in the market worldwide, and our presence in China is also to ensure further growth in the Asia-Pacific region," Arthur van der Poel, president and chief executive officer with Philips Semiconductors, said at the opening ceremony.
Poel pledged that investment in Guangzhou will add nearly US$100 million for each new development phase.
Semiconductors are electronic components such as transistors, diodes and sensors, which are used in entertainment and multimedia electronics, communication devices and in a variety of industrial applications.
Located in the town of Huangjiang, halfway between Hong Kong and Guangzhou, the new plant will create a total of around 800 new jobs, with most of the engineering and management positions filled locally.
"A major factor in selecting this location was the access it gives us to a highly-skilled workforce, the availability of talented personnel, who will benefit from excellent training and benefits," said Ruud van der Linden, executive vice-president with Philips Semiconductors.
Philips Semiconductors, a division of Royal Philips Electronics, is the world's second largest supplier of semiconductors. The company has opened assembly and test facilities in Hong Kong, Malaysia and the Philippines.
"Our target is striving to be the world's top semiconductor producer in the next few years since our current orders are three times more than the previous year," said Poel.
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