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MANILA - The Department of Trade and Industry is courting the operator of Uniqlo stores to establish a factory in the Philippines.
“We are helping the company grow its business in the Philippines to entice it to open up factories here,” Trade Undersecretary Cristino L. Panlilio said.
At present, most of Uniqlo's products are produced by partner manufacturing companies in China and other Asian countries.
Uniqlo is a brand of Fast Retailing Co. Ltd., a Japanese company that designs, manufactures and sells apparel for men, women and children. It has more than 1,100 stores in Japan, US, UK, France, Russia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Korea.
Uniqlo was brought to the Philippines through a joint venture between Fast Retailing and SM Retail Inc. - Fast Retailing Philippines Inc.
“This is how a business relationship starts. Sometimes you do not immediately entice them right away to put up a company. The importer will get to like the Philippines and its market. When their business grows, the next thing they will think about is setting up a manufacturing facility here,” Panlilio said.
He said that Nestlé Philippines did not build a factory in the country 100 years ago. The Swiss food giant started by selling its products.
“All of these multinationals like Procter & Gamble and Unilever were only bringing their goods here. When they see the market, they do not instantly set up a factory,” Panlilio said.
Fast Retailing recently opened its first store at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. It is set to open 50 Uniqlo stores in the country within three years.
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