Aboitiz unveils expansion plans for West Cebu Industrial Park
Cebu Industrial Park Developers, Inc. (CIPDI)—a joint venture between the Aboitiz Group and the Tsuneishi Group of Japan— is set to expand West Cebu Industrial Park (WCIP) to take advantage of strong demand from foreign and local locators for industrial spaces.
WCIP is currently a 540-hectare mixed-use development, anchored by a 283-hectare Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) registered zone that has complementary commercial, institutional, and residential components. It hosts 11 locators from medium to heavy industries, some of which are the biggest shipbuilding firms in the world, making Balamban the Shipbuilding Capital of the Philippines.
WCIP is strategically located in the west side of Cebu, known to be a major industrial belt with its proximity to various access points. It is accessible by land via the Transcentral Highway and South Coastal Road via Manipis Road or Naga City from the province’s capital, as well as sea through a private shipping port for common logistics support.
To help support locators’ manpower requirements, nearby is the Balamban Campus of the University of San Jose-Recoletos, which offers basic education up to Senior High level, and Don Bosco Balamban Technological Center, which offers skills training programs on welding (arc and smaw), practical electricity, sewing, automotive mechanic, and soon AutoCAD.
Like other Aboitiz Integrated Economic Centers, WCIP is thoughtfully planned and masterfully designed so people can work, live, and play within a secure, interconnected, and engaging environment.
Tsuneishi Heavy Industries started developing land and construction of shipbuilding facilities in 1994. Today, it has grown to become one of the largest shipbuilding factories in the Philippines with the capacity to build about 20 vessels per year.
With the proposed new development, WCIP is set to grow by an additional 30 hectares over the next three years. It will allow for more industrial spaces, commercial centers, transport terminals, dormitories, and even leisure components for tourists. New locators and businesses that will be brought in are expected to yield up to 5,000 new jobs for the community.
“Our vision is to transform WCIP into a fully integrated economic center that will spur further economic growth in the area, similar to our two developments LIMA Estate in Batangas and Mactan Economic Zone II in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. With its strategic location, skilled population, lower cost of doing business, and well-established ecosystem of infrastructure, we believe that WCIP is the ideal location for light, medium, and heavy industries looking to expand or locate in Cebu,” said Rafael Fernandez De Mesa, First Vice President for Operations of the Aboitiz Integrated Economic Centers.
With the expansion on the horizon, CIPDI has been in talks with several potential locators amid the pandemic for the last few lots in WCIP’s existing inventory. These are among the only PEZA-proclaimed inventory left in Cebu. It recently landed Advanced Catamaran Composites, its third shipbuilding firm, which is targeting to start its operations in the first quarter of next year.
“We are excited to have Advanced Catamaran Composites as our newest locator in the West Cebu Industrial Park. With our 30 hectare expansion set to break ground next year, we are hoping to attract more locators to Balamban,” shared Eduardo Aboitiz, Vice President for Business Development of the Aboitiz Integrated Economic Centers.
“At Aboitiz, we are committed to making lasting partnerships with our locators by ensuring the ease of doing business and providing them with fully integrated solutions of infrastructure services such as power, water, and land. WCIP is only set to grow further, and now is the perfect time to invest here,” he added.
In 1992, Balamban, Cebu was a simple coastal town which transformed into a first-class municipality when CIPDI began operations in the area to develop WCIP.
The initial success of WCIP enabled the estate to grow from 202 to 540 hectares. More than 14,000 skilled workers are being employed by its industrial and commercial locators. The expansion hopes to continue WCIP’s growth story and turn Balamban into a vibrant city.
As a Special Economic Zone, import and export businesses in WCIP enjoy tax incentives and other privileges. It also offers a secure location and ease of doing business.
For more information on WCIP’s industrial lot offerings, email sales.leasing@aboitiz.com.
