B/E Aerospace Picks the Philippines

British firm B/E Aerospace has chosen to set up a manufacturing facility in the Philippines among 32 countries, a project which is expected to create more than 300 new jobs for Filipinos.

"B/E Aerospace is the leading provider of aircraft interior products and solutions and the world’s leading distributor of aerospace fasteners and consumables for the commercial, business jet and military markets," the British Embassy said.

"The first phase of the investment is worth over US $30 million. This is good news for the Philippines, particularly since the investment will create more than 300 new jobs locally," British Ambassador Stephen Lillie said.

"We hope the new Philippine administration will take pro-active measures to create a more attractive investment climate for the Philippines, so that there will be even more projects like this," he added.

The facility will be located in the First Philippine Industrial Park in Batangas. The firm has yet to disclose when the construction will begin.

The embassy said that B/E Aerospace Inc and its Leighton-Buzzard division, B/E Aerospace UK Ltd, chose the Philippines out of 32 countries to accommodate a multi-billion-dollar contract to manufacture galleys for the Airbus A350XWB, one of the new generations of wide body aircraft.

"Completed galley units will be shipped to Marseilles and then onwards to Toulouse, where the Airbus A350 will be assembled," the embassy said.

"I hope this will go to show that the Philippines offers opportunities for business success not only in the service sector but in manufacturing also," Lillie said.

"The UK Government has been looking towards Asia for trade and investment opportunities, recognizing the region’s emerging markets as the driving force of global recovery," the embassy said.

It also said that Lillie went to the UK early this year to promote the Philippines to British companies in London.

In November, UK Trade and Investment Director Derek Page will be meeting British companies in Bristol, Newcastle and Hinckley.

"The UK Trade and Investment team at the British Embassy Manila were able to help the UK company’s decision to set up their manufacturing facility in the Philippines," the embassy said.