Hyundai Asia Resources Inc., the official distributor of Hyundai cars in the Philippines, is spending P1.2 billion to develop a green automotive logistics center in Calamba, Laguna.
Hari president and chief executive Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo said the two-phased investment reflected Hyundai’s commitment to the Philippine market and the environment.
“We are building a case for responsible innovation that will revolutionize the local automotive industry not only with new car models that represent new thinking in green technology but also in green operations,” she said.
The Hyundai logistics center will sit on a 10-hectare property that previously housed a textile factory.
The first phase inaugurated Tuesday will include stockyard, parts warehouse, completely built unit receiving and preparation area and backyard operations.
The CBU stockyard can house as much 5,000 vehicle at any given time or about 2 months worth of inventory.
Investments in the first phase, said Perez-Agudo, would cost the company P700 million.
Hari by early 2016 will start the second phase–a P500-million facility development for education that will center on the advocacy of environmental stewardship and preservation.
One of the structures will house the Hyundai Academy, which will hold all Hyundai training facilities. The other one is the Center for Climate Change, a facility and venue for further dialogue and study to create solutions to the impact of climate change in the country.
The company secured green rating from the Philippines Green Building Initiative.
“Although it will take us three years to recover the cost of green rating, it was worth to do that,” said Perez-Agudo, adding going green amounted to nine percent of the total investment to develop the facility.
Before the investment, the company was renting a container yard owned by International Container Terminal Services Inc. in Sta. Rosa Laguna, where vehicles and spare parts are stored after arrival at the Batangas Port.
Meanwhile, Hari has forecast sales in 2015 to hit 25,000 units, about 5 percent higher in 2014.
“We’re keeping forecast at the minimum. We’re still facing supply glitches for Starex and Sta. Fe. But we’re positive we’ll end positive by year-end,” said Perez-Agudo.
The company’s first quarter performance slowed down 10.3 percent while total sales of car importers dropped 7 percent.
Perez-Agudo said the sales would be reinvigorated by the inroduction of new models, like the all new Tucson and the compact sports car i20.
