Epson registers new P40-M robotics facility

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said Epson Precision Philippines, Inc. (EPPI) is expanding its facility in Batangas with a P40-million robotics manufacturing project. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, PEZA and EPPI signed a supplemental agreement on Aug. 13 for the company’s expansion, taking the company beyond its core printing equipment operation. The facility will be built at the Lima Technology Center-Special Economic Zone in Batangas. It will begin commercial operations in 2027 and is expected to generate 118 new jobs. PEZA said the agreement expands EPPI’s registered activities to include the manufacture of various types of industrial robots. The expansion will build Epson’s Selective Compliance Articulated Robot Arm (SCARA) and 6-axis models, along with sub-assemblies for knock-down production, spare parts, and after-sales service parts. EPPI, the world’s No. 1 SCARA robot manufacturer and a global leader in precision automation, has been registered with PEZA since 1995. The expansion project is expected to help further integrate the Philippines into its global robotics supply chain. “We welcome them into an entirely new chapter of reinventing itself and moving up the value chain — from precision printing to precision robotics,” PEZA Director-General Tereso O. Panga said. The expansion aligns with PEZA’s aim to position the Philippines as a hub for advanced manufacturing, and enable global firms to expand into higher-value, future-ready industries, PEZA said. “By bringing in new business/new product for manufacture demonstrates how sustained investment can drive growth, enhance customer value, create quality employment, and contribute to the Philippines’ economic and social development,” PEZA said. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz