Japan Tobacco International (JTI) To Continue Investing in PH

The international tobacco company, Japan Tobacco International (JTI) promised to keep investing in the Philippines, This would include more job opportunities for employees for their Global Business Service (GBS) center, possible manufacturing of their heated e-cigarettes at their production center in Batangas, and substantial capital expenditure for 2023.

John Freda, JTI Philippines General Manager mentioned that they continue to invest in the Philippines despite a declining tobacco market and the illegal tobacco trade.

Freda says that “We are constantly investing in the Philippines in our factory and employment,” Even without a major factory investment of JTI, Freda mentioned substantial capital expenditure for 2023.

Freda also says that they plan on hiring an estimated 150 people this 2022 which would make its total shared service facility manpower over 600 to meet the requirements of its partners in the Asia Pacific and Americas.

Currently, there are no immediate plans but Freda did not dismiss the possibility of JTI manufacturing their heated tobacco sticks, Ploom, in the Philippines, counting the fact that the country is the Asia Pacific region’s manufacturing hub. As of this writing, Ploom is being produced in Japan and the EU.

“Am sure that in time we have production in the Philippines, too, on the basis that it is our manufacturing hub for Asia, but at this point, we have no immediate plans to do so,” mentions Freda. He also says that they “intend to launch” the heated cigarette here but are unable to specify the exact date.

Source: Manila Bulletin