THERE is no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic really dealt a heavy blow on several businesses in the country. Nevertheless, there is no choice for business to roll with the punches and show resilience in facing this herculean challenge.
Sika Philippines is one of the companies that has shown strength and stability in these turbulent times as it continues to provide the needed requirements of the economy as it is a major supplier of construction chemical products to various market sectors such as cement plants, ready-mix concrete industry, precast concrete factories, horizontal and vertical buildings, infrastructure, industrial and residential projects as well as retail stores.
“Sika Philippines is determined to help the country’s economy recover from the pandemic by providing the necessary products to several sectors of the economy. For instance, our company offers a range of products from concrete admixtures to waterproofing to concrete repair solutions. We are a major supplier of construction products to various market sectors e.g., cement plants, ready-mix concrete industry, precast concrete factories, building, infrastructure, industrial and residential projects as well as retail stores,” Christophe Lejeune, general manager of Sika Philippines said in an e-mail interview with the BusinessMirror.
“In fact, even if 2020 was a challenging year, we have achieved a revenue growth of over 20 percent in 2021 to demonstrate that we are thriving despite the challenges of the times,” Lejeune added.
Interestingly, the presence of Sika Philippines in the local market is very timely as the current administration is embarking on an ambitious P9-trillion “Build, Build, Build program to boost the infrastructure development in the country. He stressed that Sika Philippines is ready to provide the materials to support the program and is currently participating in a number of them.
A centerpiece program of the current administration, the BBB program aims to propel the “Golden Age of Infrastructure” in the Philippines. Regarded as laggard in infrastructure development in Southeast Asia, the government aims to address one of the weakest links in economic development.
Furthermore, Lejeune said the greatest part of using Sika products is that they can be accessed easily starting from the basic products for house renovation to big-ticket projects such as high-rise buildings and other infrastructure.
The property sector, according to Lejeune, is another growth driver for Sika Philippines. With the property sector expecting for a recovery in 2022, he is optimistic that Sika Philippines will experience additional growth.
It seems happy days are here again as developers should adopt a bullish outlook and start lining up projects in anticipation of a recovery in 2022, according to property management and investment company Colliers Philippines.
In its 2021 third quarter report, Colliers Philippines stressed the property sector is poised for a rebound in 2022 as more sectors of the economy are going to reopen. Moreover, Colliers Philippines noted the retail or shopping mall segment could gain traction as greater consumer traffic is expected starting 2022 as the government lifts mobility restrictions and more people are getting vaccinated.
“With the amount of supply coming in 2022, we see that the 15.6-percent [vacancy rate] would still increase to around 17 percent. But I think that that will be it. That’s going to be the start of the vacancy decline in line with the rebound of the market,” Colliers Director Dom Fredrick Andaya said in a briefing on October 29.
In terms of developing a branding for every product, Lejeune said Sika Philippines crafted a target market branding exercise led by the corporate office supported by the regional team to be able to properly position in the market.
He also stressed that Sika Philippines is committed to providing quality products to the market. This is complemented by the delivery of quality service through our QMS. Through the Quality Management System (QMS), ISO 9001:2015 and 14001:2015, Sika Philippines has achieved world-class standards at both their manufacturing facilities.
Innovation is the key to excellence, according to Lejeune. By pursuing innovation, quality has been achieved. This is manifested in the products the company has produced. “By producing quality products has resulted in developing a brand loyalty for the customers. We treat our customers as our partners and develop it into a long-term relationship,” he said.
Sika offers a wide range of products for the real-estate industry. For instance, Lejeune noted they have products that will enable homeowners to implement quality measures to their homes and protect their lifetime investment. In this age of climate change, he said the company has introduced a sustainable roof system that has been proven to withstand the severe weather conditions and even got the nod of the toughest critics.
He added the company’s housing materials are also environment-friendly pointing out it has a low VOC and durable quality resulting in a reduction of carbon footprint over its lifetime use.
Lejeune said homeowners will also like the company’s all-in-one waterproofing solution completely impermeable to a drop of water and sticking hard to the concrete foundation.
The tile setting adhesive so easy-to-apply, your elbows stay pain-free from its effortless spreading.
The team of technical experts around the world, who are your partner to ensure your construction or renovation projects are a success for a lifetime.
In a country where there are high incidents of fire accidents, he said Sika Philippines has the easy-to-use sealant which prevents fires from spreading. The sealant also protects building windows from thermal transfer for decades without fail.
Meanwhile, Sika’s concrete admixtures help pour concrete to harden faster and stronger.
Lejeune said Sika Philippines aims to have a market presence in all parts of the country offering a full range of the highest quality construction chemicals. “We want Filipinos all over the country to experience the Sika quality brand because they will get their money’s worth,” he said.
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