The facility, slated to begin commercial operations by 2027, will produce heavy structural steel products like H beams, I beams, angles, channels, and sheet piles—products that are currently 100 percent imported.
7,000 jobs to be created
This initiative is expected to save the country $1.2 billion yearly by reducing dependence on imports and will cut delivery times from three to four months to just one to two weeks.
The plant will create about 7,000 local jobs, shifting employment opportunities from overseas suppliers like China, Vietnam, and South Korea to Filipino workers.
EPCM contract awarded
SteelAsia awarded the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Management (EPCM) contract for the project to MCC Huatian Engineering & Technology Co., Ltd., a global leader in steel plant construction, with over 230 projects completed in 14 countries.
According to SteelAsia chair and CEO Benjamin Yao, the facility will use cutting-edge European technology, employing electric arc furnace technology and recycled scrap metal to lower its carbon footprint by 90 percent compared to traditional steelmaking methods.
Quicker completion, lower costs
“This is a game changer for the construction and infrastructure sectors. It will lead to quicker project completion and lower costs while ensuring we produce the highest quality steel products,” Yao stated.
Yao has been on a mission to build the country’s first integrated steel industry to bring the Philippines closer to its peers in the region in manufacturing and infrastructure capabilities. -- Ed: CSN
