Uratex to set up plants in Butuan and GenSan

THE POLYFOAM Chemical Corp., the company behind Uratex Foam brand, is intensifying its presence in the Visayas and Mindanao area as it is looking at opening three more factories in the two key areas this year. At the launching of actor-athlete Matteo F. Guidicelli as brand endorser in Cebu City over the weekend, Cherry Wong-Tan, company marketing director, said the company is opening within the next month its factory in Bacolod City, its second in the Visayas. Wong-Tan added that the company is also establishing factories in the cities of General Santos and Butuan as it also wants to strengthen to intensify its presence in Mindanao as it also has factories here and in Cagayan de Oro City. “We want to continue expanding to fulfill the goal of our founder,” said Wong-Tan, referring to the late Robert G. Cheng who, together with wife Natividad started the business about 50 years ago with about P4,000 in capital, who wanted to “give every Filipino a durable and affordable mattress to lie on.” The company is part of the RGC Groups of Companies. Stephen Brian C. Lee, company sales director, told the TIMES that the company has concentrated on expanding its presence in the Visayas and Mindanao because “these areas are the growing markets.” Although the two areas account for about 40% its total market, the company has decided to intensify its presence in these areas, as it is also opening showrooms in the cities of Bacolod and Tacloban this year, as the Luzon market “has been saturated.” “We believe in the Visayas and Mindanao markets as our biggest growth areas, so we need to explore them by seeing to it that our outlets are near its possible buyers,” said Mr. Lee, pointing out that this will also the challenge in logistics. He said the company will continue to look for areas where it can expand. Officials also added the company has been looking forward to cornering the market that is looking for value for money, or the one that has the power to buy the most expensive beds and other similar products. One bed, the SEnso Memory Ultima, bed at its showroom sells between P150,000 to P180,000 as it is equipped with a technology that allows the bed to recline in whichever way as well as massages the one on top of it. The technology, based on the information from the company, is from England. Tom R. Cruz, Mindanao Operations general manager, also told the TIMES that the company has continued to innovate to provide the market not only trendy products, but also durable ones. Cruz said that last year, the company was able to secure from a certifying body in Hongkong a certification for its fire resistant foams that have become highly saleable products among hotels and those that need foams for outside activities. “We are among the few companies in the country that have put premium attention to research and development because this is among our strengths,” said Cruz.