SMC ACQUIRES AUSTRALIAN PACKAGING FIRM

San Miguel Corporation (SMC) through its subsidiary, San Miguel Yamamura Packaging International Limited (SMYPIL), the company has entered into a sale share and subscription agreement for the acquisition by SMYPIL of a majority stake in the Cospak Group.

Based in Sydney, Australia, the Cospak Group is the largest packaging trading firm in Australasia. Although the Group operates largely in Australia and New Zealand, the company has trading outposts in South Africa and also exports to European markets. Combined with its manufacturing operations, the annual revenues of the Cospak Group exceed A$120million (P5.16 billion).

SMYPIL hopes to make the Cospak Group the vehicle for its Australasian and rapidly growing exports business. With packaging businesses in Malaysia, China, Vietnam and Indonesia, SMYPIL is a joint venture of SMC and Nihon Yamamura Glass Co., Ltd., the largest glass manufacturer in Japan.

Beverage Packaging Plant Wins Regional Healthy Workplace Award

SMYPC’s San Fernando Beverage Packaging Plant (SFBPP) won the Department of Health’s (DOH) Regional Healthy Workplace Award last year in Balibago, Angeles City.

Since the ‘80s, DOH has been promoting good health awareness and practices through this nationwide search. Competing nominees are chosen from three categories -provincial, regional and national level -and from three scales of operation –small scale (1-50 workers), medium scale ( 51-99 workers) and large scale (100 workers and above).

SFBPP already won 2008 Best of The Best in Large Scale -Provincial Category, and wasawarded by thenMMDA’s BayaniFernando and Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilioduring the Pampanga Day Celebration which automatically qualified the facility to compete in the Regional Level, against other industries in Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Aurora and Zambales.

The SFBPP Family shares this achievement with the rest of the SMYPC Family as it is a testimony that SMYPC is a "TRUE HOME OF QUALITY PRODUCTS AND QUALITY PEOPLE.“
Be on the lookout for more on this story at SMYPC’s publication, coming very soon…

SMYPC Metal Container Plant Wins the Asia Cantech 2009
Best Two-Piece Beverage Award

SMYPC Metal Container Plant (MCP) was recently awarded the top prize at the two-piece beverage category of the Asia CanTech 2009 Conference. MCP's entry, which showcases the packaging business' cutting edge printing technologies, is a vividly printed Pepsi Regular can that boasts "close to perfect registration," according to SMYPC MCP Plant Manager Sesinando Dela Cruz.

"This win puts SMYPC MCP in the world map of can makers. This recognition is very timely as we plan to export more cans. We will continue to improve our people's skills and leverage on new technology in order to enhance our competitiveness," says Dela Cruz.

The Asia CanTech Conference is an annual event organized by Bell Publishing of UK that recognizes achievements and breakthroughs in can design and manufacture among suppliers, makers and fillers in the Asia Pacific Region. This year's conference was held in Bangkok, Thailand.

Be on the lookout for more on this story at SMYPC's publication, coming soon..

SMC PACKAGING GROUP REPORTS STRONG GROWTH IN FIRST SEMESTER

San Miguel Corporation’s San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Group (SMYPG) reported a 164% rise in June year-to-date operating income, as efforts to manage costs and working capital produced solid operating results and efficiency improvements.

SMYPG posted operating income of P782 million in the first six months of 2008 compared with P296 million a year ago.

Total revenue for the first semester rose 7% percent to P9.91 billion on the back of stronger sales in plastics and glass. Sales of glass grew by 40% on robust demand from domestic customers and exports to Australia and the Middle East. Plastic crates and PET bottle sales also contributed to the increase in revenues.

Said Ramon S. Ang, president of San Miguel Corporation and Chairman of San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Corporation, “We are encouraged that sales trends for our products continue to improve, particularly for our biggest segments, glass and plastics which represent 42% of our total packaging revenue.

“Despite economic pressures, we have sales momentum coming from both internal and external customers. We’ve also tapped customers in overseas markets; this is important as we anticipate continued pressures from a weakened economy and a challenging competitive environment," added Ang. “Our cost and productivity initiatives, many of which are still on-going, are reaping clear benefits to our business.”