Semiconductor manufacturer Cirtek Holdings Philippines Corp. is looking at China and Taiwan as part of an expansion and business continuity plans amid current disruptions in production caused by the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Cirtek vice president Tony Callueng said the company was in talks with an additional contract manufacturing partner in China and identifying a new Taiwan facility in response to supply chain diversification and business resiliency plans.
“Cirtek’s manufacturing capacity is currently running at 60% amidst the pandemic. It is expected to run up to 70% capacity by the time the Philippine lockdown is lifted to comply with COVID-19 preventive measures until such time a vaccine is available or herd immunity is achieved,’ Callueng said.
To respond to increasing orders while maintaining social distancing within the facility, Cirtek currently subcontracts jobs to manufacturers in China that have fully emerged from the lockdown in March.
Cirtek through wholly-owned semiconductor unit Cirtek Electronics Corp. reported increased product orders for chips supplied to medical equipment end customers globally.
Cirtek vice chairman Jorge Aguilar earlier said the company was being tapped by several of its customers for chips used in medical equipment desperately needed all over the world.
Cirtek’s medical chips are used in applications such as ventilators, CT scanners, defibrillators, ultrasounds, blood glucose, thermal scanners and oxygen level monitors.
Cirtek will produce one million chips per week for the devices that are in urgent demand. Medical practitioners cannot function without key parts manufactured by Cirtek in its Laguna Technopark facility.
Quintel USA Inc., a telecom base station antenna equipment maker, is also experiencing a surge in antenna demand as the global lockdown and work from home policies have shifted growth to massive data demand.
Cirtek and its subsidiaries worldwide remain COVID-19 free while adhering to local government policies and measures in ensuring business continuity.
