Wednesday, December 27, 2006 Emcor provides PCs to Mindanao homes By Antonio M. Ajero
MINDANAO'S biggest retail company of appliances, electronic products and motorcycles is focusing its efforts in providing homes with personal computers through a sales and services program called Advance Technology System (ATS).
Emcor, Inc., the only Davao-based appliance and motorcycle retail firm included in the 2006 listing of the Philippines' Top 1,000 corporations, sell computer units on installment terms to the thousands of homes in Davao and other parts of Mindanao.
Severo dela Cruz, Emcor president, said ATS is the company's contribution to the national effort to make Filipinos, especially the young, computer literate in order for the country "not only to survive but also excel in the world's increasingly competitive technology-driven economy."
Actually, Emcor's management had long thought of launching a program that would democratize ownership of computers through affordable down payment and easy installment terms.
However, fast obsolescence of previous computer models had prevented the firm from going full blast with ATS, as there was real danger of the units becoming outdated even before they could be fully paid.
Fortunately, the advent five years ago of the Pentium series whose makers have been able to slow down obsolescence drastically had given impetus to ATS, said dela Cruz.
Today, Emcor's 50 plus stores in the country have been able to sell a computer unit to more than 20,000 homes for a down payment of as low as P7,000 and monthly amortization of over P3,000 for a stretch of 24 months, he said.
"This is really still a modest number considering that Emcor has current exposure of 60,000 motorcycles on three-year installment plan and 120,000 home appliances payable in two years," dela Cruz said.
Emcor, Inc. was started 48 years ago in Davao City as Engineering and Machinery Corp., a franchise dealer of International Harvester, by pioneering entrepreneur Jesus V. del Rosario, who set up Kawasaki Motors (Phils.) Corp., K-Servico Trade, Inc., International Writing Systems Phils. Corp., International Elevator and Equipment, Inc., JVR Foundation and local units of Panasonic Group of Companies.
The 100-percent Filipino-owned firm, which has shifted focus on motorcycles, electronic products and household appliances, is listed by Business World as No. 208 among the country's top 1,000 corporations in 2005 with gross revenues of over P4.4 billion. It registered a 26.4 percent increase in revenues over the previous year, raising its ranking of No. 235 in 2004. Emcor employs more than 2,000 people.
