By Juzel OL. Danganan
MANILA, Jan. 28 (PNA) — The Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST’s) Advanced Device and Materials Testing Laboratory (ADMATEL) is poised to double the number of its clients to a maximum of 170 firms from 88 by the year-end of 2015.
”When we opened, ADMATEL had 44 clients. In 2014, we were able to double that to 88, we will double that to a minimum of 135 (by year-end) then a maximum of 170,” , ADMATEL general manager Virgilio Aguinaldo said in a press conference Wednesday at the ADMATEL building in Bicutan, Taguig.
Aguinaldo said ADMATEL income rose to Php 4.5 million in 2014, from the whopping 44 to 88 client jump. Thus, the 2015 doubled target will likely result in an income of Php 9 million by year-end, he said.
He also said that the laboratory also awaits the release of its ISO 17025 application this month, which will certify it as a world class-standard facility, explaining it might also boost its number of clients.
ADMATEL offers services for failure analysis of microchips or other materials and chemical or materials characterization.
It aims to provide services to its Association of Southeast Nation Region (ASEAN) neighbors since it offers testing services lower than 20 percent of present ASEAN rates.
In the past two years that the facility was opened, ADMATEL had only one international client based in Qatar, whom went to test his glitters of gold and silver.
Aguinaldo said the current customers vary from energy, automotive to medical firms, citing companies have brought in pipes and wheeled-equipment for testing.
The ADMATEL general manager noted that 48 percent of its customer base was involved in the semi-conductor industries, while 38 percent were allied industry firms, such as energy and construction.
Some of its clients include Petron Corp., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. (PSPC), Energy Development Corp. (EDC), 3M Philippines, Bitmicro and the University of the East (UE).
Aguinaldo said that from 2013 through 2014, ADMATEL was able to provide a total of 135 services, with some repeat clients and some new customers. It has a 24-hour test completion guarantee, far from the five to six days testing rate in Singapore.
According to Aguinaldo, ADMATEL does not earn much since it provides socialized pricing, from a range of Php 2,000 – 31,000. It aims to get a fraction of the USD 18-25 million spent by local companies abroad, only for failure testing.
He also said that various clients sign non-disclosure agreements with the laboratory upon conducting the tests.
Aside from private firms, ADMATEL also offers its services of up to 20 percent for students, but are required to file a non-disclosure agreement with the lab first.
In the next three years, Aguinaldo told PNA that ADMANTEL plans to acquire more equipment for the failure test analysis, which may cost USD 18-25 million.
The current labs costs about Php 350 million, with equipment imported from Japan, Germany and the Netherlands at Php 300 million and the building at Php 50 million. It was funded through the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP). (PNA)