JT International Asia Manufacturing Corp. (JTI-AMC) is investing P2.1 billion to upgrade its manufacturing facility in Malvar, Batangas, adding advanced tobacco-processing technology and expanding the plant’s capacity as the Philippines strengthens its role in JTI’s regional supply chain.
About P1.9 billion of the investment went to a new Dry Ice Expanded Tobacco (DIET) facility, making the Batangas plant the first JTI manufacturing site in Southeast Asia equipped with the technology. DIET uses dry ice to expand tobacco, improving how the raw material is prepared and processed for manufacturing.
JTI also spent more than P177 million to expand its Controlled Atmosphere (CA) treatment facility. The expansion became operational in July and doubled the facility’s previous treatment capacity, allowing the company to handle more tobacco while maintaining the quality and integrity of the raw material before production.
The new investment gives the Batangas site a processing capability that was previously carried out overseas. JTI said localizing the technology is expected to improve operational efficiency while strengthening the facility’s role within the company’s international manufacturing network.
The Malvar facility serves as JTI’s primary manufacturing hub for Asia, producing products for the Philippine market and exporting to 22 markets worldwide. The company also operates DIET facilities in other Asian markets, including Japan and Bangladesh.
The project adds to JTI’s longer-term investment footprint in the Philippines. The company said it has been operating in the country since 2000, while its Malvar manufacturing facility began commercial operations in 2017. JTI currently lists more than 5,600 employees and 41 locations across the Philippines.
Philippine Economic Zone Authority Director General Tereso Panga said JTI has invested more than P17 billion in the country and created more than 1,000 jobs within economic zones. He said stronger local sourcing and expanded production could create opportunities across the wider value chain, including farmers, processors and logistics providers.
JTI said the latest investment reflects its confidence in the Philippines and the importance of its local operations. The company also said the Batangas facility’s existing manufacturing capabilities and technical expertise helped make it a suitable location for the new technology.
The expansion highlights the growing role of Batangas as a manufacturing and export base while giving JTI greater processing capacity closer to its Philippine production operations. For the company, the investment also strengthens the position of its Batangas facility within its broader Asian manufacturing network.
