Trusted for a Reason: URATEX's 17th Most Trusted Brand Award and 57 Years of Excellence

URATEX is celebrating their 57th Anniversary and this means, it's the perfect day to have a field trip at their biggest plant located in Plaridel, Bulacan. 

I've seen their other plant in Alabang, Muntinlupa and standards, it was already huge! So having the opportunity to see this other one up north would get to tell us how they manage to keep up production for Filipinos who love their products and sleep because URATEX exists!

We were welcomed warmly not only by their executives, but by their employees too, no wonder they're the MOST TRUSTED brand for Mattress Category (Platinum) in Readers Digest Trusted Brand Awards. These are voted by consumers which says a lot about the well loved foam magnate.

Production Supply Unit Head Hecto Go says "This is the largest out of 39 plants we have in the country, it's a pleasure that you are with us today. We hope this will be a fruitful tour, and we see this as an opportunity to showcase the best quality products Filipinos deserve. We have a strong team and we continue to grow. After a few years, we hopefully could expand even more than 39, perhaps 50. We will make sure to give quality and affordable mattresses to lie on."

Their Executive VP for the RGC Group of Companies Mr. William Lee adds "In 2020 we invested in automation, you will see that all later. I'd like to thank you for sharing your time with us."

They greeted us with their tagline, "Magandang Gising" which means Good Sleep, a thing they seriously want you to have each time you lie on their mattresses. They have acquired the most advanced foam machines from Germany and currently, only 3 are in the Philippines of which 2 are in their Plaridel plant and the other one in their Alabang plant. We were also there to meet their passionate employees that man everything, from raw material to final product.

The URATEX Plant Tour 

The first room is a cold one so the raw materials are conditioned to make them consistent right from the very beginning. Tanks carry over 300 meters of foam, capable of producing over 700+ mattresses. They leave it here for 2 days.

The other containers are for additives and colorants so your foam looks good.

Mixing happens here, they pour the liquid and it expands to size in a conveyor belt.

From liquid state, it expands like this and go through a series of cutters and shelves to dry.

They have a laboratory for research and development who tests the formula in small batches so when they are making it in the huge machine, they won't have issues anymore.

They also do physical tests to make sure foams are of standard, to test firmness because people like different kinds of mattresses either soft, hard or in between.

They cut them every 13 minutes and put them in racks to dry.

They have other warehouses to store what was produced for the day, and then have another place to cut things according to customer needs.

They use conveyors to transfer it to other buildings which is part of their automated processes. 

The dry and cured foams are stacked in their warehouse until you need them.

They cut them to size with very hot wires or sharp industry grade cutters. It felt like hot knife on butter.

They use huge overhead cranes to stack them.

They put it in covers as per their packaging requirements. It is still part of an automated process to lower the costs.

On the mega bedding line, they have 2 things. One is the All Foam, and the other is the Spring Mattress. They also combine foams to achieve that sweet spot where you don't have back aches when you wake up in the morning. They are called Sleep Specialists for a reason.

They also use special techniques so you don't feel the person beside you move in the wee hours of the morning. It was so nice to see that part!

Their Ortho and Tri Fold mattresses are a combination of foams. These (2nd photo) are pocket springs inside your foam,.they did this so it doesn't move on other parts of the bed. The weight stays there as it is layered and individually packed. They also use fabric and foams to make sure you get the premium feel.

They have huge sewing machines, all industrial grade so all of them would have covers before packing.

This becomes those viral "Mattress in a Box" that is a best seller from URATEX. They vacuum pack it then de-roll to become your new mattress. 

First machine flattens and vacuum seals it, the other rolls it. Then workers put them in a box and send them to stores.

They transport it with a fully electric vehicle that they can use the whole week without worries of number coding. This is something they want to do extensively with all their fleet.

They are also using renewable energy for the whole plant. They are also planning to put up solar panels by early next year. Right now they are 58 percent compliant and want to aggressively become all renewable in 2026 or earlier. So if you want to partner with them, just ask!

57 Years of URATEX: Tried, Tested and Trusted

17 consecutive years of getting the Readers Digest Most Trusted Brand deserves a celebration. At the Ronac Lifestyle Center in Shaw Boulevard, the folks from URATEX and stakeholders from different industries raised their glasses for them... and their passion. 

Ms. Naty Cheng says "Foams were easy to destroy and of low quality in the past but we improved it to last over 5 years. In the early 1970's, we had issues with car manufacturers and we had to be supplied by foreign corps. Standards are high. This is why we are successful. We only started in a garage in Pasay. It was a decision our founders did, this is why we are where we are today! We do not cheat our customers, we give even with small margins, and give our best all these years. This is why we are trusted."

William Lee their EVP for Furniture and Bedding adds "URATEX started small, and now we are the biggest factories in Asia. 39 locations all over the Philippines and Mr. Cheng tapped me for the expansion program. The different manufacturing industries I saw in Germany, Japan, the US, even Africa, we learned about their best machines and got them here. We persevered, worked with our customers for their needs, some have been our partners, now family with professional and personal relationships. It is a team effort, mabuhay to URATEX! We believe in continuous improvements, our foaming machine is one of the most advanced in the world. Our customers trust us, and we show them why."

URATEX is currently using only 15 hectares of their current 45 hectare land in Plaridel Bulacan. They plan to nurture what is existing, then develop and innovate the rest. Expansion is just beginning, and things are looking good with the very passionate people of URATEX. When people recognize your efforts and see value in the products that comes out of your plants, it means you are successful, and they truly TRUST you 

Thank you to the nice people of URATEX who made this day extra fun for us, and congratulations on getting your 17th award from Readers Digest!

They are TRUSTED for a reason.

ProPak Philippines Slated for February

The biggest processing and packaging event is going to happen this February 1-3, 2023 as ProPak Philippines will happen at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, Philippines. It has been quite a good venue to promote products in packaging, processing, machinery especially for food, beverages, pharmaceutical products, cosmetics and more.

Arch Prakasvudhisarn the Events Manager for Informa Markets says "With the industry needs in packaging technologies, we listen and studies so we can contribute in SME's. No one is left behind. These are many partners we work with in the industry. We are expecting 250 exhibitors including those from Italy, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. For those looking for products and sustainable packaging, this is the perfect opportunity to see what could benefit your businesses and be part of the progressive solutions that can now be made here in the country."

Usec. Blesila Lantayona of DTI says "The pioneering edition of ProPak Philippines was very successful. DTI pushed for innovative packaging initiatives called Pak Pinas through seminars and trade fairs which is why we partnered with MSME Trade Council, DOST, and other private organizations to drive businesses to scale up by doing packaging, marketing, and certification through better technology. We will continue to support ProPak as we see huge potential, congratulations to ProPak Philippines!"

Dr. Jhino Ilano of the Export Marketing Bureau of DTI adds "January to September was a time when we increased imports compared to previous years. We are bouncing back compared to pre-pandemic values. We have seen 11% and continuously growing especially electronics, coconut oil and a lot of other products that have huge potential. We have shown huge export growth and can attribute it to improvement of Filipino products and sustainable ways of doing it."

Engr. Hignio Porte Jr. the President of Philippine Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association says "We partnered with Informa Markets and brought our members to Thailand and it has since made us the third biggest in SEA, but posting highest growth. From over the counter products, vitamins, minerals, immune boosting products including paracetamol was all sold out during the pandemic. There is still high demand and world market growth in the pharma industry. I envy Indonesia and Thailand as much of their products are locally produced before they get released in the country. I told congress about this and even DOH is getting medicine from India and China instead of locally doing it. We have world class distribution in the country, very comparable to products outside the country."

Antonio Tanael of Philippine Printing Technical Foundation also says "Packaging is going to be an important part of what's going to happen in February, we will be supporting ProPak Philippines and working with them hand in hand."

Association of Filipino Franchisers Inc. President  Jeremiah Paul Morales says "In the Philippines, in every corner, there are franchise owners. We heeded the call of Franchise. ProPak Asia has helped us in learning more about packaging technologies especially in food where we are involved. Now that they are here, it is going to be more accessible for franchise owners this coming February."

Norman Camungol of Production and Operations Management Association of the Philippines says "This is the most important sector, with a higher multiply effect. It also affects supply chains, inducing demands for technology. We introduce changes and contribute to taxes. The manufacturing sector is now going digital, from web and email channels, it's challenging to make that experience better for the customer. Industries are using smartphones and do video conferencing. You also use apps, smart tech that are all here now. We also use analytics in lots of areas. Our lives are all connected on social media, and machines, systems, can also be like that. The diagnosis can be done quite fast. The ability also to connect to consumers is happening and it shortens sale cycles, delivering products at a faster pace. Before, it takes weeks to find customers but in Nueva Viscaya, there are a lot of farmers who already sell produce even before they get harvested. We need a holistic approach, and it shouldn't be one segment. We used to be a quarter of the economy and we want to have representation just like other countries parliaments. Our partners in packaging and we have partnered with ProPak and DTI in the field of manufacturing."

Anna Anastacio of GS1 Philippines says "We hope to be able to support local packaging especially our 116 member organizations around the world. Ours is the organization authorized to issue prefixes in barcode numbers. It allows products to be sold locally and internationally. It carries info on products, and GS1 Philippines will be in the ProPak event this February."

It's going to be a great place to see businesses and packaging professionals work together and level up your products. Make the trip to World Trade Center in Pasay. Get access in person, or visit informamarkets.com for more information.

Tarp Talk!

The weather seems so crazy nowadays. Transportation of goods here and elsewhere in the world has been doubly hard to do because of it. You can't expect one state to have sunny weather and have winter on the next but that's what actually happens most of the time. I know it may sound a little weird but the weather systems change because of global warming. In this day and age we should really prepare to cover up and make necessary arrangements to protect merchandise. If this isn't done it can literally waste thousands of dollars worth of products, more so if you are engaged in manufacturing like me. It might be hard for some but a simple clear tarp would do the job.

I also have some parts of our home in the south that I worry about. When we get materials from the city or elsewhere, it is prone to damage. The wear and tear is understandable but if you lose profit because of mishandling, that is another story. I am not the only one who goes through this. Actually, I have met some of them during a business conference in my part of the world. Judging from the looks of it they employ the same protective tarp measures that I do which says a lot about its ability to make things easier for both parties. The stories they told me were all nice. Some were good, some were bad but it was all based on trial and error. It's probably because in hindsight we are all in the mercy of nature. I know I'm not the only one thinking of protecting my stuff with custom made tarps.

Things should be easy. Maybe I'll try checking out sites where I can get it from. I'm that busy!