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Toll Group has announced the opening of its office in the Philippines — to be based in Manila — expanding its footprint across Asia.
The Australian transportation and logistics company said in a statement that having a direct presence in-country provides Toll Group with "more autonomy" and control over operations and service quality, streamlining goods transition and coordination in line with industry best practices.
It will also boost local businesses in their supply chain needs, allowing them access to regional growth opportunities through its global freight forwarding network.
"Toll Group is forecasting its Philippines office to achieve high double-digit growth in the next five years, with focus verticals being the Industrial, Retail, Technology, and Automotive sectors
Toll Group has maintained a presence in the Philippines since 2007, working mainly through local partners.
Benjamin Bathan has been appointed Toll Group's Country Manager for the Philippines to be based in the Philippines, and responsible for driving go-to-market efforts and building the local team's capabilities for future growth in-country, the Group said.
Philippine growth prospects cited
"A key objective of our direct expansion into the Philippines was to enhance access to global opportunities for local businesses. Many freight forwarders in the Philippines operate through a partner-based model and do not personally own a global or regional supply chain network, creating challenges in visibility and quality control," Bathan said.
"The launch of a local office enables Toll Group to fill this service gap, offering businesses in the Philippines access to our extensive global network and Asia-centric expertise to strengthen their growth prospects amid the uncertainty arising from the pandemic," he added.
Toll Group noted that connecting local businesses to global value chains aligns with ongoing efforts at the national level to tap the Philippines' unrealised US$49 billion export potential via the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) for 2022-2027.
Significant progress has been made in the area of trade facilitation, with the Philippines being ranked 3rd in their ability to streamline trade processes and procedures based on a United Nations survey.
"The arrival of COVID-19 has made diversification of supply networks imperative for businesses not just in the Philippines but across the world. Today, uncertainties and supply chain bottlenecks have made a multimodal approach to transport and the ability to access multiple suppliers and markets critical for business continuity and resilience," commented Rajeev Sood, Senior Vice President – ASEAN and Indian Subcontinent, Toll Global Forwarding.
"Having a direct presence in the Philippines reaffirms Toll Group's commitment to helping businesses across Asia navigate supply chain challenges and contributes to the continued expansion of our regional network and presence," Sood added.
From a business momentum perspective, the Group noted that the Philippines office positions the Japan Post subsidiary well-poised for growth, especially amid Southeast Asia's transformation into a key node for global value and supply chains.
"This is being driven by the ongoing diversification of supply networks as businesses seek to enhance their resilience to global shocks, as well as regional trends such as the rise of e-commerce in Asia, which McKinsey research estimates to account for 57% of the total market growth from 2020 to 2025," it added.
