DTI loan facility helps on-demand uniform manufacturer re-purpose its business

CEBU CITY, Philippines — To help address the unserved demand for personal protective equipment (PPEs) for frontliners, Lapu-Lapu City-based Uniform Solutions Inc. (UNISOL) decided to shift their production in response to the crisis situation brought about by the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

While its business plan involved the manufacture of uniforms, the company decided to venture into PPE production as its contribution to the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

UNISOL, a start-up company for on-demand uniforms based in Cebu, was among those who saw the opportunity to transform its business and availed of the Small and Medium Enterprise-Personal Protective Equipment (SME-PPE) loan facility offered by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through the Small Business Corporation.

UNISOL was a good example of a company that effectively turned a negative situation into a good business opportunity, Assistant Secretary Asteria Caberte of the Department of Trade and Industry said.

With an initial loan of P30 million approved under the SME-PPE loan facility, Unisol was able to retrofit its production operations to make washable face masks and reusable protective suits, according to a DTI-7 press release.

Despite the challenges, the company found a way to repurpose its production operation which was originally designed to manufacture T-shirts, polo shirts, and jackets to produce personal protective equipment (PPE), and keep its workers employed, Caberte explained.

According to Jonas Kee Quilantang, chief executive officer of UNISOL, it took him five years to set-up operations and get ready for mass production. They adopted technological innovations to improve existing products; acquired the machines; identified the suppliers and the readiness of the market.

“We wanted to make sure we can deliver the bulk orders expected of us and sustain our niche market,” Quilantang explained. UNISOL was about to hold a grand company launch in early 2020 when the outbreak occurred in China.

Early on, he realized that the outbreak would worsen and would result in a surge in demand for face masks. He immediately made a strategic decision that changed the direction of his company.

“”Before Luzon implemented its enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), I got the commitment from one of our suppliers for them to provide the needed fabric for the washable facemasks,” Quilantang said.

The company started making washable facemasks mid-March and reusable protective suits in early April this year, he added.

“Our mask and suits are not intended to replace the medical-grade ones, but rather free up the demand for those who needed it most,” UNISOL clarifies in a statement posted on its Facebook page.

The face mask design is reengineered from the N88 using a locally available fluid repellent fabric for the outer layer and absorbent inner layer. On the other hand, the innovative version of the PPE overalls are made of water repellent taffeta fabric with silver black lining

Currently, UNISOL manufactures around 50,000 pieces of washable facemasks daily and as of April 29, it has reached the 1-million mark for its face mask production. It also produces 60,000 pieces of reusable PPE overalls each month.

After a month of production, Quilantang said that the company now has a stable supply of the products and is looking to widen its market by forging partnerships.

“This endeavor is a necessary venture, in addition to our main high-quality clothing products, as we look forward to better days when the world will finally come through in the fight against this pandemic,” he added.

“With DTI’s encouragement and guidance, our LGUs unwavering support, and help from DOST, we are able to achieve the ideal factory set-up that allowed us to produce thousands of washable masks and suits using the best alternative fabric there is locally,” according to the UNISOL FB statement.

Like UNISOL, other micro and small businesses can also avail of the DTI loan facility by getting in touch with any of the DTI Central Visayas provincial offices to signify their interest and to get an endorsement to the SB Corporation.

Micro enterprises with an asset size of not more than P3-million can borrow P10,000 to P200,000 while small enterprises with an asset size of not more than P10 million can borrow a higher loan amount but not exceeding P500,000, she said.

Caberte encourages micro and small business owners to contact any of the DTI Central Visayas Provincial Offices to signify their interest, and to get an endorsement to SB Corporation./rcg