Foton Philippines projects that its Clark assembly plant will reach full capacity utilization within the next five years, driven by strong demand from logistics and e-commerce firms.
According to Levy Santos, General Manager of Foton Philippines, the facility currently operates at 50 percent of its 12,000-unit annual capacity after a decade of operations. With rapid growth in logistics and online retail, Santos said achieving full capacity “can be easily done in less than five years.”
Foton’s major logistics clients include J&T Express, Fast Logistics, YTO, STO, and Shopee, among others.
The Clark assembly plant, which began operations in 2015, was built to support the country’s expanding economy and provide flexibility for rising domestic demand. The company has invested PHP2 billion in the assembly plant and another PHP500 million in parts manufacturing.
The facility focuses exclusively on commercial vehicles — pickups, light commercial vehicles, and various truck models (10-wheelers, 12-wheelers, dump trucks).
Foton expects to sell 6,000 units in 2025, up from 5,000 units in 2024, reflecting steady growth.
Joshua Adrian C. Sytin, Foton assistant sales manager, noted that as the economy improves, demand for commercial vehicle also rises.
Already, commercial vehicles make up 75 percent of total vehicle sales in the Philippines, underscoring the segment’s strength.
Currently, Foton ranks as the third-largest commercial vehicle brand in the country, behind Isuzu and Hino, and employs about 700 workers. Foton is one of the brands by UAAGI, a multi-brand automotive distributor in the country.
As for electric vehicles (EVs), Foton has no immediate plans to assemble EVs locally, citing high battery manufacturing costs. Instead, the company continues to import fully built EVs from China, where 90 percent of the world’s EV battery supply originates.
