External success is spurred and measured by internal talent and good management. This was proven by 100% locally owned LPG company, South Pacific Inc. as it recently marked only its 5th year in the industry.
The company’s full commercial operations kicked off only in October 2015 under the leadership of founder Arnel Ty and company president and CEO, Inigo Golingay. Up against much larger outfits, SPI gradually strengthened its market share by having 11 fully-commissioned and operational surface-mounted storage with a total of 22,000 metric tons capacity.
Up against much larger outfits, SPI gradually strengthened its market share by having two (2) terminals in Luzon and a terminal in Cebu, supported by its own fleet of LPG bullets. In the Visayas region, SPI’s terminal in Arctura Petroterminal in Mandaue City, Cebu started operating last January 2019 with 2×1,000MT storage capacity, serving bulk customers in Cebu, Negros, Bohol, Samar and Leyte.
To serve and reach more customers, SPI aims to construct five more terminals in the Southern islands of the Philippines.
This year, while other businesses are crippled by the pandemic, SPI’s resilience is shown by a robust 34% 24% year-on-year volume growth to 143,000 176,000 metric tons. Gross sales spiked 27% and net profit rose 13% to P600 million during the first half of 2020. Supply is consistently stable despite worldwide lockdowns and travel restrictions because of its huge storage facility. SPI also got the 3rd biggest market share at 21.28% as of the first Half of 2020 in only five years, and is well on its way to conquering more of the pie.
But the company is also strengthening one of its most valuable resources, its employees. SPI has also launched its SPI LPG University, a program that focuses on developing the employees’ core, leadership and cross-functional competencies to further improve its service and competitive edge. It focuses on keeping talent productive to encourage both personal and professional growth.
Part of its corporate responsibility involves compliance with operational requirements mandated by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and observing strict health protocols in its workplaces. Because of travel limitations, the company has provided service vehicles to transport its employees safely and comfortably. It has hurdled and managed the challenge of transport issues amid lockdowns with its fleet of bulk LPG trucks and large supply facilities.
Because it manages and runs its own fleet, supply and distribution are assured and on time. The fleet also allows it to service even smaller islands in the Visayas and Mindanao regions. SPI’s large storage capacity and ample draft of jetty makes it capable of receiving refrigerated cargoes from Very Large Gas Carriers (VLGC) which gives the company the most competitive gas cost in the country.
In his closing keynote address given during the 57th Annual PMAP Conference, SPI President and CEO Golingay shared some of leadership strategies that focus on “putting people first” in a company’s success formula.
Among its long-term goals, SPI is continuing its expansion in the Southern Philippines, and will soon open one of five terminals in its pipeline. SPI continues its vision to work for a triple bottom line as it enters its 6th year with the end goal of exceeding customer needs with the highest standards of safety and quality even amid a crippling pandemic.