Bicolano engineers succeed as entrepreneurs

Salvador Albia, a mechanical engineer, established his own backyard enterprise, the Tropics Agro-Industries, in 1975.

Initially engaged in the manufacture of tractors and threshers, Albia, after a number of years, created a brand that is now familiar to the Filipino public – KOLBI (reverse of Bikol).

KOLBI started as Albia’s invention of his own version of Philippine-made rice mills, after realizing that there is a growing need and potential in the post-harvest industry.

He then expanded his business to other agricultural equipment such as grain dryers and corn processors.

The continuous expansion of Tropics Agro-Industries has shown Albia’s capacity to innovate – and to take risks. As an entrepreneur, he saw the strengths of the agricultural machineries industry – the strong market, the availability of skilled manpower, and the availability of technology and basic production facilities.

Even with his accomplishments, he has faced the challenges of high and oftentimes foreign exchange-dependent cost of raw materials as well as limited working capital for production.

Albia worked through these challenges by seeking financial assistance.

Under the National SME Agenda, the Department of Trade and Industry endorsed Tropics Agro-Industries to the SB Corp., which in turn released P1.5 million with a loan term of three years. Albia used the amount to purchase raw materials and equipment.

Albia’s company has since expanded into the manufacture of other products, including the newly developed re-circulating grain dryers and post-harvest equipment for pili processing. read more...