Benguet-based fabricator makes customized machines

ENTREP FEATURE

Susan C. Aro

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- A homegrown agricultural and food processing machine fabricator is now   making a name for himself as producer of customized machines.

Douglas Paticawen, from Kalinga but based in Abatan, Buguias, is a technical-vocational graduate who attributes his skills to his father who was an automotive-mechanic, and his training in General Automotive with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. 

His skills in fabrication were recognized early on as he represented the country in the First ASEAN Skills Olympics competition in Malaysia in 1995.

Paticawen worked in Saudi Arabia and at Toyota in San Fernando, La Union.  In 1988, he decided to put up his own business, an automotive machine shop called Douglas Auto Car and Body Repair Shop in Abatan, Buguias with an initial capital of P50, 000.00.

After seven years, he diversified into fabrication and conversion of motor parts, painting services, and repair of grinding machine and rice mill.  With   the high demand of his services, he cannot accommodate all due to lack of production equipment.

In 2012, Paticawen acquired a soft loan amounting to P1.2 million under the Department of Science and Technology’s Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) for the upgrading of his production equipment.

Paticawen was further motivated with the strong support accorded by DOST such as provision of trainings and other technical support under DOST’s Metals Industry Research and Development Center.

To enhance his expertise, he also availed of trainings under the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHILMEC). The center, based in Nueva Ecija, designs and develops mechanization and postharvest technologies and systems.

Developing his niche, he shifted to fabrication of agricultural and manufacturing machines for local

industries.

Along with this development was the change of his business trade name to Douglas Engineering and Machine Shop Services manned by   seven regular employees while others are on call.

With his expertise, DOST referred him to various government agencies. He devised government-bid out machines for various beneficiaries of the Department of Agriculture, Cordillera Highland Agriculture and Resources Management Program, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Social Welfare and Development and some local government units.  

Among his fabrications were sugar cane juice extractor, bottle and glass crusher, coffee grinder, peanut butter grinder, coffee processing machine, organic shredder, rice mill, rice dehuller, dough kneader, and hot air roaster.  

His machines undergo demonstration and testing by PHILMEC to ensure that it passes quality standards.

Paticawen claims he can customize machines depending upon the needs of his clients with lifetime warranty.

His recent  fabrication was the  P2.3 million worth  Liqui-petroleum gas shuttle type kiln project  which he was able to bid out from  the  Department of Agriculture  for beneficiaries of Bila, Bauko, Mountain Province with P1.7 million counterpart from the LGU.

He lacked capital, he said   but was bold enough to borrow money from a cooperative. One thing more, he said they could not find a company to assemble the kiln.

The kiln produces ceramic water filter used to purify water to make it potable. It could also produce ceramic clay.  

It also took them time to learn the processes and requirements in bidding he said but with the help and support of his Administrative Officer Analyn Pullis, his firm is now an accredited bidder.

The passage of Republic Act 10601 or the Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization Law gives their business an advantage as it promotes local production of appropriate machineries. Aside from increasing productivity, farm equipment mechanization encourages the production of crops among farmers maximizing potential land areas for plantation. which redounds to the farmers.

Paticawen, a local manufacturer who is able to compete with big companies in bidding government projects, aspires to expand his business with the hope of pooling capital to stock finished products readily available for sale and display also for customers who want to see a model. His current production is demand-driven based on project bidding.