Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 30) — Ayala-owned Integrated Micro-Electronics, Inc. (IMI) has announced that four of its factories in China will remain closed until early February as foreign authorities prevent the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus.
IMI, which manufactures electronics parts and semiconductors, said on Thursday that these facilities will remain closed until after the Lunar New Year holidays:
– IMI (Chengdu) Ltd. in Chengdu, Sichuan province until February 3;
– VIA Optronics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd. in Suzhou, Jiangsu province until February 9;
– IMI Technology (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd. in Pingshan Kuichong, Guangdong province until February 10;
– and Speedy-Tech Electronics (Jiaxing) Co. Ltd. in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province until February 10.
IMI is owned by conglomerate Ayala Corporation through its subsidiary, AC Industrial Technology Holdings, Inc. The company produces electronics parts for cars, industrial, and aerospace markets. The company runs 21 manufacturing plants in 10 countries.
IMI said the delayed resumption of work was in compliance with “local government notices regarding the outbreak of the novel coronavirus,” a new strain of a viral disease which originated in Wuhan City, China.
Several cities in China have been on lockdown to prevent the further spread of the disease, which has infected over 7,700 people globally and killed 170 in the Chinese mainland. Meanwhile, the Philippines also confirmed Thursday afternoon its first coronavirus case, a 38-year-old Chinese woman who visited Wuhan.
International brands like McDonald’s, Starbucks, and furniture store Ikea have earlier announced store shutdowns in China.
READ: Wuhan coronavirus death toll rises, as city imposes transport lockdown
“Along with the customers, IMI is developing contingency plans to recover production backlogs as a result of these suspensions including among others, the temporary transfer of production activities for some customers to other IMI manufacturing plants,” the listed manufacturing firm told the Philippine Stock Exchange.
IMI added that it is in talks with local officials in China to resume production earlier than the dates set by the local government units.
Shares at IMI dropped by 5.32 percent to close at ₱7.29 apiece on Thursday, a fresh one-year low.
