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Australian logistics giant Toll Group officially opened an office in the Philippines
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The company said a direct presence in the country provides more autonomy and control over the group’s operations and service quality
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Benjamin Bathan was appointed Toll Group country manager for the Philippines
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Toll Group expects its Philippine office to achieve double-digit growth in the next five years
Australian logistics giant Toll Group officially opened an office in the Philippines as it seeks to expand its footprint across Asia.
The Manila office enables Toll Group to provide more effective support to Philippine-based businesses with their supply chain needs through a suite of best-in-class supply chain solutions and access to regional growth opportunities, the company said in a statement.
Toll Group, which has maintained a Philippine presence since 2007 through local partners, said the pivot toward a direct presence in-country provides the group more autonomy and control over its operations and service quality and allows it to streamline goods transition and coordination in line with industry best practices.
Moreover, local businesses stand to gain access to the company’s extensive global freight forwarding network, allowing them to tap new business opportunities beyond the Philippines, such as regional manufacturing value chains, the company said.
Double-digit growth
Toll Group expects its Philippine office to achieve double-digit growth in the next five years, with focus verticals being the industrial, retail, technology, and automotive sectors.
Benjamin Bathan was appointed Toll Group country manager for the Philippines.
He brings close to 20 years of supply chain experience, having held positions in sales and operations in the shipping and freight forwarding industries.
Prior to joining Toll Group, Bathan was the ocean general manager for a Japanese logistics firm, where he was responsible for all ocean freight activities.
Bathan said a key objective of the direct expansion into the Philippines is to enhance access to global opportunities for local businesses.
“Many freight forwarders in the Philippines operate through a partner-based model and do not personally own a global or regional supply chain network, creating challenges in visibility and quality control. The launch of a local office enables Toll Group to fill this service gap, offering businesses in the Philippines access to our extensive global network and Asia-centric expertise to strengthen their growth prospects amid the uncertainty arising from the pandemic,” he added.
Toll Group said connecting local businesses to global value chains aligns with national efforts to tap the Philippines’ unrealized US$49 billion export potential via the Philippine Export Development Plan for 2022-2027. It noted that significant progress has been made in the area of trade facilitation, with the Philippines ranked third in a United Nations survey on ability to streamline trade processes and procedures.
The Philippine office will position the company for growth, especially amid Southeast Asia’s transformation into a key node for global value and supply chains, the statement said. This transformation is being driven by ongoing diversification of supply networks as businesses seek to enhance their resilience to global shocks. It is also fuelled by regional trends such as the rise in Asia of e-commerce, which McKinsey & Company estimates will account for 57% of the total market growth from 2020 to 2025.
Rajeev Sood, Toll Global forwarding senior vice president for ASEAN and Indian Subcontinent, said: “The arrival of COVID-19 has made diversification of supply networks imperative for businesses not just in the Philippines but across the world. Today, uncertainties and supply chain bottlenecks have made a multimodal approach to transport and the ability to access multiple suppliers and markets critical for business continuity and resilience.”
He said a direct presence in the Philippines “reaffirms Toll Group’s commitment to helping businesses across Asia navigate supply chain challenges and contributes to the continued expansion of our regional network and presence.”
