Testech started out as an inspection and test facility for electronics and microprocessors. In 2007, the company intensified its inspection capability by building a state-of-the-art cleanroom facility for substrate inspection using high-end auto visual inspection machines, alongside verification machines, a laser marking machine, a rinsing machine which uses air-knife technology, and the latest packaging equipment. In 2007, Testech acquired Device Dynamics Asia with factories in the Philippines and Malaysia, further expanding its services into tape and reel, test, and other semiconductor support services. Then in 2011, Testech added the full spectrum of electronics manufacturing services to its already impressive offering. In 2012, Testech established another company, Nextgen Innovations Philippines, Inc, to cater to non-electronics outsourced managed services. And in 2015, it added another company, Manchester Electronics Innovations, to further strengthen its foothold into the outsourced electronics and semiconductor manufacturing support.
It’s a world-class facility, and one that President and COO Fernando Silva is justifiably proud of. When he joined the business in March 2011, it had a staff of around 1,800, which Itoy has grown significantly to 6,000, spread over its five companies under Testech Group.
It is clear that Itoy is motivated to train and nurture his staff, and give them a solid career path. “We established an on-site training program almost three years ago called our Technical Operator Program in collaboration with SEIPI [Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, Inc.] and certified by TESDA [Technical Education and Skills Development Authority]. We teach inexperienced applicants the basic skills needed for electronics manufacturing, and we target to hire 85 per cent of the trainees that we teach,” he says. “Then, right from the time when we are hiring them, we glean something about their experience—where they came from, their skill level, and other competence. Also, we have a test which shows the person’s level of meticulousness, which is needed for a visual inspection job. Basically, in order for us to provide a 100-per-cent-quality job, we make sure that we match the competencies and capabilities of each employee with the appropriate position in the company.”
Itoy invests a lot of personal time in the induction and training process, and is repaid with a loyal and diligent staff who are excited—not just for the current opportunity they have received—but for the range of opportunities that they can see for themselves at Testech Group in the future.