Econotrade, Inc. is located in Marikina, MetroManila in a 300-square meter building. The company has been operating since 1984 and makes wire and metal houseware products that include various types of organizer racks for the home, television and video racks, modular steel benches, and mobile stands for refrigirators or other heavy items. Currently, all of the company's products are for domestic sales only. The factory employs approximately fifty workers.
Econotrade is divided into six sections: 1) cut and bend, 2) welding, 3) flatting, 4) assembly, 5) grinding and buffing, and 6) finishing and packing. In the first section, wires and pipes are cut to size and bent to form frames or parts. Some of the pieces are welded together into modular parts in the welding section, while wire racks are made in the flatting section by spot-welding. The components of larger pieces are assembled and sometimes welded in the assembly section, and all parts with rough or sharp edges go through the grinding and buffing section at some stage in the process. Finally, finishing and packing are done at another company where the metal is titanized for rust protection, epoxy coated in various colors, and packaged for final shipment. Econotrade has established itself as a WISE Company by continually implementing innovative long-term improvements in the working environment and taking steps to protect its workers from the potential hazards of metal work.
"Aside from the WISE technical sessions, the factory visits have the biggest impact because it affords you comparison of other operations. The WISE training workshop opened our eyes to seek more improvements. However, you don't implement things just to save or earn money. But, more importantly, the welfare of the workers is always reckoned with. It's one sure formula for maximum efficiency in production." Manuel R. Corleto, Vice President and General Manager, Econtrade.
"If there is a hazard in the working environment, it slows production." Clem Marbella, Production Manager, Econotrade.
Because Econotrade values the input of its workers, the company holds regular monthly meetings on production and safety. All workers attend the meetings, which usually last about 30 minutes. These meetings provide a forum to discuss problems, disseminate information and receive suggestions from the workers.
Before attending the WISE training workshop, Econotrade had an idea to build a second floor in its factory. The idea was there already, but it was rooted by the WISE seminar. Shortly after the workshop, the company constructed the second floor, expanding the work area from 300 square meters to 600 square meters. For about 100,000 pesos it also constructed a three-ton capacity materials elevator to move equipment and supplies between floors. The company has taken many other steps to improve the work environment while increasing productivity.
Lighting was greatly improved on the second floor by installing ten
daylight panels on the roof. The panels cost about 1,000 pesos per sheet. There is almost no need for artificial light anymore. New windows have been added to improve lighting on both floors. Some of the welding operations have been moved next to the windows to reduce the workers' exposure to metal fumes.
More exhaust fans have been installed to improve general area ventilation and make the environment more comfortable. According to one worker on the second floor, there is fresh air now. Before the air was hot and not so good.
The company also invested 460 pesos per worker in safety shoes and established a policy that 
all
workers must wear them. In the beginning, there were many violations
of the rule because workers were used to wearing slippers. However, the
workers quickly learned that we were serious and they had to wear safety
shoes.
The improvements described above are only a sample of those made by Econotrade. All were innovative, cost-effective, and focused on real concerns in the company instead of the priorities of outsiders. This is the philosophy of WISE. Similar improvements have been made by thousands of companies worldwide because it makes business sense to provide good working conditions of workers. We hope you will consider attending a future WISE training workshop in your area and become a WISE Company too.
Asian Food Manufacturing is located in Mandaue, Cebu in two adjacent buildings with a toatl area of approximately 640 square meters. The company was established in 1988 and 40 employees work in the factory producing noodles. In 1990, it participated in a WISE training workshop.
The work processes at Asian Food are divided by the two buildings. The first building is the production area, where Miki Odong and Bijon noodles are produced. The second building is the packaging area where noodles are packaged and prepared for shipment. The noodles are made for domestic consumption and are shipped throughout the Philippines. Asian Food Manufacturing has established itself as a WISE Company by implementing several simple and low-cost interventions to improve the working environment. They also have greatly increased productivity with a packaging tool developed during the WISE training workshop.
"Before, while packaging Odong, we had utilize two people for every weighing scale. One person weighed noodles; the other put noodles in bags.Since we had only five scales, we had five work stations. Now, weighing scales are not needed and packaging can be done by only one person. We now havw twenty work stations and have more than tripled our production. The workers liked this new method too because it increased their pay."Mrs. Juliet Chan, Office Manager
As a result of the WISE training workshop, 
the idea of fabricating a simple funnel from scrap metal metal cans was born. Use of the funnel eliminated the need for weighing noodles because it was designed with a fixed diameter that only let the proper amount of noodles through. Since the workshop, the company has made dozens of funnels for little to no cost. The pictures here show the previous packaging process where a scale is used to weigh noodles and the present packaging process where a funnel is used. The scale is not needed when using the funnel.
In addition to developing a more productive packaging process, Asian Food Manufacturing has taken several steps to improve the working environment. These improvements help make the company both competitive and a good place to work.
The company has made the work environment brighter by installing sky lights and improving
the lighting system in both buildings. The natural light has really
made the work area brighter.
Next, for better ventillation, the company raised the roof around the walls and in the center section to allow hot air to escape. It also added several roof fans and installed new windows. The dryer is very hot because of the steam. But now, since we added the ventillation, the work area is much cooler.
Finally, the company developed a color coding scheme for packaging noodles. Red lettered bags are for shipments to Manila (12 kilo bags) and green lettered bags are for shipments to the provinces (10 kilos). This simple idea, which emerged from the WISE workshop, haas greatly simplified packaging and reduced errors.
Improvements done by the Asian Food Marketing were simple, low-cost and effective and focused on real concerns in the company.
Various IEC materials were developed to show many practical and innovative ideas at the workplace which could result to improved working conditions and higher productivity. These materials serve as advocacy materials and inspiration to the entrepreneurs as well as workers to collaborate and voluntarily commit to institutionalize improvements in their enterprises. Likewise, they also support training activities at various levels by the implementors of WISE and organizations and institutions providing assistance to small enterprises.
For more information on WISE, please contact Labor Standards Research Division, Bureau of Working Conditions, 3/F Department of Labor and Employment Building, Muralla Street, Intramuros, Manila.
Tel: +63.2.527.3473 or +63.2.527.5808 and Fax: +63.2.527.3478.
For further information, please contact the South-East Asia and the Pacific Multidisciplinary Advisory Team (SEAPAT) at
Tel: + 63.2.815.2354 or + 63.2.819.3614 and Fax: + 63.2.812.6143
E-mail:
seapat@ilo.org
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Created by SF. Approved by WRB. Last updated on 31 August 1999.