FUJIFILM Business Innovation is bringing its long-standing remanufacturing technology from Japan to the Philippines with the establishment of a Circular Manufacturing Center (CMC) in Calamba, Laguna.
The facility is set to begin operations by August 2026 and will serve as a regional hub for producing remanufactured multifunction printers across the Asia-Pacific.
Mutsuki Tomono, FUJIFILM Business Innovation’s executive adviser, told PhilSTAR Tech the they will be following ‘two systems,’ where determination of which machines are suitable for manufacturing begins at the country of origin.
“Then in the Philippines, we take out the memory chip from each machine to analyze over 200 data points from its usage history,” Tomono said.
This chip-based data collection allows Fujifilm to assess which components can be reused and which require replacement.
After inspection, suitable parts are cleaned, repaired, and used to rebuild machines that undergo the same quality control process as brand-new units.
Moreover, the process does not rely on emerging generative AI, but on a proprietary system that Fujifilm has refined for over a decade.
The printers have been digitally connected to Fujifilm Japan’s servers since the early 2000s, enabling real-time data tracking.
“That’s not AI like ChatGPT. We’ve been using this system for many years. It was already very much advanced even 10 years ago,” Tomono explained.
The Laguna site, which will occupy approximately 500 square meters within the premises of FUJIFILM Optics Philippines Inc. (FOPH), was selected due to its strategic location and existing technical expertise in precision equipment assembly.
Around 50 personnel will be trained to support the CMC’s operations.
Furthermore, FUJIFILM’s remanufacturing approach achieves a parts reuse rate of up to 84% by weight. Each remanufactured machine is treated as a new product.
The new CMC in the Philippines is FUJIJILM’s third major remanufacturing site globally, following similar facilities in Suzhou, China (established in 2008) and the Netherlands (2024).
By expanding its circular manufacturing operations to Southeast Asia, the company aims to reduce natural resource consumption and strengthen sustainable production throughout the region.
“We segregate machines, and only export to the Philippines the ones suitable for manufacturing. That allows us to ensure quality from the start,” the corporation’s executive adviser said.
Founded in 1962, FUJIFILM Business Innovation is a global provider of digital printing solutions, IT services, and business process outsourcing.
The company has long integrated sustainability into its operations, having launched its resource circulation system in 1995, with manufacturing and remanufacturing sites across Asia and Europe.
