CIRTEK Holdings Philippines Corp. (CHPC) said it is recording a steep growth in demand for medical chips used in medical equipment amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
In a statement on Wednesday, the electronics manufacturer said its semiconductor unit Cirtek Electronics Corp. has started operating 24 hours a day, six days a week to meet the rising demand.
CHPC Vice Chairman Jorge Aguilar said Cirtek-made chips are used in medical equipment like ventilators, CT scanners, defibrillators, ultrasounds, blood glucose, thermal scanners and oxygen level monitors.
The company’s Laguna Technopark facility will produce 1 million chips per week for devices urgently needed by medical practitioners.
“The company remains operational with a work schedule of 24 hours a day 6 days a week to keep up with the pace in global demand. We have the responsibility to prioritize products used in the front lines and do our part in this fight to save lives,” the statement said.
Cirtek said it has also donated personal protective equipment to local hospitals, and that its facilities have no COVID-19 cases.
Cirtek is primarily engaged in manufacturing and exporting technology products used in communications, consumer electronics, power devices, computing, automotive and industrial sectors.
Shares in CHPC at the stock exchange climbed 40 centavos or 6.19% to P6.86 on Wednesday. — Jenina Ibañez
