CORPORATE  PROFILE

 

 

 

1. Company  Name &  Address : MANTRADE  DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

 

2278 Chino Roces Avenue Extension, Makati City

 

2. Paid-Up Capital : P 25,000,000.00

 

3. Date Established   : 01 April 1918

 

4. Line of Business & Brief History

 

MANTRADE as it is now briefly and more popularly known, started as a corporation in 1906, primarily engaged in the general merchandising business, dealing with cotton goods, marine and gas engines, and marine hardware.

 

Mantrade was originally owned by the Cleveland-Akron Bag Company of Ohio, Inc. and licensed to do business in the Philippines on 01 October 1906.  Its most profitable line of operation then was bag making with the copra and rice trade practically taking all the bags that Mantrade could manufacture.

 

In the middle of 1915, Julius Samuel Reese bought Mantrade and on 03 November 1915, Mantrade was incorporated and legally established as a Philippine corporation.  By then Mantrade had expanded its operations into paint and paint materials, bicycles and pharmaceuticals.

 

The Ford franchise came into Mantrade’s hands on 01 April 1918.

 

In 1920, Mantrade dropped its other lines and exclusively concentrated on the automotive business.

 

During the period 1920 to 1930, widespread Depression set in and severely affected its growing business.

 

In 1931, significant upswing was enjoyed again and the sales in the following period more than compensated for the effects of the Depression.  It established an impressive record of P4 million average sales volume per year for the years 1925 through 1941 when World War II broke out.

 

World conflict was a blow for Mantrade.  The US army commandeered Mantrade’s premises, and its stock of cars, trucks and spare parts.  When the Japanese occupied Manila, Mantrade was forced to close its doors and its American officials were arrested and imprisoned in the UST Internment Camp.

 

On 15 August 1945, Mantrade resumed business with J.L. Manning in charge.  On 19 October 1954, tragedy struck, Julius Samuel Reese, 78 years old, died in New York City.  The death of the man who laid the foundation for and built Mantrade was a painful loss.  But he had worked so well; being the moving force behind Mantrade’s growth that he became dispensable.  Ironically, his dispensability was a compliment to his performance.  The Mantrade he built was now capable of surviving his death.  With Reese’s death, ownership of Mantrade passed to his three (3) partners – John L. Manning, William D. McDonald and Ernest S. Simmons.

 

John L. Manning succeeded Reese as Mantrade’s President.  During the period 1955 to 1968, under the guidance of John Manning, Mantrade figured as one of the Philippine’s largest corporations in point of sales volume and corporate taxpayer.  In 1967, Ford Philippines, Inc. stepped in and took over the assembly operations of Mantrade.

 

On 02 January 1968, First Manila Management Corporation under Ricardo Lopa took over the ownership of Mantrade from Messrs. Manning, McDonald and Simmons.  Ricardo Lopa became President of Mantrade followed by Amadeo Valenzuela from 1970 to 1973 and it was during this period that the Mantrade building on Pasong Tamo was constructed.  It was during this period that Mantrade metamorphosed into a “CONGLOMERATE.”  The new owners using the original assets as leverage, in rapid succession acquired Erectors, established Beta Electric, Precision Iron Manufacturing and Mantrade Machineries.  Aiming in another direction, Port Motors, Inc. (a Mantrade subsidiary) acquired the venerable Pangasinan Transportation Company (PANTRANCO).  Due to the obsessive race for expansion, other companies were acquired such as Amalgamated Motors, Liberty Motor Sales, etc.  As months went by, due to rapid acquisitions, when the terrifying truth came out, all of Mantrade’s subsidiaries were encountering financial difficulties.

 

The goose that laid the golden egg, which in turn was used to build all the FMMC companies was in dire trouble.  The man called to harness and lead Mantrade in this critical period was Jose M. Mantecon, who took over the helm in February 1973.  In May 1974, the operation of all FMMC companies was now under Jose P. Dans, Jr.

 

In 1979, J.P. Dans was appointed Minister of Transportation and Communications, and Jose S. Sandejas became Chief Executive Officer of FMMC.

 

Mantrade continued its long tradition of Ford leadership and total service by expanding through the opening of its Quezon City Branch and Sucat Branch.

 

Mantrade during this long association was Ford’s No. 1 Dealer in vehicle, parts and service.  Its contribution is not only in terms that are measurable and quantifiable:  like providing employment, giving opportunities to Filipinos for better economic lives, aiding in the health and progress of business and commerce, but also in intangible things:  the aura of growth, the spirit of challenge, the slow and subtle change in lifestyles.

 

In March of 1982, with the joint venture tie-up between FMMC and Nissan of Japan, Ford Philippines, Inc. demanded that Mantrade be separated from FMMC so as to avoid a conflict of business interest.  In this regard, Genasia Management & Development Corporation was established and it purchased the FMMC shares in Mantrade, so that today Genasia is the 100% owner of Mantrade.

 

On 20 March 1984, Ford Philippines, Inc. formally and unexpectedly announced that it would cease its operations in the Philippines by August of 1984, in accordance with a decision reached by the Management of Ford Motor Company in the U.S.  This announcement of the closure by Ford took Mantrade and other Ford Franchised Dealers by surprise.

 

In order to survive, Mantrade in 1984 negotiated with Pilipinas Nissan, Inc. for a Dealership Franchise in order to keep its operations viable.  Also, it concluded an agreement with Mazda Motors to represent them as exclusive distributor for passenger cars to be sold on Indent to U.S. Military Bases and Tax Free Institutions, such as the World Health Organization, Asian Development Bank and Foreign Embassy’s.  A 180-unit deal was concluded with the U.S. Navy in Subic.

 

Mantrade today is headed by Kurt S. Bachmann, Jr., who took over the helm as President & General Manager in 1992 and President & CEO in 1995.  Its present premises are on a 10,037 sq.m. property at 2278 Pasong Tamo Extension in the automotive row of Makati City.  It was constrained to move to its present location after the expiration of its long-term lease on the 13,000 sq.m. property on Pasong Tamo corner  EDSA.  After evaluating that it was not viable to exercise its first option to procure the old headquarters for P380 million, Mantrade decided it was prudent to consolidate its facilities.  In December 1994, it moved to the new location in order to pass on the benefits of a very lean and efficient operation to its customers.

 

Mantrade remains the biggest dealer of Nissan Motor Philippines, Inc. with its over 90 years of experience in the automotive business.

 

The executives and officers of Mantrade today are:

 

Antonio O. Cojuangco - Chairman of the Board & President

Herbert V. Tan - VP - Operations

Perry S. Bautista - Finance Manager

Corazon G. Ortega - Sales Manager

Melvin T. Vasquez - OIC-Parts & Service

Rheena B. Marquez - Personnel & Admin. Manager/

Customer Relations Manager

 

Despite the many difficulties it encountered, the Management of Mantrade has faith in its products and service; faith in its employees’ initiative and expertise and faith in the capacity of this country to sustain an automotive company.  On this faith, the Mantrade people are determined to forge new horizon of progress and service.

 

5. Members of the Board of Directors

 

Chairman Emeritus : Kurt S. Bachmann, Jr.

Chairman of the Board &President : Antonio O. Cojuangco

Vice-Chairman : Florentino M. Herrera III

Treasurer : Arturo Diago, Jr.

Corporate Secretary/Director : Mary Rogelyn T. Cabrera

 

6. Various Awards from Nissan Motor Philippines, Inc. and Universal Motors     Corporation for Sales, Parts, Service and Customer Satisfaction:

 

2012 NMPI Best in Sales Operations

Best in Service Operations

Best in Customer Satisfaction

 

UMC Excellence in Spare Parts Operations

Excellence in Customer Satisfaction – Runner-up

 

2011 NMPI Dealer of the Year

Best in Sales Operations

 

UMC Best in Warranty Management and Training Performance

Vehicle Excellence in Sales for Premium models

 

2010 Philippine CS Organization

1st Runner-up Most Improved Dealer

 

UMC Best in Technical Competency

 

2009 Nissan Motor Phils., Inc.

Dealer of the Year

Best in Sales Operations

Best in Service Operations

 

2008 NMPI Dealer of the Year

Best in Sales Operations

Citation in Premium Model Series

UMC After-Sales Dealer Parts Recognition

 

 

2007 NMPI Best in Fleet Sales

 

UMC Nissan Frontier Sales Leader

 

2006   UMC Dealer of the Year

Best in Parts Operations

 

2005          NMPI Dealer of the Year

Best in Service Operations

Best in Customer Satisfaction

 

UMC Dealer of the Year

Best in Parts Operations

 

  2004     NMPI Best Metro Manila Dealer in Sales Operation

Best Metro Manila Dealer in Parts Operation

Dealer of the Year (Metro Manila)

Best Dealer in Sales Volume

 

UMC Most Improved Dealer in Vehicle Sales

Most Improved Dealer in Spare Parts Operation

 

2003 Best Metro Manila Dealer in Sales Operation

Best Metro Manila Dealer in Parts Operation

Dealer of the Year (Metro Manila)

Top Dealer in Sales Volume

 

Global NSSW Award

 

2002   NMPI Best Metro Manila Dealer in Sales Operation

Dealer of the Year (Metro Manila)

Top Dealer in Sales Volume 

 

UMC Most Improved Dealer in Customer Satisfaction

 

2001 Best Metro Manila Dealer in Sales Operation

Best Metro Manila Dealer in Parts Operation

Best Metro Manila Dealer in Service Operation

Dealer of the Year (Metro Manila)

Top Dealer in Sales Volume

 

2000     Best Metro Manila Dealer in Sales Operations

Best Metro Manila Dealer in Parts Operations

Top Dealer in Sales Volume

 

1999   Best Metro Manila Dealer in Sales Operation

Top Dealer in Sales Volume 

 

1998   Best Metro Manila Dealer in Sales Operation

Best Metro Manila Dealer in Parts Operation

Dealer of the Year (Metro Manila)

Top Dealer in Sales Volume

 

1997 Best Metro Manila Dealer in Sales Operation

Best Metro Manila Dealer in Service Operation

Dealer of the Year (Metro Manila)

Top Dealer in Sales Volume

 

1996 Best Metro Manila Dealer in Sales Operation

Best Metro Manila Dealer in Parts Operation

Best Metro Manila Dealer in Service Operation

Dealer of the Year  (Metro Manila)

Top Dealer in Sales Volume

 

1995 Best Metro Manila Dealer in Sales Operation

Best Metro Manila Dealer in Parts Operation

Top Dealer in Sales Volume

 

1994 Best Metro Manila Dealer in Sales Operation

 

1993 Sales Manager of the Year

Parts Manager of the Year

Service Manager of the Year

Dealer of the Year (Metro Manila)

 

1992 Sales Manager of the Year

Parts Manager of the Year