Commitment to Caliber

Writer Jareliese Mauro imbibes the story of a furniture company whose reputation precedes them with values of trust, integrity and quality service.

Sanding down the bird's nest coffee table, a laborer in chiseled features makes an incessant scratching sound as he zealously polishes an intricate rattan and wicker salable piece in a spacious warehouse—a 589,000 sq. ft plant—situated in Mandaue. Imagine 1,600 pairs of hands responsible for generating innovative ideas and improving production procedures. It was a temperate, steady growth since its inception in 1973 when the company, owing it largely to its founders Hugo and Gorgonia Streegan, started as an exporter of rattan poles. Having diversified into manufacture and export of rattan furniture since 1976, the Pacific Traders and Manufacturing Corporation has already acquired laudable status among their clients for the exquisite pieces of furniture and for invariably coveting customer satisfaction.

Inside the show room loiter some of the items which stay in touch with the market trends: the culturally-rich Dahong Astik chaise lounge, the a veneer dining table with concentric circles, and an urchin candle holder sitting on top. Each piece has its own narrative, built to last, elegant in form. The story unfolds after one makes that emotional purchase. Perhaps a sequel is in the making for the younger generations as they inevitably acquire from their folks such medium of function and art. “For me, furniture is fashion itself. It creates a certain space, a certain lifestyle. A sofa can either be an intimate setting for interaction or a place for refuge," elucidates the PTMC president, Mr. Charles Streegan. PTMC’s tale on its commitment to caliber has long been told. And quite a number of ears have listened.

POSITIONING the PATRON's PSYCHE

“We love creating pieces which would push our creativity, imagination, and patience. There are times when my competitive streak would kick in. I’d ask myself, ‘why didn’t I ever think of that?’ if fresh designs would come out in the open without me or my design team having thought of it first,” discloses Streegan who manages to foster the well-being of their customers by being flexible enough, adhering not only to the cookie-cutter approach but by responding to eclectic, ever-changing demands as well. Measuring success not by achievements but by the volume he sells, Charles and his team is a cohesive unit who technically grew up with their customers, abiding by their meticulous requirements. The management empowers its people so growth can be sustained. "Everybody has the same strategy but we can execute better and faster. Results speak for itself," Charles adds.

MENDING A MELTDOWN

“What pulled us through is our customers. They know we’re reliable and we’ve proven this over and over again for over 25 years. Also, we survived the imminent financial crisis because we’re prudent with our finances and our operations. We want do more with less. Our ethics are strong, we give our clients exclusivity, and if there are quality issues, we deal with it and move on,” enthuses the driven PTMC president who stays abreast with the latest and the stimulating through reading, keeping an open mind, and traveling to different countries. Although Charles concedes that one of Cebu ’s limitations is the lack of equipment for manufacturing pieces, he is still hopeful that furniture industry will pick up and see the light of day after two more years. Consistently one of the top three exporters in the Philippines , he and his staff with unperturbed burst of energy and high product standards go beyond complacency as they play with dimension and proportion, and materialize all plans as quickly as possible. PTMC has earned a standing for competitive pricing while offering an unsurpassed, modified service. Endeavoring excellence, scrutinizing all details, and ensuring timely delivery are just some of the things the company offers.

GEARED TOWARDS A GOAL

On a personal level, Charles’ ambition is to stay relevant to their customers while continuing to carve out a niche in the furniture business. “Design has become aristocratic. People want furniture with cleaner lines and a more casual feel. The reflection of the times states that people adhere to living space,” explains this overseer whose objective now is to bring into play, forward integration, in which a company uses adamant techniques to market their business to a wider market. Altruistically, Charles aspires for Cebu to be the Milan of Asia with regard to furniture design, craftsmanship, and export.

HONCHO PLAYS BARTENDER

Figuratively, this kahuna does blend aesthetic sensibilities with discipline. And just as a licensed bartender, a moniker he playfully gave to himself, has the responsibility to satisfy the establishment's regulars, Charles complies to strict quality measures at every stage of production to provide first-class materials for his hard-to-please customers. His success has evolved into a multi-national enterprise as he makes sure that everyone is geared towards the same objectives. Beckoning towards a piece of furniture which seemingly embraces all cycles and styles of design, he recalls, “You know, I’ve had the same dining set at home. It was manufactured by our own companyand my family and I have been using it since 1988.”

The "bartender" is a walking contradiction. With swift moves, he rarely gets dirt under his golf shoes and yet bares his feet and sinks it in the sand. He parties heavily and sociably; treats himself to swigs of vodka and wine and yet maintains a small circle of friends. He manages over a thousand or more people yet shies away from the limelight . His overwrought routine is a grueling 6am to 6pm shift, balancing the act as a gym buff, CIS Board of Trustee, Regional Wage representative and yet loosens his time as he pours all energies to his loving wife and sons, Carlos, 19, Joaquim, 17, and Javier, 7. His no frills, no-B.S. demeanor can easily be interpreted as arrogance but that’s just how he handles his business, very direct and efficient.

BRANCHING OUT

A class of its own, PTMC in 1985, coveted the Phil. Golden Shell award for Outstanding performance in Export in recognition of its over-all efficiency in quality management, manufacturing capability, research & development, marketing & financial viability. Since its expansion, it grew to more affiliates such as Magellan Veneer Corp., Worldmark furniture industries, Inc., Tropicale Reflections, Horizon International Manufcaturing, Inc., and Bato International Corp. They have had appeared in shows as well, more recently in Singapore and Dubai , and in the local scene as well (CFIF Furniture show). Fortuitously gratifying the needs of their reputed customers, PTMC has won the confidence of local and international buyers as they persist on thoroughly assessing, mastering core competencies, and honoring contracts, which all result to a mutual benefit between buyer and seller.