<strong>Product</strong> Name: Abaca Twine <strong>Product</strong> Name: Abaca Rope <strong>Product</strong> Name: Basket <strong>Product</strong> Name: Sinamay <strong>Product</strong> Name: Tinayak DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY VII <strong>Product</strong> <strong>Catalogue</strong> 2011 36
AY Coco Fiber A Versatile Tree Breathes Life To A Persevering Couple Known as the “Tree <strong>of</strong> Life”, the coconut tree has proven that most, if not all <strong>of</strong> its parts, can be utilized for varied purposes. Who would ever think that the lowly coconut husk has given hope and livelihood to the Tumakay family and their workers in AY Coco Fiber Industry in Medellin, Cebu. The story <strong>of</strong> how Alex and Joy Tumakay landed in their present business starts with Alex’s working in their family’s furniture shop in Cebu City in 1983 when he was single. In upholstering their furniture, abaca was used before placing foam. This prevented the foam from being pulverized. Since there was a shortage <strong>of</strong> abaca, they had to look for a substitute. It was in this circumstance that they discovered that coco fiber, sprayed with rubber cement or what is known as coirflex, is used in first class cars like Mercedes Benz, as part <strong>of</strong> its upholstery. It was placed under the foam. If abaca fiber was used in expensive cars, then this must be a very good material. At about this time, Alex opened a furniture shop in Masbate, where he met his future wife. Having an abundant supply <strong>of</strong> coconuts in that place, he improvised a tool using nails which literally combed the coconut husk to separate its fibers from the coco dust. Coco coir was produced and used in all their upholstered furniture. Having settled in Cebu after his marriage, Alex established in 1985 within Medellin, the AY Coco Fiber Industry, which produces coco coir and coco peat. Coco peat is a perfect organic medium for growing plants. It is also used as feeds for animals. The supply <strong>of</strong> coconut husks within this municipality is enough to keep the Tumakays busy 24 hours. Alex fabricated his own micro decorticating machine and everything was done 37 DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY VII <strong>Product</strong> <strong>Catalogue</strong> 2011 manually. With nine children, seven <strong>of</strong> whom are boys, the family members served initially as workers and started supplying all the furniture shops in Cebu with coco fiber. Encouraged by these developments, Alex got an Export License from DTI and DTI assisted him in marketing his products. In 2007, the first foreign buyer ordered a one 40-footer container van consisting <strong>of</strong> 18-20 tons <strong>of</strong> coco coir. There were bigger demands, one coming from a Malaysian buyer who needed 500 tons per month, but this could not be met. Then came a Filipina buyer who ordered by the tons and shipped it to Netherlands. Coco peat was also exported and used as part <strong>of</strong> animal feeds in Korea and Japan. Alex stopped supplying both products as the price per kilo went down making it not pr<strong>of</strong>itable. It was during this period that Alex was looking for assistance and DTI referred him to <strong>DOST</strong>. He did not waste time in completing the requirements needed and in 2009, AY Coco was a recipient <strong>of</strong> the technology upgrade <strong>of</strong> <strong>DOST</strong>-<strong>SET</strong>-<strong>UP</strong>. Looking back, Alex stated, “Nidako ang akong negosyo tungod sa <strong>DOST</strong>.” (My business grew because <strong>of</strong> <strong>DOST</strong>.) <strong>Product</strong>ion <strong>of</strong> coco fiber was limited because the machineries cannot produce the required quantity that the market demands. With <strong>SET</strong>-<strong>UP</strong>, the acquisition <strong>of</strong> a decorticating machine and a baling machine was made possible. The new machines enabled the production <strong>of</strong> 2 tons or 2000 kilos per day compared to the 200-300 kilos a day done manually prior to <strong>SET</strong>-<strong>UP</strong>. In addition, there is no danger posed to the worker using the decorticating machine; unlike in the old machine, where the coconut husk is manually held until it is taken by the machine. Accidents are bound to happen in that process. From the very tiresome, repeated and manual stepping on the coconut husks, switching a knob is all that it takes to compress 15-20 bundles a day, compared to a maximum <strong>of</strong> 8 bundles using the manual process. <strong>Product</strong>ion volume and gross sales increased remarkably. Two trucks have been purchased and is a big help to their operations. A production area in Masbate, a one hectare coconut plantation which has been leased for four years, has been acquired. Aside from coco coir and coco peat, charcoal brickets was added as a product. For the Tumakay couple, whose business name AY stands for A, as the first letter in Alexander and Y, as the last letter <strong>of</strong> his family name, perseverance has no substitute. Advised to settle abroad by their two daughters who are now in Sweden, Alex cannot imagine a life without the coco fiber industry. For more than two decades, this industry has given life to about 30 families who directly depend on it. With this thought, he does not have the heart to consider any other meaningful way to live. AY Coco Fiber Industry Kawit, Medellin, Cebu Mr. Alex Tumakay Proprietor Tel No: (63)(32) 436 2206 Mobile: 0929 200 3644 / 0917 744 4299 Email: joy_tumakay@yahoo.com
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