DOST 7 SET-UP Product Catalogue - DOST 7! - Department of ...

AY Coco Fiber
A Versatile Tree Breathes Life To
A Persevering Couple
Known as the “Tree of Life”, the coconut tree has proven that most, if not all of 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 of 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 of
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 of 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 of 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 of
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
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DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY VII
Product Catalogue 2011
manually. With nine children, seven of 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 of
18-20 tons of 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 of animal feeds in Korea and Japan. Alex stopped
supplying both products as the price per kilo went down
making it not profitable.
It was during this period that Alex was looking for
assistance and DTI referred him to DOST. He did not
waste time in completing the requirements needed
and in 2009, AY Coco was a recipient of the technology
upgrade of DOST-SET-UP. Looking back, Alex stated,
“Nidako ang akong negosyo tungod sa DOST.”
(My business grew because of DOST.)
Production of coco fiber was limited because the machineries
cannot produce the required quantity that the
market demands. With SET-UP, the acquisition of a
decorticating machine and a baling machine was made
possible. The new machines enabled the production of 2
tons or 2000 kilos per day compared to the 200-300 kilos
a day done manually prior to SET-UP. 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
of 8 bundles using the manual process.
Production 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 of 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