BRITISH technology company Dyson Ltd. is planning to open a software lab in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, creating 400 software engineering jobs for research and development (R&D) work over the next three years.
The project is part of a global Dyson research expansion, in which GBP2.75 billion (P177 billion) will be invested into developing new technologies and products over five years.
Scott Maguire, Dyson chief operating officer, said in an online press conference on Thursday that the company plans to tap into the talent pool from local technical universities.
“The investment that we’re putting in there is very much around us growing our software engineering capability and up to 400 engineers. Hopefully in the next few years, we’ll be as aggressive as we possibly can and we’re confident there’s a lot of good talent in the Philippines,” he said.
Dyson has been operating in the Philippines to manufacture digital motors for some products like vacuums and hand dryers. The facility employs 600 people and produces 13 million motors a year.
Mr. Maquire said that the new facility will extend their Philippine operations from advanced manufacturing of technologies to engineering and inventing new technologies.
“So, it really is much more of the value chain that’s going into the Philippines for Dyson.”
Dyson software engineers, he said, work on sensor software, motor controllers, wireless, robotics, and cloud for new technologies.
The Philippine R&D center will also collaborate with other Dyson centers globally, including the United Kingdom, United States, Shanghai, Singapore, and Malaysia.
Through the global expansion, Dyson plans to double its product portfolio and enter new fields beyond home products.
“Dyson will invest further into research in the fields of robotics, next generation motor technology, intelligent products, machine learning, connectivity, and material science,” the company said in a press release on Thursday. — Jenina P. Ibanez