In this new live APDA session, Sam Herec will draw on his career in the audio industry and in Asian manufacturing to explain what led him to set up ASEAN Audio in the Philippines. He will also give his view on how manufacturing in Southeast Asia is changing. Why are more companies looking at a "China+1" strategy and other manufacturing locations? How do supply chain resilience, tariffs, geopolitics, and the need for more than one country of origin affect those decisions? And why doesn't moving final assembly mean taking China out of the supply chain?
Global technology brands keep adjusting to volatile US trade policy and a world that is realigning. Production is spreading across Southeast Asia, and the Philippines is getting more attention. The country has an established electronics and semiconductor manufacturing base, a skilled engineering and manufacturing workforce, and high English proficiency, which makes it easy for international customers to work there. It also has a mature export ecosystem built around the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and good access to the wider Asian supply chain. Sam Herec will give a balanced view of where the Philippines fits and where it doesn't. Which products and manufacturing models suit the country best? Where do China and other Asian manufacturing centers still have a clear advantage? And why does it make more sense to build a regional supply chain than to try to recreate Shenzhen in another country?
The webinar will also look at the opportunity for the audio industry in particular. Consumer audio, installed AV, professional and MI products, and specialty electronics can all be a good fit, especially for low- and medium-volume production that combines product development, engineering, sourcing, and manufacturing under one roof. ASEAN Audio will serve as a case study: an audio-focused ODM/OEM/EMS model that uses Philippine manufacturing together with the wider Asian supplier ecosystem. To close, Sam Herec will share how he expects manufacturing in Southeast Asia to develop over the next five to ten years, where the Philippines can become more competitive, and what that means for audio companies looking for alternatives. The main message is that the Philippines shouldn't be seen as a direct replacement for China. Instead, it is becoming a strong part of a more diversified Asian manufacturing strategy.
Sam Herec is CEO and Co-Founder of ASEAN Audio. He has more than 12 years of experience in audio product development, product strategy, and manufacturing in Asia. He started his career at Tivoli Audio in Boston in 2013 as a junior engineer. There he designed AM, FM, DAB, and Bluetooth audio products and also worked as a technical service advisor to overseas distributors. From 2016 to 2018 he lived on site in China, where he ran all of Tivoli Audio's development and manufacturing operations in Asia. Later, at Germany's sonoro audio, he worked on sustainability and digitalization in product development. He also set up the North American subsidiary of faller audio. He then returned to Tivoli Audio as Vice President of Product, Strategy & Sustainability. Since 2020, he has helped audio brands and manufacturers in Malaysia, the Philippines, and Japan as an independent product development and manufacturing consultant. In 2025, he co-founded ASEAN Audio in the Philippines.
ASEAN Audio is a Singapore-headquartered ODM/OEM and electronics manufacturing company based in the Philippines and dedicated to the audio industry. Industry veterans founded it after decades of developing and manufacturing products for leading international audio brands. Their goal was to offer a specialized, flexible alternative to traditional large-scale contract manufacturing. From its facility in Laguna, the company handles product development and manufacturing from start to finish. That includes electronic and mechanical engineering, embedded software, DSP, acoustic design, prototyping, PCB assembly, and finished-product manufacturing. Its work covers consumer, custom installation, and professional audio, including loudspeakers, amplifiers, networked audio, and streaming products.
ASEAN Audio combines international management experience with Philippine engineering talent and a diversified regional supply chain. This webinar is also a rare chance to ask questions about the audio industry ecosystem in the region.
Manufacturing in the Philippines – An Alternative for the Audio Industry
Online webinar
Tuesday, October 20, 9:00 a.m. Pacific (12:00 p.m. Eastern)
Watch Live on YouTube
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