History
At First Balfour, we remain driven and committed in bringing out the best in everyone by enhancing their skills and talents.
Company History
Throughout the years, First Balfour has established itself as an engineering and construction leader in the Philippines. The completion of these projects and achievement of goals and milestones is a testament to the capabilities and trust that stakeholders have given to First Balfour throughout the years.
1969
Philippine Engineering and Construction Corporation (PECCO) is established on November 28, 1969. It specialized in the design and construction of power-generating stations, high-voltage and other transmission and distribution lines, substations and pipelines.
1972
The company is licensed by the Philippine Licensing Board for contractors and elevated from Category D to A.
Key Completed Projects
- Snyder 220MW Unit 1 and Snyder 330MW Unit 2
- Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines, 50 MW Power Plant
- Shell Tabangao A1: D27 Processing Equipment, Inspection and Non-Destructive Tests
- Nasipit Lumber Company’s Agusan Power Plant
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Pre-Heating and Stress Relieving of Steam Pipe Joint
1975
Key Completed Projects
- Meralco, 390 MW Malaya 1 Thermal Plant
- Marinduque Mining and Industrial Corporation, Nickel Mine Facility
- General Motor, Transmission Gear Manufacturing Plant
1977
PECCO is renamed to Engineering and Construction Corporation of Asia (ECCO-Asia). The company then expands to other fields of work such as power transmissions, oil refineries, and industrial plants, while continuing to offer engineering and construction services.
1979
Key Completed Projects
- Philippine Polymide Industrial Corporation, Nylon Filament Plant
- NAPOCOR, Bataan 150 MW Thermal Plant
- Shell-FPIC, Auxiliary Oil Pipeline
- Tiwi Geothermal Power Plant, Piping Systems and Electrical Works
- Cebu Dual-Fired (Oil and Coal) Thermal Power Plant
1982
ECCO-Asia transitions from a traditional electro-mechanical expertise in oil-based power generation into total contracting with turnkey capability. New markets open in geothermal, dendrothermal, and mini hydroelectric power generation, while initiation and installation of an in-house civil contracting competency commences.
1983
Key Completed Projects
- Kalayaan HEPP – Penstock
- NAGA-I Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plant
- Prado transmission line
- NAPOCOR, 112.5MW Tongonan Geothermal Plant
1989
ECCO-Asia oversees construction of over 70% of the total number of power plants in the Philippines, with a total capacity of 2,275 MW. The company constructs a total of 310 kilometers of transmission lines.
1990
The company is upgraded to Double AA Contractor status with a full range of capabilities in power, commercial, and industrial construction, and focus on electromechanical contracts.
Key Completed Projects
- University of Santo Tomas, Central Library Building
1996
The company sustains an active presence in the telecommunications and power sectors.
Key Completed Projects
- PLDT, Smart, Globe, ABS-CBN, and Meralco Communications Tower
1997
First Philippine Holdings Corporation (FPH), the parent company of ECCO-Asia, forms a 60:40 joint-venture construction company with Balfour Beatty (BB) of the United Kingdom and names it First Philippine Balfour Beatty Inc. (FPBB).
2000
The Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) upgrades FPBB to Triple AAA Contractor.
Key Completed Projects
- Siemens, First Gen Sta. Rita and San Lorenzo Power Plant
- Siemens, First Gen Sta. Rita to Calaca 230 kV Overhead Transmission Line
- Casecnan and Bakun Hydro Power Plant
- Shell Malampaya Onshore Gas Plant
- Texas Instruments, Baguio Manufacturing Facility Expansion
- Subic Bay 2×50 MVA Substation
2001
Key Completed Projects
- NPC, Ilijan Gas Pipeline
- Shell Malampaya Gas Plant
- Water Treatment Plant for the Ilijan 1,200MW Power Plant
- Fort Bonifacio C5 interchange
- British School Manila
2002
FPBB receives an ISO certification for its Quality System according to ISO 9001:2000.
2003
FPBB receives two certifications for its environmental management system according to ISO 14001:1996, and safety management system according to OHSAS 18001:1999. FPBB becomes one of the first local contractors to be triple ISO-certified.
Key Completed Projects
- LRTA, LRT 2 Catenary Works
2004
FPBB acquires Balfour Beatty’s 40% share, thus making First Balfour a 100% FPH company.
Key Completed Projects
- Purefoods-Hormel, Meat Processing Plant
- CBCP, Pastoral Training Center
- MWSS/Manila Water, Diliman and Taguig Sewerage Treatment Plants
- British Gas and the British Embassy, Office Fit-Out Works
2006
First Balfour wins the contract in Joint Venture with Makati Development Corporation to build the new St. Luke’s Hospital in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, after a tough competitive bidding among local and international contractors.
2007
Key Completed Projects
- JFE Engineering, SCTEx Bridges
- LRT Line 1 Capacity Expansion Project Phase II – Power Supply & Electrical Works
- Maxim Semiconductor Plant
- SunPower, Solar Panel Manufacturing Facility
- DZ Card Manufacturing Plant
- Maynilad, Various Pipe laying Works
2010
First Balfour is awarded with an Investors in People certification — a first in the Philippine construction industry — in March 2010. The company is also awarded the construction of the 111-ML N. Domingo Water Reservoir, the largest concrete water reservoir structure in the Philippines. First Balfour also established and registers ThermaPrime Well Drilling Services to provide well-drilling services to EDC.
Key Completed Projects
- LRTA, Light Rail Transit 1 (LRT 1) North Extension Project
- Maynilad, Coastal Road Pipe Laying
2012
The corporate office in Paranaque City is awarded by the Philippine Green Building Council as its very first Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (BERDE) Certified Building in Design. The Plant and Equipment Division is formed to provide a full range of equipment that includes earth-moving, lifting equipment, industrial equipment, and transport equipment material.
Key Completed Projects
- Manila Water, 111 ML San Juan Reservoir
- RP Energy, 300 MW Redondo Power Energy Power Plant
2014
First Balfour completes the Burgos Wind Farm project, allowing the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) to be the first renewable energy project proponent to win the feed-in tariff race.
Key Completed Projects
- Energy Development Corporation, Burgos 150MW Wind Farm
- EDC, Burgos 115kV Ovearhead Transmission Line
- Nasulo Geothermal Power Plant
- Petron Refinery Expansion
2015
First Balfour creates the Overhead Line (OHL) Division that will pursue power transmission opportunities with NGCP and other private power developers. The company also establishes the Therma One Transport Corporation to take advantage of opportunities that exist in the transportation of heavy equipment and materials to various parts of the Philippines.
Key Completed Projects
- Energy Development Corporation, Burgos 6.8MW Solar Farm
- Juwi, Kirahon 12.5MW Solar Farm
2016
The FPH group declares that the Lopez Group of Companies will no longer invest in coal-fired power plants.
Installation of a 100-kwp solar rooftop in the company’s Sucat Corporate Office is completed.
Key Completed Projects
- ePLDT Vitro Makati and Clark Data Centers
- AES Philippines, Employee Housing Facilities
2017
Certified as a Quadruple AAAA contractor by the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB)
Order generation and order backlog reaches a historical high with the award of two big-ticket projects: the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway project and the Novaliches-Balara Aqueduct project.
Among the first construction companies that transitions to the ISO 9001:2015 standard for quality management.
Achieved the Investors in People (IiP) Silver accreditation and still remains the first and only IiP-certified engineering and construction company in the Philippines.
Key Completed Projects
- NLEx Corporation, North Luzon Expressway (Sta. Rita-San Fernando Segment) Road Widening
- First Philippine Industrial Park, Ready-Built Factories
- First Gen, LNG Complex Platform
2018
Key Completed Projects
- Unisys, PSA Civil Registry System-Information Technology Phase II Building
- ABS-CBN, Sound Stage Complex
- ABS-CBN, ELJ Center for Media Arts School
- Energy Development Corporation, Civil Works and Routine Maintenance of Geothermal Complex
2019
First Balfour marks its 50th anniversary as one of the country’s leading engineering and construction companies by searching for more opportunities of growth.
First Balfour’s Plant and Equipment Division (PED) also launches T1 Rentals, highlighting a new corporate brand identity, name, and tagline.
Key Completed Projects
- Light Rail Manila Corporation, LRT 1 Structural Restoration
- Globe Data Center
- Philippine Geothermal Production Company, Kalinga Geothermal Road and Pad Construction
- First Philippine Industrial Park, Road and Utilities
2020
Key Completed Projects
- First Philippine Industrial Park, Ready Built Factory Model X
- First Philippine Industrial Park, Iconic Bridge
- D&L Industries, Southern Star FIT
2021
Key Completed Projects
- National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, 500-kV Hermosa-San Jose Transmission Line
- Light Rail Manila Corporation, LRT 1 Rectifier Substation
- Asian Terminals, Inc., Manila South Harbour Expansion
- First Gen, Shelter-in-Place
2022
Key Completed Projects
- Energy Development Corporation, Mindanao-3 Binary Geothermal Power Plant
- First Gen, LNG Terminal
- Mak-Ban Geothermal Complex, Steam Production Enhancement Campaign
2023
In 2023, First Balfour solidified its industry leadership by securing high-impact renewable energy and infrastructure projects, including a 40MW Battery Energy Storage System, Binary Geothermal Power Plants, a Hyperscale Data Center, and a 14-km railway.
Key Completed Projects
- National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, Remaining Works for Hermosa-San Jose 500 kV Overhead Transmission Line
- Rockwell Business Center Tower 3, Project Refresh
- Various Works in Energy Development Corporation’s Geothermal Complex