COMPANY HISTORY

It all started on December 2, 1952 between 6:00 to 8:00 in the evening when a big fire hit the Smith Bell and Company hemp warehouse.

Mr. Irineo S. Ansaldo and Mr. Pedro C. Suico were both employees of Smith Bell and Company, when a big fire hit the company warehouse damaging two of its trucks. Upon seeing that the burnt truck can still be repaired, they asked the management if they can have one of the units. This was generously ceded to them for one peso (₱1.00). They rebuilt the very first unit and completed with conglomeration of American and Japanese parts assembly. After more than six months of trial and error, the unit was finally tested and had its trips with the former owner of the truck itself (Smith Bell & Co., Ltd) as the first client. It was on year 1953 when we started our trucking operations in Davao City.

Seeing the opportunity to service the hauling needs of rice and corn dealers, we ventured in acquiring a brand new unit (5-ton Chevrolet) from a truck dealer who gave it on an easy installment plan. Barely a year after, we acquired the third unit of heavier capacity model which was equipped with a Buda Diesel Engine (Cummins Engine). With only one big unit, we observed that our operation was not to be as promising, than if we operate with more bigger units. A decision was made to less than ten years of operations, we were able to increase our fleet to fourteen (14) units consisting of various capacities.

SIXTIES: our biggest break came when the Insular Hotel was constructed in 1962. Miranda Construction, a Manila based construction firm acquired our services to haul almost all the building materials used in the construction and the furniture like beds, chairs, tables, kitchenware and equipment provided in the completion of the hotel which came all the way from Manila. It was more than a year that construction was our bread and butter to exaggerate.

On the 4th day of June 1963, the company was incorporated with the name Ansuico, an  anagram of its major stockholders, Irineo S. Ansaldo and Pedro C. Suico. The company is known more in trucking industry by its name (Red Ball Express) than by its corporate name (Ansuico Incorporated). Its corporate insignia is a running stallion on a red ball, which easily makes its trucks on the highways readily identifiable.

On year 1965, we started serving Franklin Baker Company of the Philippines (FBCOP), a major exporter of desiccated coconut. We continue serving FBCOP up to present. This was followed by two (2) multi-national companies, Philippines Refining Co. (now Unilever) and Carnation Philippines in 1967.

SEVENTIES: During the early years of the 70’s and the Martial Law year, the banana industry began to develop. Del Monte Philippines Inc. (Philippine Packing Corporation) and Stanfilco (DOLE) were putting up growers like Marsman Plantation that became our client. Sugar cane plantations were started such as Davao Sugar Central, North Cotabato Sugar Central and sugar mills were constructed. Having equipped ourselves with the right equipment (trucks and trailers), we moved the materials and machines of these multi-million pesos construction projects. It was also during this period that the Pulangi River Hydro-electric plant in Bukidnon was constructed and we were fortunate to get contract in hauling the machineries and construction materials.