Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation

SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 2019, KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) signature business matching programme called International Sourcing Programme (INSP) has once again created a positive impact in helping Malaysian companies meet with global buyers following the recent INSP held at International Construction Week 2019.

The event, which took place on 19 March 2019 at Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition (MITEC), has successfully matched 45 Malaysian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with 17 foreign buyers from 10 countries such as Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, South Africa, Hong Kong, India, Nepal, Poland, United Arab Emirates and Nigeria.

The INSP initiative helped Malaysian SMEs introduced their brands and companies to high-quality foreign buyers without having to travel overseas. Additionally, the foreign buyers were serious buyers who were selected by MATRADE’s extensive global trade offices database. As a result of the INSP, over RM110 million of potential export value was recorded.

According to Datin Rusiah Mohamed, Director of MATRADE’s Construction and Business Services Section, the INSP was one of ICW’s B2B main events and facilitated the matching of local companies in the Building Materials industry.

“The INSP was an effective platform for Malaysian SMEs in the Building Materials industry to find global buyers. It was also a cost-effective avenue for the SMEs who may not have sufficient means to travel overseas to sell their products globally. MATRADE has decades of experience organising such B2B business matching and our global databases accumulated over the years help Malaysian SMEs greatly as they need not put in their resources to search for these buyers,” said Datin Rusiah.

According to Ms. Samantha Chee from Glasfil Polymer Sdn Bhd who participated in the INSP they received a lot of enquiries from various buyers at the event. “We would like to thank MATRADE for organising the event and we were very proud to be part of the INSP. There were many buyers at the event,” she said.

Among the Malaysian products and services highlighted at the INSP included tiles, wooden doors & flooring, paints, sanitary ware, steel products, safety equipment, energy saving & efficiency products, construction machinery, IBS system and construction services.

This year marked MATRADE’s 5th participation in ICW since 2014. The ICW was organised by Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB). The event is the largest and the most important annual event covering the full spectrum of construction industry across Malaysia and South East Asia.

“We would like to thank CIDB for the support extended to MATRADE in expanding Malaysian Construction industry companies’ footprint abroad. This is the kind of synergy that reflects a good coordination among government agencies in minimising cost while maximising the impact,” Datin Rusiah said.