Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation

SUNDAY, JULY 14, 2019, KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian building materials producers capitalised on the presence of global buyers at Kuala Lumpur recently by taking part in Malaysia-renowned business matching session - International Sourcing Programme (INSP) - held in conjunction with the 20th edition of International Architecture, Interior Design & Building Exhibition (ARCHIDEX) 2019. This gave the companies a competitive edge as they get to promote their brands in their home country.

The INSP, organised by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation’s (MATRADE), took place on 3 July 2019 and saw 28 Malaysian companies meeting with 10 foreign buyers from India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea and Kenya. Over 60 meetings were coordinated by MATRADE resulted in potential export value of RM35.12 million generated by the Malaysian companies. Among the Malaysian products sourced during the programme were timber products, plywood, sanitary fittings, sealants, doors and windows.

According to Datin Rusiah Mohamed, Director of Construction and Business Services Section of MATRADE, the INSP is very well-known among local companies and has been an effective platform for Malaysian SMEs to reach out to foreign buyers without having to travel overseas. “We hope our initiative in connecting local companies with foreign buyers through the INSP will help our companies highlight their brands in a conducive environment. MATRADE has been organising business matching for more than two decades now and over the years we have accumulated enough knowledge to effectively match Malaysian SMEs with reliable partners sourced from the database of our global trade offices.”

Last year, Malaysia’s total exports of building materials were valued at RM29.87 billion. Malaysia’s main export markets include Singapore followed by Japan and Australia. Among the top exported building material products from Malaysia in 2018 were wood products, non-metallic mineral products, manufacturers of metal, sawn timber and moulding and iron & steel products.

“Globally, Malaysia is known as a nation that has a strong pool of exporters in this industry. The world buyers also recognised us for our quality products & services as well as the reliability of Malaysian exporters. These are our strengths and we (public and private sector) must work closely together to promote Malaysian capabilities at events such as ARCHIDEX,” said Rusiah.

“Participation in programmes spearheaded by MATRADE reflects a stronger trust and credibility for Malaysian companies when meeting with the foreign business community. Through MATRADE’s trade fair, Export Acceleration Mission and INSP, we have successfully accessed markets such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and Nepal, among others,” said Jimmy Chong from Timberdeck Sdn Bhd, who was one of the companies participated in the INSP at ARICHIDEX.

Moving forward, MATRADE will continue to facilitate the inclusion of local companies in the global supply chain by organising their participation in top trade events. Among the events to further promote Malaysian building materials suppliers are The Big 5 Dubai 2019 scheduled from 25- 28 November 2019 and an INSP to be held in conjunction with Malaysia Wood Expo (MWE 2019) sometime in November 2019.

The ARCHIDEX exhibition is jointly organised by Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) and C.I.S Network Sdn Bhd. Over the past 20 years, the ARCHIDEX has evolved to become an influential platform for the region’s architecture, interior design and building industry.

Malaysian companies keen to venture into the world markets can contact MATRADE through its website www.matrade.gov.my or reach out to MATRADE via any of its social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram).