Malaysia’s rubber industry had gone through numerous cycles of interest under nation’s economic development plan aiming to inject higher value into said commodity: NMB CEO
“The MRC-NMB partnership provides a platform to aggregate rubber innovation IPs first developed under the National Graphene Action Plan 2020, and now continuing through our Graphenovation program under the 12th Malaysia Plan. “The alliance will further the multibillion-ringgit national revenue projection by collaborating with local enterprises through NMB‘s venture builder model,” NMB chief executive officer Dr Rezal Khairi Ahmad said.
NanoMalaysia Bhd (NMB), the agency of nanotechnology and advanced solution commercialisation under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Malaysian Rubber Council (MRC) to promote successful uptake and commercialisation of local intellectual properties (IPs) and products developed by Malaysian companies related to the rubber industry.
In a recent statement, NMB said the development and commercialisation of rubber and other commodities align with the National Agricommodity Policy 2021-2030 and the National Nanotechnology Policy and Strategy 2021-2030. NMB chief executive officer Dr Rezal Khairi Ahmad said Malaysia’s rubber industry had gone through numerous cycles of interest under the nation’s economic development plan aiming to inject higher value into the said commodity.
He said the activation of both supply and value chains from raw materials to high-value nanotechnology-enhanced finished products can be planned and executed through the unique venture builder investment model to address a global market size for rubber additives of more than US$42 billion (RM184.95 billion). Meanwhile, MRC CEO Nor Hizwan Ahmad said the joint partnership with NMB will boost the Malaysian rubber industry by encouraging new technological innovations and high-value creation to further stimulate demand for rubber products.
The National Graphene Action Plan 2020 (NGAP2020) created an ecosystem of international materials supply chain, domestic innovators and industry up-takers focusing on rubber and plastic additives, conductive inks, energy storage, nanofluids and electronic devices. Over 40 companies are participants of the action plan generating approximately commercially viable 30 intellectual property rights joint-developed with NanoMalaysia and research collaborators from universities.
For the period 2021-2025, NGAP2020 has evolved into Graphenovation with greater focus on levelling up graphene based solutions and products to reach national economy of scale relevant to focus industry sectors under the 12th Malaysia Plan. The marketing of graphene produced by the Malaysian firm will benefit Malaysia because it has the potential to supply local companies with graphene products under the ‘Graphenovation’ program and enable Malaysia to become one of the world’s graphene exporters one day
Originally published at The Edge Markets