AkzoNobel opens Southeast Asia R&D hub in Nilai
PETALING JAYA: AkzoNobel, a Dutch multinational firm which creates paints and performance coatings for both industry and consumers worldwide, has launched its research and development (R&D) centre in Nilai – reinforcing its long-term commitment to innovation, sustainability, and growth in the Southeast Asian region.
Specialising in advanced decorative paint technologies, the facility places emphasis on eco-friendly and sustainable solutions. It will serve as the company's regional innovation hub – bringing R&D closer to key markets and enabling faster, market-relevant development.
Serving as the latest addition to AkzoNobel's global network of specialised centres, this site complements existing hubs in Poland, Dubai, Felling and Slough in the UK, and the Netherlands. It will also benefit from integration with the company's broader network of approximately 70 R&D laboratories worldwide.
'This new centre marks a significant step in our journey to transform the way we innovate in Southeast Asia,' said Asean business unit director for decorative paints My Lan Nguyen. 'It enables us to tap into local talent and insights, while connecting seamlessly with our global R&D network to deliver smarter, more sustainable solutions across the region.'
By co-locating the R&D function with its business teams in Malaysia, AkzoNobel aims to improve internal collaboration, accelerate innovation cycles, and more effectively tailor product development to local market needs.
'Our new R&D centre in Malaysia enables us to work more closely with our teams on the ground and industry partners to co-create solutions that resonate locally,' said South East & South Asia R&D director for decorative paints Gary Jefferson.
'It sharpens our ability to turn consumer insights into real, sustainable innovations – faster and more effectively than ever before,' he added.
Equipped with advanced analytical tools and a fully automated robotic testing system, the centre enables high-throughput experimentation and data-driven formulation – driving the creation of high-performance, sustainable products.
The R&D centre will accommodate 35 R&D professionals.
Malaysia's growing role in the company's regional innovation strategy is reinforced through close collaboration with partners such as InvestKL.
'AkzoNobel's new R&D centre reinforces Malaysia's position as a leading regional hub for innovation and sustainable development,' said InvestKL CEO Datuk Muhammad Azmi Zulkifli.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Borneo Post
an hour ago
- Borneo Post
Abd Karim: Youth must be architects of our shared future
Abdul Karim (fifth left), flanked by his deputies, joins other officials for a photo session at the Hikmah Exchange Event Centre. KUCHING (June 18): The Rainforest Youth Summit (RAYS) is more than just a platform for dialogue – it is a movement for co-creation and change, aimed at empowering young people to take ownership of their future, said Sarawak Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah. Speaking at the summit's opening ceremony held at the Hikmah Exchange Event Centre today, he emphasised that Sarawak's role as host extended beyond logistics and hospitality. 'This platform is designed so that youths will not merely be participants, but active architects of our shared future,' he said. 'We are committed to ensuring the outcomes of this summit influence real policy decisions and spur community-driven action,' he added. Now in its second year, RAYS has convened more than 20 speakers from 13 countries, offering a vibrant space for youth to share diverse perspectives on sustainability, indigenous knowledge, climate action, and youth advocacy. Abdul Karim, who is also State Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts Minister, praised the Sarawak Tourism Board for its leadership in organising the summit and expressed gratitude to all collaborators, volunteers, and partners. He noted that the summit aligns with the state's Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, which seeks to drive inclusive economic growth while prioritising environmental sustainability and social equity. Absul Karim also highlighted Sarawak's ongoing efforts in environmental conservation and innovation, including investments in renewable energy, development of biodiversity corridors, and the pursuit of United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) recognition for Sarawak Delta Geopark. 'Here in Sarawak, we are proud to lead by example. Our policies and programmes demonstrate that sustainability and cultural preservation are central to development,' he said. He added that RAYS supports Sarawak's alignment with global frameworks such as the Paris Agreement and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) regional strategies, by ensuring youth voices are represented in climate and policy dialogues. Urging participants to bring back the insights gained at RAYS to their communities, Abdul Karim stressed the importance of continued engagement. 'We want our youth – whether from Sarawak, Malaysia, or across Asean – to shape, lead, and curate the future they wish to inherit. 'Through platforms like RAYS, we ensure their voices are not only heard but are part of the policymaking process,' he said. He concluded by inviting delegates to experience Sarawak's rich heritage and culinary traditions, reminding them that Kuching has been recognised by Unesco as both a 'Creative City of Gastronomy' and a 'World City of Crafts'. Also present were Deputy State Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts Ministers Datuk Sebastian Ting and Datuk Snowdan Lawan, as well as Deputy State Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Ministers Datuk Dr Ripin Lamat and Dato Gerald Rentap Jabu. Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah Rainforest Youth Summit RAYS youth
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
When we create more markets, the way we see the world will change, says Liew
KUALA LUMPUR: Southeast Asian countries must go beyond merely diversifying production and focus on developing a thriving consumer base, says Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong. Speaking at a plenary session during the 38th Asia-Pacific Roundtable, Liew said global supply chains were undergoing structural change, shifting from a centralised "just-in-time" model to a more fragmented "just-in-case" approach, with regional supply chains shaped by geopolitical tensions. "As the world moves on from 'just in time' to 'just in case', and from China as the sole and main factory of the world — from a single global supply chain to the idea that there will be multiple regional supply chains underpinned by geopolitical tension — I guess diversification is here to stay," he said in the session titled "China Plus One: Reshaping Global Supply Chains." However, Liew said the broader and more fundamental question lay in identifying new markets that could potentially replace the United States. "We have to ask a fundamental question. Is the world still going to depend on the US as the consumer of the last resort and, in many instances, consumer of the first resort, and whether the US has sustained its position as the final destination of global export? As a result, he said nations had to ask themselves if the export-led industrialisation policy was still relevant if they no longer saw the US as their sole export destination. Liew said the traditional model presupposed a race to the bottom in terms of wages, environmental standards and other areas in pursuit of cost-efficiency. However, he said that with US demand plateauing, Asean nations needed to rethink their role. "If we're not taking the US as the only final destination of our exports, we will have to start asking these questions: where will the market be? "How do we not just be a production site but also be a consumer market?" he said. He added that Europe and China had emerged as strong demand centres, and Asean could follow suit if it could grow a stable and prosperous middle-class society. "If China can have strong domestic demand, if Asean becomes a middle-class society and not just like it is now, then we will have a world with more markets. When there's more markets, the way we see the world will change," he said. To support this, labour and wage policies must be refined. "In order to create those markets, we will have to refine how we think about labour policy, how we think about wages, how we think about not racing to the bottom — especially among Asean countries. "We must stop seeing ourselves as competing with each other. We must see complementarity between us, among us," he said. Liew called for a unified response to investor demands that often played Asean countries against each other. "When an investor comes to ask us for incentive and tells us that 'Vietnam is giving me more incentive', we will have to answer with clarity and say: whatever that you can do in Vietnam right now, please do it, because I want to see Vietnam become more prosperous. "And Vietnam being more prosperous is good for Malaysia, because then Malaysia can export more to Vietnam. Can we have that conversation?" he said. In the long run, Liew said the region needed to build domestic demand and rethink its industrial strategies. "We need a middle-class society. We need to create demand in China and create demand in our society. But in the short run, we may have to ask ourselves: should we start thinking about creating an Asean industrial policy? He called on policymakers to address not only the supply side of economic planning, but also the demand side. "Very rarely we ask about where to create demand and how to create demand. But if we continue to have a situation where we have supply, we have a lot of supply, yet not enough demand — we will face depression. "Can we purely rely on the private sector, or is there a need for public involvement?" he said. Ultimately, he said trade agreements might need to be reimagined to address emerging challenges such as overcapacity and trade imbalances. "I think the question we have to start asking is not just about future agreements. It is about future agreements, and it is also potentially repurposing future agreements to negotiate for potentially voluntary export issues — repurposing trade agreements to deal with certain issues, such as excess capacity. "These are the questions that we are going to face. We are actually facing them on a daily basis," he said.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
JS-SEZ draws global investor interest
JOHOR BAHRU: The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) is drawing increasing interest from international investors, particularly from Japan, South Korea, China, and Europe, as Johor positions itself as a strategic gateway to the Asean market. Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) chief executive Datuk Mohd Noorazam Osman said recent investment enquiries received by the Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre Johor reflect strong interest from these key markets, underscoring Johor's emergence as a promising regional growth hub. 'This is a very positive outlook not only for Johor, but also for Malaysia as a whole. Amid ongoing global volatility, investors are looking to Asean as a promising entry point into new regional markets,' he said when met after speaking as a panellist at the Nikkei Forum Medini 2025: Driving Asia's Innovation Hub held here yesterday. On key investment sectors, Mohd Noorazam said Japanese investors are particularly drawn to electrical and electronics, financial services, technology, and the digital economy. Asked about confirmed Japanese investments, he noted that while specific names could not yet be disclosed, several companies had requested meetings with Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, a clear indication of their strong interest. 'We have also received enquiries from Japanese banks acting on behalf of their clients. We are facilitating engagements, particularly with institutions such as Mizuho Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, with whom the Economy Ministry recently signed a letter of intent,' he added. Meanwhile, Iskandar Investment Bhd (IIB) president and CEO Datuk Idzham Mohd Hashim said Medini is fully equipped to welcome new investors, supported by comprehensive infrastructure and a business-friendly ecosystem. He said the 'plug and play' development model implemented in Medini enables investors to begin operations immediately, without delays. 'The land is ready, and essential utilities, including electricity, water, fibre optics, and cabling, are already in place. Instead of starting from scratch, investors can establish operations in Medini, which already hosts nearly 40 international companies. 'These businesses are thriving, and it's now a matter of scaling up. At IIB, we see ourselves as growth partners, committed to helping businesses succeed in Medini,' he said. Idzham also emphasised Medini's high quality of life, supported by amenities such as pocket parks, Sireh Park, golf courses, Legoland, and the revitalised Johor Zoo, all catering to diverse lifestyles and income groups. Commenting on global uncertainties and Singapore's recent downward revision of its gross domestic product growth forecast to 0.2%, he acknowledged that some investors are adopting a wait-and-see approach due to geopolitical tensions. 'There may be short-term corrections, such as what Singapore is experiencing, but we believe these are temporary. Asean remains one of the world's fastest-growing regions, with a youthful and expanding middle class. Young people account for about 50 to 60% of Southeast Asia's 650 million population,' he said. He also highlighted the natural geographic advantages of Johor and Singapore as investment destinations, further bolstered by political stability and the absence of natural disasters. On IIB's development strategy, he stressed that focus is not solely on physical infrastructure but also soft infrastructure. 'Soft infrastructure includes talent development, facilitation by government agencies, and enabling businesses to access markets. 'That's the ecosystem we're building, not just buildings and roads, but the support systems businesses need to thrive.' The two-day Nikkei Forum Medini 2025 forms part of broader efforts to position Johor as a regional innovation hub, supporting the JS-SEZ initiative to attract high-quality investments and integrate value chains between Malaysia and Singapore. – Bernama
