Latest news with #MuhammadAkhmalAdib
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
From scrap to art: Ex-lorry driver turns used tyres into thriving business
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 — For most people, used tyres are seen as worthless waste, but for Muhammad Akhmal Adib, these 'leftovers' have been transformed into a thriving source of income through a range of creative, high-demand products. Starting as a hobby making flower pots during the Movement Control Order (MCO) in 2020, the 33-year-old former lorry driver from Durian Tunggal, Melaka, never expected that his pastime would turn into a full-time business. He produces around 32 unique designs including flower pots, house signboards, chairs, tables, and various animal shapes such as storks, turtles, and frogs, using nearly 1,000 used tyres monthly to fulfil orders from customers throughout Peninsular Malaysia. 'At first, I tried making flower pots for home decoration. Then my wife suggested making them prettier and promoting them on Facebook. Unexpectedly, people started asking to buy them, and the number of customers has grown continuously until today,' he told Bernama recently. He said initially he used about 100 tyres monthly to produce these unique recycled products, but over the last two years, growing demand has increased his usage by tenfold every month. Entrepreneur Muhammad Akhmal Adib, 33, turned a hobby making flower pots during the 2020 movement control order into a full-time business that also promotes recycling. — Bernama pic Typically, the products are used for garden decoration, residential landscaping, creative signboards, school décor, and community projects focused on environmental sustainability, with deliveries made via courier services. Among the best-selling items currently are small, cute flower pots (around 18 to 20 inches), and Muhammad Akhmal can complete 50 units of these small pots within two days. 'Previously, I could get tyres for free from tyre shops, but many were damaged, with wires exposed, which is dangerous if made into products for sale. So now I buy used tyres that are still in good condition, priced between RM2.50 to RM5 each depending on the size,' he explained. Operating in a workshop specially built near his home, every tyre collected is washed, cut, and shaped according to specific designs before being assembled using screws and painted with bright colours. The final products are then detailed with eyes, patterns, or writing, before being sprayed with a protective finish to withstand weather conditions. 'I take inspiration from various sources — some ideas come from customers, some from children's toys. I also learned welding, which helps a lot in design and product structure,' he said. Assisted by two workers, he explained that the products can last more than five years due to the durable natural rubber material, which does not easily rot even when exposed to rain and heat. Earning between RM7,000 to RM8,000 monthly from sales and orders, the father of two views his work as more than just a business because it also contributes to environmental conservation through recycling tyres, which are otherwise difficult to dispose of conventionally. 'Most people see used tyres as trash to be thrown away, but I see something useful when we creatively up-cycle them,' he said, also aspiring to expand his business nationwide. — Bernama
The Star
a day ago
- Automotive
- The Star
Keeping the wheels turning for used tyres
Roll with it: Muhammad Akhmal inspecting his creations that were made from used tyres at his workshop in Kampung Pulau, near Durian Tunggal. — Bernama KUALA LUMPUR: For most people, used tyres are castoffs. But for Muhammad Akhmal Adib, that 'waste' has become a source of livelihood. The 33-year-old former lorry driver from Durian Tunggal, Melaka, transforms used tyres into a range of useful items such as signboards for residential areas, tables and chairs. Muhammad Akhmal said he never imagined that what started as a hobby in 2020 during the movement control order period would grow into a full-time business, and a successful one at that. He started by repurposing used tyres into flower pots. Today, he produces 32 unique designs. Apart from flower pots, signboards, and tables and chairs, he also shapes used tyres into various animal figures such as storks, tortoises and frogs, using nearly 1,000 used tyres each month to meet orders from customers across Peninsular Malaysia. 'The first item I tried to make was a flower pot. Then my wife suggested I make it look nice and post it on Facebook. 'I didn't expect people to ask me if they could buy it, and over time, my customer base kept growing,' he told Bernama. He said that when he first began making these unique recycled products, he used about 100 tyres a month. However, in the past two years, as demand increased, his use of tyres has multiplied tenfold. Muhammad Akhmal's products are mainly used as decoration in gardens, residential landscaping and in schools, as well as in community projects that promote environmental sustainability. Among his current bestsellers are small flower pots (about 45cm to 50cm in size), and Muhammad Akhmal can produce 50 units of these in just two days. 'In the past, I could get tyres for free from tyre shops, but many were damaged with wires sticking out, which is dangerous if I were to use them to make products. 'So now, I buy used tyres in good condition for between RM2.50 and RM5 each, depending on the size,' he said. Operating from a workshop specially built near his home, each tyre collected is cleaned, cut and shaped according to a specific design, then fastened with screws and painted in bright colours. Details such as eyes, patterns or lettering are then added before being coated with a protective finish to withstand weather conditions. 'I get inspiration from various sources – some ideas come from customers, others from my children's toys. 'I also learned welding before, which helps a lot in the design and structure of the products,' the father of two said, adding he has two workers to help him at his workshop. He also said each product can last more than five years, thanks to the natural durability of rubber, which does not deteriorate easily even when exposed to sun and rain. Muhammad Akhmal, whose business generates an income of between RM7,000 and RM8,000 a month, views his work as more than just a business because it enables him to contribute to environmental conservation by repurposing old tyres.
