Issue 39
Veolia Water Technologies
Untapping Potential The need to safeguard and manage water sustainably is more important than ever, and Veolia Water Technologies is leading the charge with clients across the food and beverage sector Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Matthew Cole-Wilkin Water, despite covering 71 percent of the earth’s surface, is facing unprecedented pressure to supply our needs. Although the planet is blanketed by oceans, it is freshwater that holds the key to sustaining so much natural and manmade life. Whether it be plant photosynthesis, rearing animals or human hygiene, it is unquestionably our most precious resource. The problem? Just 2.5 percent of water is fresh, and 99 percent of this is not easily accessible, the vast majority trapped in glaciers and snow. Industries therefore face a battle to locate and preserve enough water to meet their requirements, the food and beverage (F&B) sector being the most prominent example. “Water is the lifeblood of the F&B industry,” asserts Thomas Debruyne, Market Manager (F&B) & Digital Transformation Manager, Veolia Water Technologies, Asia Pacific. “The water footprint for the production of common F&B products reflects the pressure that the industry has placed on freshwater resources. “Who would have imagined that 150 litres of freshwater is required to produce a small cup of coffee? Or that breweries produce, on average, four times more wastewater than beer, with the potential to harm the environment?” The statistics are unrelenting. For instance, 70 percent of global freshwater withdrawals are made by the F&B industry, which includes the agriculture sector, making it the world’s largest user. By…
TNB Repair And Maintenance Sdn. Bhd. (TNB Remaco)
Upholding the Energy Industry Having embodied excellence throughout its history, TNB REMACO is striding towards its vision of becoming the preferred service provider for the regional energy market Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Matt Cole-Wilkin Fuelled by a surge in socioeconomic development, urbanisation and industrialisation, the need for energy in Asia is becoming ever more pressing by the day. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, energy consumption in Southeast Asia nearly doubled between 1995 and 2015, growing at 3.4 percent annually during this period. What’s more, this growth in demand is expected to ramp up to 4.7 percent per year until 2035, driven by the expanding requirements of the power, industrial, transportation and construction sectors. Faced with this inevitable rise, TNB Repair And Maintenance Sdn. Bhd. (TNB REMACO) is one company that will be crucial to upholding the region’s power ambitions. “TNB REMACO was first incorporated as a subsidiary of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Malaysia’s largest electricity utility, in 1995,” states Zainudin Sabai, recalling the company’s history. “Over the years, it has accumulated a proven track record of providing services to the industry, particularly in power plant repair and maintenance and the provision of holistic solutions in every aspect of power plant operation and management.” Having spoken with TNB REMACO 16 months ago, it’s clear to see that the company’s long-standing reputation has not changed, still renowned for its extensive accomplishments and an esteemed track record, not only within Malaysia but equally across Southeast Asia, Kuwait, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. “We call ourselves a one-stop service provider,”…
Sunfert International
Fertility Services Reborn Sunfert International is stepping up to fulfil the growing need for affordable treatment by expanding its network of state-of-the-art clinics across Malaysia Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Callam Waller By 2026, the global demand for in-vitro fertilisation is expected to be worth $36.2 billion. Projected to grow at a rate of 10.2 percent a year, the IVF market is being driven by numerous factors. These include the increasing incidence of infertility owing to lifestyle changes, government initiatives to provide better reimbursement policies, and efforts by industry contributors to open up access to such services. In Malaysia, the need for affordable IVF and other fertility services is rising. “Fertility treatment in Malaysia is largely unfunded,” explains Dr Wong Pak Seng, Founder and Managing Director of fertility clinic operator Sunfert International. “Though there are some allocations for free treatment in some government hospitals, this funding is erratic. Hence, the fertility services are predominantly in the private practice. “There are about 40 fertility centres in Malaysia, mostly small centres scattered predominantly throughout the larger cities in the peninsular. As treatment is expensive, most couples who require treatment cannot afford it. There is a definite need for affordable fertility services in the country.” This is where his company Sunfert International comes in. “Having worked in and visited several clinics both locally and overseas, I felt that there was a need for a patient-orientated fertility centre, offering value and good outcomes,” Pak Seng continues. “We were also able to draw on the expertise of our international partners, New Zealand’s…
Restaurants Development Co.
Restaurants Development Co. Thailand is making huge strides with the KFC brand, and is on course to reach 200 stores by the end of 2019.
Pizza Hut Singapore
From two brothers with $600 and an idea to outlets in 84 countries globally, the Pizza Hut brand has reached international stardom. Its Singaporean operations provide the evidence.
Craft Holdings
Mastering a Craft Focused on designing, building and delivering tailored solutions that exceed client expectations, Craft Holdings is championing unorthodox and progressive construction innovation Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Tom Cullum Asia. Home to more than 4.5 billion people and accounting for roughly $30 trillion of global GDP, it is little surprise that this is the world’s largest continental economy. Rewind to the turn of the decade, however, and the current status quo was entirely different, a time when Asia was bested by both Europe and North America and accounted for merely a third of the GDP that it does today. Prolonged periods of growth and the rise of a number of emerging regional markets are key to this rapid rise over the past nine years, markets that have come to embrace globalisation, industrialisation and modernisation throughout this period. The movement of the construction industry is a key indicator of this, with Euler Hermes citing that over 57 percent of global construction growth over the past decade has come from emerging markets. To say these recent years alone have dictated this upturn, however, would be untrue, as a number of enterprises with intelligent strategic ideas, such as Craft Holdings, have made the most of the growth in opportunities for prolonged periods. Now standing as the region’s only specialist contractor able to provide a total solution for façade, unitised roofing and interiors projects, Craft has continued to profit from these positive prospects for a quarter century, largely owed to its innovative and entrepreneurial approach. “From an industry…
Axiata Digital Services
Malaysia’s Digital Dynamo As the country continues to embrace a tech-driven society and economy, Axiata Digital Services is developing its portfolio of services to help businesses and consumers make the transition Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Vivek Valmiki Malaysia is on its way to becoming a digital society, in part due to the evolving digital landscape in the country. It is a huge focus for the country’s governmental authorities, and the recent work of bodies such as the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia has been influential in this ongoing journey. “Over the last 10 years, we have witnessed a convergence of new digital technology and innovation which is rapidly transforming the world,” comments Khairil Abdullah, CEO of Axiata Digital Services (ADS), another organisation pioneering digital change across Malaysia. “To stay ahead of the curve, more companies will undergo digital transformations as they adopt and incorporate new technologies and solutions to remain competitive and relevant. “However, the adoption of digital technologies by some businesses and SMEs in Malaysia still lags far behind, which is a cause for concern because it will be important to be equipped with the necessary knowledge, innovations and skills to thrive in a digital future.” It is for this reason that Axiata Digital was established in 2013. The digital services arm of the telco Axiata Group, ADS was set up to support the increasingly digital lifestyle and nature of consumers and businesses. It was formed with a team of experts across eight verticals, from ecommerce to entertainment, the division once comprising of some 30…
Archetype Group
Construction Made Creative A world-class infrastructure consultant operating in 15 countries, Archetype Group is transforming Asia’s landscapes with proactive, entrepreneurial perspectives Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Tom Cullum Infrastructure is set to spark Southeast Asia’s economic boom, owed to the expectation that spending on construction projects will grow substantially during the coming years. According to PwC, for example, construction spending in Indonesia will grow to around $165 billion by 2025, while industry expenditures in Malaysia and the Philippines are forecast to grow at approximately nine and 10 percent a year respectively during the same timeframe. As such, the opportunities in Asia are slated to represent almost 60 percent of the global market within the next six years, providing an abundant increase in demand that innovative industry figureheads such as Archetype Group are poised to capitalise on. “We’re proud to be a leading construction consultancy for world-class projects,” explains Mark Prowting, the Managing Director of Archetype Group’s Indonesian operations. “We harness the creativity of our people, enabling the company to be a pioneering and passionate multi-disciplinary business.” Having begun life as a team of just eight employees stationed in Vietnam (seven in Hanoi and one in Ho Chi Minh City) in September 2002, the company has continued to go from strength to strength. “We quickly expanded in Cambodia,” adds Prowting, “and soon after reached Thailand in 2004, India in 2005, France in 2006 and Laos in 2009. We also established Archetype Environment in partnership with Berim and Altereo during this time – our environmental consultancy.” From these…
Amazon injects $404 million into India business
Amazon has recently infused $404 million into its India business as it seeks to climb up to the top of the online services market.
Event preview: Malaysian International Food and Beverage Fair
The 20th Malaysian International Food and Beverage (MIFB 2019) is the largest F&B focused trade event in Malaysia which offers an ideal business matching and networking platform for F&B industry players to showcase their products and services at an international level.The event is set to be held on June 26–28, 2019 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) and open to trade visitors from 10.30am to 6pm. MIFB 2019 is expected to attract 600 participating exhibitors from 50 nations and 20,000 visitors from 70 countries. MIFB 2018 had a trade visitor turnout of 19,980 from 66 nations, which also comprised of some 250 international and local buyers who were invited and hosted. The MIFB Business Matching Platform generated 2,651 business connections with an estimated trade value of $300 million. Overall MIFB 2018 was a successful business networking event with 63% of current exhibitors expressing their interest to come back.Datuk Zulkefli Haji Sharif, the Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau, commented: “For this year, I have noticed a bigger number of exhibitors have joined, especially from the region of China that something our country is looking forward in line with the agreement that we have with the Chinese government to enhance the relationship between the two countries. Furthermore, we have endorsement by Matrade, who encourage more Malaysian merchant trade, and established brands such as QSR Brands, which is also looking for an international market.”MIFB 2019 offers products and services ranging from natural and healthy produce, food technology, seafood and fishery, as well as halal food.
China earmarks $435 million for solar projects subsidies in 2019
China's National Energy Administration has confirmed that it will be investing $435 million worth of subsidies into solar projects this year.Beijing will set an annual cap, for the first time, on solar subsidies in a bid to limit the amount of subsidised solar projects and to ease the backlog of payment which stands at 120 billion yuan ($17.3 billion).A draft document which appeared during a talk between the central authorities and solar industry stakeholders states that $108.62 million of the $435 million is to go into rooftop projects which will amount to 3.5W of the new capacity, with the rest of the money being assigned to solar stations.Beijing has been striving to boost competition in the solar industry by getting rid of low efficiency projects whilst in the middle of a plunge in equipment costs and surge in production capacity.The energy regulator had said that last month it will give priority to the construction of solar and wind projects which can operate without subsidies this year.At the end of 2018, China had installed solar power stations of 174 GW capacity and had generated around 177.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in the entire year.
What to expect from Leaders in Logistics: Post & Parcel APAC in Singapore
Leaders in Logistics: Post & Parcel APAC will bring together 200-plus global leaders from across post and logistics.Uniting integrators, commercial and postal operators, it will discuss the key challenges facing the logistics industry, offering key insights into the solutions that will overcome present and future challenges.With representation from 80-plus companies across more than 25 countries, this is the go-to event in the APAC region for any and all people looking to innovate their logistics offering.Take a look at the key reasons why you should be heading to Singapore this November:Gathering together national posts, as well as exciting regional operators, startups and last mile providers, this is the conference where you can discover the realities of the industry in the region and discover the unique challenges and opportunities in operations.With case study presentations from Royale International Group, UPS, Fetchr and GoGoVan covering last mile deliveries, technology and sustainability, this conference will offer proven examples of how you can overcome challenges in logistics.With insights from Singapore, China, India, Cambodia, the Philippines and more, you will unearth the secrets to successful operations and discover the factors that drive growth in very different national environments.Join DHL, Cambodia Post and China Post to learn how to build partnerships throughout the APAC region (and beyond) and discover how technologies can boost your international network to create smooth cross-border deliveries.What factors will impact global deliveries? What tools do you need to adapt for the future? SingPost, Canada Post, FedEx, Austria Post and YTO Express will share how they are innovating in operations and adapting for the skyrocketing growth of e-commerce. Gain the necessary insights to ensure your business is prepared for the challenges of the future.Understand the e-commerce…