Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Web: SCORE nets one more plant in Bintulu

SCORE nets one more plant in Bintulu
BINTULU: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud yesterday performed the groundbreaking ceremony of an aluminium smelting plant and downstream project at Samalaju Industrial Park here.


The plant is the second to be built by Press Metal Bhd in the state after the first one in Mukah built at a cost of US$350 million which started operation in 2009.The Mukah plant provides more than 800 jobs to the locals.


Taib described this multi-million project, sited on a 6,000-ha piece of land here as a milestone of sorts for Sarawak.


He said that the aluminium smelting plant, together with the polycrystalline silicon manufacturing plant which had its ground-breaking ceremony in February this year, signaled the start of the SIP taking off.


The Chief Minister said it was the former Chief Minister of Penang Tun Lim Keng Yaik, who was also present at the ground-breaking ceremony, who encouraged him to venture into aluminium smelting in view of its huge potential and the abundant green energy in Sarawak.


Speaking to an audience of more than 3,000 people at the function, Taib said the aluminum smelting plant was here to stay for the greater prosperity of Sarawak and its people.


Press Metal Bhd Group Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Koon Poh Keong, in his address meanwhile said the conglomerate was set to become the leading manufacturer of aluminum products in the South East Asian region in terms of capacity output.


The new plant, to be completed in 18 months’ time, will produce some 500,000 tonnes of aluminum-related products, and much more when it comes to full operation.


Koon said the plant would be utilising the latest technology, used widely in the USA, Middle East and Europe based on World Bank specification, that was environmental friendly and without pollution .


“Our plant in Dubai has been in operation for 25 years and so far there have been no complaints with regards to the environment and land in the plant vicinity fetches record prices,” Koon said.


He said their operation in Mukah had put Malaysia on the world map as it was the first such plant being established in the country.


“The emergence of aluminum industry here will set to transform Malaysia’s economy by its contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP),” he said, adding that the plant here had also become part and parcel of Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) and a catalyst of economic growth for Sarawak..
Last Updated (Thursday, 14 April 2011 11:24)

No comments:

Post a Comment