The Malaysian Rubber Council (MRC) has witnessed the signing of an MoU between a Malaysian-owned company, Cranfield University and Levidian Nanosystem Ltd in Bedford, United Kingdom.
Nor Hizwan Ahmad, CEO of MRC, said for the first time, the technology used successfully converts harmful methane gas into more environmentally friendly graphene and when it is combined with natural rubber, the resulting material is proven to be more sustainable and durable.
“This collaboration has indirectly encouraged the advancement of rubber technology so that innovation can be applied to redefine the future of rubber applications,” he said.
According to him, Malaysia, as a leading country in rubber technology, will gain profits through the commercialisation of high-performance rubber products in addition to opening new markets and further increasing the global value chain of the Malaysian rubber industry.
“We will be more progressive towards unlimited progress with the wealth of rubber resources that we have—from plantations to aerospace.
“Humans have been exploring all corners of the earth for a long time, and now it’s time for the rubber industry to move beyond borders.
“Through the development of contemporary rubber materials that are formulated through the infusion of graphene and latex, the application can be carried out comprehensively to industries involving earth resources and the aerospace environment,” he added.
Last July, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, inaugurated this initiative at the Malaysia International Agricommodity Expo & Summit (MIACES) 2022 and received solid support as well as guidance from YB Datuk Hajah Zuraida Kamaruddin, Minister of Plantation & Commodity Industry (MPIC).
“It is hoped that this first small step for MRC to increase the value of Malaysian rubber will have a chain effect for our small rubber farmers to acquire better value, “he said after completing a special visit to the Center for Composites and Advanced Materials at Cranfield University, United Kingdom, led by Prof. Krzysztof Koziol.
On September 15th, MRC organised the Industry Consultation 2022, an annual event involving rubber industry players from various fields to provide valuable feedback and suggestions directly on MRC’s direction and the way forward to support the rubber industry towards greater heights.
From 27-29 September 2022, MRC will be participating in EVM Asia Expo 2022, the region’s No.1 Electric Vehicle Exhibition, hosted by the Malaysia Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) and supported by the Malaysia Automotive Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii). This event will bring together industry players in the field of manufacturing electric, hybrid, and autonomous vehicles under one roof in MITEC, Kuala Lumpur. Look forward to discovering Malaysia’s high-quality rubber automotive components and the future of mobility technology.
