surfactor Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd today (Jan 18) kickstarted its renewable energy project through solar implementation for its facility in Johor.
The subsidiary of surfactor Germany GmbH, a 75-year-old world market leader for technical surfaces, held a signing ceremony with the preferred partner, Solar Galactic (M) Sdn Bhd which marked the beginning of the installation project and the first panel was laid on the roof to mark the event. A total of 2,688 square metres of roof space will be utilised across 2 buildings and car park for this solar energy project.
“This plant serves world markets and we are taking the proactive move to create an energy balance with solar implementation. A total of RM 2.5 million is being invested for solar installation to generate 20% of our energy needs per annum,” said Franc Molto, Managing Director of surfactor Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd.
surfactor Asia Pacific’s primary goals for embracing renewable energy is to reduce its dependency on fossil-based energy and strike a sustainable balance for its energy needs while reducing its carbon footprint. This effort is in alignment with the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in August 2023.
“Today’s event symbolises our move towards renewable energy (RE) and to contribute to the increased RE production targets set by Malaysia. The commencement of our responsible transition journey towards a more sustainable future for surfactor. It is a substantial investment in renewable energy infrastructure, aligning with our core values of environmental responsibility, innovation, and long-term sustainability,” added Molto.
The project which commences in January 2024 is expected to be completed by mid-April 2024 with a Switch-On ceremony. The project planning which began in the last quarter of 2023 included an audit, design and planning, operational alignment, and material procurement which leads to the installation process now.
“As a Malaysian company with 25 years experience, we are honoured to work with forward thinkers like surfactor who understand the importance of sustainability and renewable energy adoption for manufacturing.
“Solar energy installation with IIoT integration delivers the magic of long-term sustainable energy solutions through the key elements of tracking and tracing how energy is used and plugging wastages from its root cause,” said Dato’ Seri Rosman Mohamed, Chairman of Solar Galactic (M) Sdn. Bhd.
surfactor is already committed to sustainability efforts through the protection of natural resources through ISO 14001 and it delivers this same commitment locally through the support for mangrove preservation under the RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands in association with Soroptimist International Iskandar Puteri.
“We are looking forward to the solar generation for our plant with the support of energy management solutions that will help us track and manage our energy usage efficiently. This is done in support with Solar Galactic as well, our chosen partner, based on their extensive experience of working with manufacturers of our scale over the last 25 years,” Molto added.
