MPMA celebrates 50 years of history

The Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA) celebrated its Golden Jubilee Celebration at the Grand Ballroom, One World Hotel, Petaling Jaya. To commemorate this significant milestone, over 1,000 guests comprising primarily members from the downstream (manufacturers) as well as upstream (petrochemicals) sectors joined the occasion. 

The celebration commenced with an address by the President of the Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA), Datuk Lim Kok Boon. In his address, Datuk Lim said that one of the highlights of the today’s celebration is the launch of the MPMA Golden Jubilee Coffee Table Book, entitled ‘50 Years and Beyond’. The coffee table book provides a record of MPMA’s key achievements, together with messages and in-sights from MPMA’s leaders. In his address, Datuk Lim Kok Boon elaborated, “We are celebrating 50 remarkable years of an infant industry transforming into multi-billion ringgit sector producing well diversified products, playing a key role in the manufacturing supply chain and earning huge export revenue from high quality and competitively priced products. From a very humble beginning, our past leaders and members have laid a strong foundation for MPMA to grow and progress. The plastics industry is now a major subsector within the Malaysian manufacturing industry with a total turnover of RM27.32 billion in 2016, of which RM13.12 billion was exported and providing job opportunities to 80,000 people”.

Moving forward, Datuk Lim said the plastics industry would face challenges including managing rising costs, globalization, technological advancement and sustainability issues. The global economy is changing rapidly, especially in the manufacturing sector sparking a new industrial revolution known as Industry 4.0 or the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He elaborated that MPMA will assist members in this new area, and is in the process of arranging for a pilot project and training sessions on Industry 4.0. More activities will be announced soon, added Datuk Lim.