September 27, 2024
Nippon Paint and MARA Sign MoU to Propel Automotive Technical and Vocational Education in Malaysia
The partnership aims to foster a skilled workforce to support Malaysia’s automotive sector
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Malacca, 27 September 2024 – Nippon Paint (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd (“Nippon Paint”) and Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on advancing technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Malaysia. This strategic partnership aims to foster the development of skilled professionals in the automotive coating industry.
The vision to make Malaysia an automotive export hub is highly achievable under the National Automotive Policy 2020, as Malaysia currently has the second-largest automotive industry in Southeast Asia. The automotive sector is a cornerstone of our nation’s economy, producing a record-high total production volume of 799,731 vehicles in 2023, and the demand for a high-skilled TVET workforce and quality automotive parts to support this goal is crucial.
Held at MITC Melaka, Ir. Mohd Nizam Mokhri, Deputy Director of the External and International Relations Branch, Skills & Technical Division of MARA, emphasised the importance of partnerships, “In line with the National TVET Policy 2030 aimed at producing skilled human capital imbued with national values, collaborations with industry leaders such as Nippon Paint are timely. These partnerships equip young Malaysians with industry-relevant skills and enable us to collaborate on advancing sectors like the automotive coating industry. As our Prime Minister highlighted during the launch of the National TVET Policy, we must align with the world’s current demands to ensure our workforce remains highly sought after for its exceptional quality.”
General Manager of Nippon Paint, Mr. Tay Tze Tuck said that the signing of the MoU was a pivotal moment for the company. He stated, “This MoU marks a significant milestone for Nippon Paint as we continue to invest in the future of Malaysia’s workforce and automotive industry. In the highly competitive automotive refinishing segment, Nippon Paint Automotive Refinish is always pushing the boundaries further to stay ahead, setting new industry standards with the finest coatings for every type of vehicle for our Malaysian car owners. This way, we also strive to provide the best with our specially developed coatings that offer aesthetic superiority but also provide enhanced protection and longevity for their vehicles. This is in line with our commitment to setting new industry standards, and this collaboration supports Malaysia’s goals of boosting exports to the economy through producing high-quality local auto parts.”
The MoU facilitates comprehensive training programs for 240 MARA students and 37 lecturers, with the help of Nippon Paint employees, focusing on auto-refinishing skills. Up to 24 selected MARA training centres will be accredited as certified Nippon Paint training centres, ensuring that the education provided meets high industry standards and is relevant to current market needs.
About Nippon Paint Malaysia Group
Since 2008, the Nippon Paint Malaysia Group (“NPM Group”) has enjoyed a market leadership position as Malaysia’s No. 1 Total Coating Solutions provider while also having a significant presence in the coatings industry in countries such as Pakistan, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Indonesia.
In 2022, aligned to its global strategy, the NPM Group firmly etched its niche position as the 1st in the region to offer Total Coating and Construction Solutions (TCCS), giving it the competitive edge to offer total compatible systems for high quality, perfect finishings and protection, from the floor to the roof, and everything in between. This strategic development has been made possible through the corporate acquisitions of CMI Construction Material Industry Sdn. Bhd. (CMI), CMI Marketing Sdn. Bhd. (CMIM), Selleys and Vital Technical Sdn Bhd (V-Tech).
First established in 1967 as Nippon Paint (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd, the NPM Group is part of the Nippon Paint Group, which has a leadership presence spanning 22 geographical locations and has been built on a heritage of over 130 years dating back to 1881 in Japan.
The NPM Group places strong emphasis in Research and Development (R&D) activities, which remains a core priority to its success in product innovation. As a global leader in coating technologies with a database of more than 10,000 paint formulations, the NPM Group prides itself in being a Total Coating & Construction Solutions (TCCS) provider with a multi-segment portfolio of offerings ranging from Architectural, Automotive, Industrial, Protective to Marine coatings from end-to-end solutions including painting tools, waterproofing solutions, flooring solutions, dry mix solutions as well as Sealant, Adhesive, Filler (SAF) solutions.
The Group has won consumer choice awards such as the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brand Awards (2006- 2023), Putra Brand Awards (2010-2023) and Parents’ Choice Awards (2018- 2020), as well as received industry accolades such as the APPIES 2018 Gold award for its Child Wellness Range campaign, Best Company for Leadership in Paint Technology Asia by IAIR in 2014 and Frost & Sullivan’s Paint & Coatings Company of The Year in 2011, the Paint Company of the Year 2016 and New Product Innovation Leadership Award 2016 and the 2020 Malaysia Decorative Paints and Coatings Market Leadership Award.
In its concerted effort to champion sustainability towards a greener footprint, the Group has received the Green Label Certification (by the Singapore Environment Council), Eco-Labelling Certification License (by SIRIM QAS International) and several Green Excellence Awards by Frost & Sullivan.
For more information on Nippon Paint Malaysia:
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YouTube: www.youtube.com/NipponPaintMalaysia
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