Construction Equipment & E WASTE in Malaysia
It all began in 1842, when Jerome Case founded the Racine Threshing Machine Works in the state of Wisconsin, USA. CASE IH was created in 1985 when Tenneco bought selected assets of International Harvester’s agricultural division and merged it into its JI Case Company, an American agricultural manufacturer. IH later became Navistar. Construction Equipment from CASE is a source of great pride and commitment. With its 180-year history, CASE has established itself as a leading manufacturer of construction equipment, contributing to growth and prosperity, building businesses, and improving the world we live in. Today Case IH is owned by CNH Industrial, an American-Italian corporation. It was in 1957 that Case made the ‘320 Construction King’, the first backhoe loader. Despite the wide time span, the backhoe loaders of such senior vintage continues to delight Malaysian customers as I found out while traversing through Malaysia, spotting a CASE Backhoe loader in Ipoh, 200 Kms north of the Federal territory of Kuala Lumpur.
The machine was very old, it’s number plate was missing. Maintenance seemed a regular feature at the job site as all joints were well greased. Parts had been generously refurbished and altered, yet the boom design seemed similar to the erstwhile Pithampur made L&T CASE backhoe loaders. The spacious cabin provided great work visibility, a precursor of today’s 770NXe Series Backhoe Loader that has a robust structure, improved fuel efficiency, more cabin storage and increased productivity and efficiency. Yet the old CASE machine seemed equally productive and operator friendly. A burly operator was diligently operating the machine unleashing a performance in keeping with a machine of that vintage. The operator spoke Tamil and from what I understood, his site work required him to dig pits for laying out foundations for a 45 storey building. He was happy with the performance of the machine but envious of the operators that could operate the latest version.
It’s not just skyscraper foundations that Malaysia uses construction equipment for, but in myriad other ways. At the country’s first-ever integrated recycling park being developed on a 1,242 hectare land parcel in ‘Seri Iskandar Integrated Recycle Technology Park’ in Perak, a company ECK Development Sdn Bhd, has taken up park construction to address e-waste management, the site being chosen for the project, because land was available and easy to acquire. This project will require several construction equipment at different stages.
The managing director of ECK Development Sdn Bhd, Tan Sri Khor Eng Chuen has extensive experience in the recycling industry and waste management solutions. Malaysia has reached a point where increasing mounds of e-waste needs proactive steps and comprehensive solutions. Fortunately the Malaysian Investment Development Authority has a ‘Waste Eco Park’ initiative to promote sustainable waste management, and ECK could acquire land easily for consolidating all recycling operations in a single location within a gated and guarded park, where relevant government agencies to enhance regulatory oversight and ensure compliance with safety standards will also be based.
A portion of the profits will be derived from recovery of valuable materials from the waste that will be recycled, reducing the strain on earth’s resources even as hazardous components are handled safely. Products like plastics will be recycled into resin for bottles and plastic-based end products. Other recyclable material will be used for car components, glass bottles and manufacture of bricks, which would also be undertaken by 3rd party operators within the premises. All material that cannot be recycled would be sent to the waste-to-energy plant. The park itself will have space for leasing for industry operators to set up their operations to recycle waste, the premises tailor-made to the respective operators’ specifications.
Use of green technology will be a key feature of the park and abundant provision has been made for rainwater harvesting and use of solar panels. The facility will incorporate renewable energy, wastewater recycling and waste-to-energy technologies, the waste-to-energy facility, being an important component that will enable the park to achieve zero waste. Wastewater recycling, will be achieved through a centralized treatment plant and the treated water will be reused for operations. Its is estimated that 90% of the water in the park will be recycled.
As advancements in technology leads to the adoption of more efficient and Eco-friendly machinery, Indian manufactures and contractors will have several opportunities ahead of them. Multi storey building construction sites and the E waste recycling park are two cases where construction equipment are required to be used.
While the construction industry in Malaysia is supported by both local and international equipment manufacturers and suppliers, ensuring a diverse range of options for contractors, Indian contractors and manufacturers can take advantage of the growing Malaysian Market, with its robust economy that provides opportunities in various sectors such as construction, electronics, and consumer goods. Situated in Southeast Asia, the country is located strategically, serving as a gateway to other ASEAN markets, enhancing trade opportunities. Malaysia is blessed with a well-educated and skilled workforce, which can be beneficial for manufacturing and innovation. The government too offers incentives for foreign investors, including tax breaks and grants. A strong infrastructure network, including ports, highways, and telecommunications further facilitates efficient business operations. Malaysia and India have historical and cultural ties which eases business interactions and fosters trust. Furthermore expanding into Malaysia will allow Indian manufacturers to diversify their markets and reduce dependency on domestic demand. If critical pockets start to boom, more business opportunities will be created. It is time for Indian manufacturers to successfully establish and grow their presence in the Malaysian market. Leverage these strategies, understand the benefits, you can only grow and grow!
Priyan R Naik
is a columnist and independent journalist based in Bengaluru. He regularly writes for The Hindu, Hindustan Times, Navhind Times, Deccan Herald, Shillong Times, Ceylon Today of Colombo, Sri Lanka and The Daily Star of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
