ANTI-CORROSION coating maker A&E Group expects sales to reach RM75 million in 2012 from last year's RM20 million, driven by upgraded facilities and new projects.

Chief executive officer Arthur Haycox said the group has grown significantly, from a RM2 million business five years ago to an anticipated RM30 million this year.

"With the current projects that we are working on, we expect business to reach RM75 million in 2012," he told reporters after the launch of the group's new headquarters by Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir in Shah Alam yesterday.

The group spent RM2 million to refurbish its existing plant to be an integrated global headquarters, manufacturing, research and development centre and training academy.
Founded in 2005, A&E manufactures the environmental-friendly Alocit and Enviropeel anti-corrosion coating systems for various industries.

The group, which has after-sales and support offices in Australia, Europe and the US, exports 85 per cent of its products.

Haycox said the group's home-grown systems have been supplied to a wide range of clients including Shell, BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, ConocoPhillips, the Dutch and the US Navy, Malaysia's Public Works Ministry, Tenaga Nasional Bhd and Petronas.

"About 30 per cent of our projects are for the offshore sector, another 30 per cent for the mining sector and the remaining 40 per cent for the marine, defence, storage and components sectors," he said.

The value of each project ranges from RM20,000 to RM6.82 million (US$2 million).

Haycoz said the group plans to set up another plant in Malaysia in the next two to three years.

However, it has no plans to list itself on any stock exchange.

The global corrosion prevention coating industry is estimated at US$16 billion (RM54.56 billion).

Meanwhile, Mukhriz said the government has identified a few partner countries for the transfer of green technology to Malaysia, including South Korea.

He urged more entrepreneurs to be involved in green technology and take advantage of RM1.5 billion in soft loans provided by the government for companies that supply and utilise green technology.

Source: http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/25GREEN/Article/