By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, May 27: Sichuan Vanov New Materials Co Ltd, one of China’s major bamboo fibre producers, has expressed interest in investing USD100 million to establish an integrated mill for the production of bamboo pulp and bamboo fibre-based products in Sarawak.
This was conveyed to Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who led a delegation from Sarawak, in a visit to the company, popularly known as BABO, located in Meishan City, China recently, with the aim of attracting investments into Sarawak’s bamboo-based industries.
Welcoming the move, Awang Tengah emphasised that Sarawak will support BABO’s investment plans.
“A technical committee comprising of the relevant agencies will be formed to facilitate BABO to conduct a comprehensive study to develop a bamboo pulp mill in Sarawak.
“This investment will further catalyse the development of the bamboo plantation and bamboo downstream processing industry in Sarawak,” he said in a statement yesterday (May 26).
BABO is a high-tech company specialising in the research and development, production, and sales of bamboo fibres. The company has a bamboo pulp production capacity of about 300,000 tonnes per year, requiring around one million tonnes of green bamboo sourced from renewable plantations through both commercial and community farming.
During the visit, Awang Tengah, who is also the Minister of International Trade, Industry, and Investment, received a briefing on BABO’s operations from the group’s president, Shen Gen Lian.
BABO produces specialty bamboo-based products such as facial tissues, kitchen roll towels, soft towels, soft paper for infants, and fiber wipes. Bamboo is utilised as it is fast-growing, eco-friendly, and possesses high-quality long fibres suitable for various products.
The delegation also visited BABO’s bamboo museum, which showcases the company’s journey in the bamboo industry and its various products.
The Sarawak entourage included Deputy Minister for Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datuk Len Talif Salleh, ministry advisor Dato Sri Naroden Majais, Sarawak Forestry director Hamden Mohammad, and Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) general manager Zainal Abidin Abdullah. — DayakDaily
