T7 Kilgour to invest RM200 mln on metal treatment plant development

SERENDAH: T7 Kilgour Sdn Bhd, a joint-venture entity between T7 Global Bhd and KOV Limited, will invest RM200 million over three to five years to develop its metal treatment plant here.

T7 Global’s Executive Chairman, Datuk Seri Dr Nik Nozrul Thani, said the investment would be made in phases and would include land development, construction of the plant and staff training.

“One of the more challenging issues is making sure that we have enough right people to manage this aerospace industry and also to get involved in the operations. We are originally an oil and gas (O&G) company, as we diversify into this, we have to re-skill our staff to fit the business.

“The skills may be not be readily available in Malaysia. We are working with Kilgour and MARA Aerospace & Technologies Sdn Bhd to send our personnel for training in the UK for a period of time,” he told reporters after the groundbreaking ceremony.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi officiated the ceremony here yesterday.

Also presented were International Trade and Industry Minister, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, and Deputy Education Minister, Datuk P. Kamalanathan.

The plant, expected to be completed by year-end, will carry out metal surface treatments, chemical processing, nondestructive testing and coating applications to cater primarily to the aerospace industry.

Upon the operation of the plant, Nik Nozrul said, T7 Global aimed to cut down its concentration on O&G industry to 70 per cent in the future, with the target to reduce further to 50 per cent moving forward, of which the other half would be contribution from non-O&G sector. —