FGV expands rubber business to Europe and North America

FGV Holdings Bhd (FGV), through its subsidiary, FGV Rubber Industries Sdn Bhd (FGVRI) is expanding its rubber business to Europe and North America through the appointment of Rubber Heart Ltd (RHL) – a rubber marketing agency based in the UK.

The appointment includes developing strategic marketing and sales of FGV’s various grades of high-quality Technically Specified Rubber and other Specialty Natural Rubber-based materials exclusively for the countries in these continents.

In a press statement, FGV group chief executive officer, Datuk Haris Fadzilah Hassan said, “As one of the leading Standard Malaysian Rubber (SMR) producers in Malaysia with 50 years of experience in the rubber industry, this is an excellent opportunity for FGV to further expand and strengthen the list of our international clients.

“Through RHL key persons’ decades of global experience in marketing rubber business, it will bring confidence and add value to our rubber product offerings.”

RHL is already an expert on the technical and sustainable merits of FGV’s Green Rubber (Epoxidised Natural Rubber and Deproteinised Natural Rubber), of which FGVRI is the sole producer in Malaysia.

“I am confident that this appointment will also help to propel FGV’s Green Rubber products to meet the increasing demand for green rubber as a substitute to synthetic rubber, especially in the tyre industry,” added Haris Fadzilah.

FGV’s Green Rubber is a modified rubber of which its molecular structure is altered to enhance the properties to be comparable to synthetic rubber. It is exclusively produced at FGV’s Palong 8 rubber factory in Negeri Sembilan. Smallholders producing latex will also be able to command higher income due to the higher price for latex compared to cup lump.

RHL director, David Cawthra said, “We are looking forward to this partnership with FGV and to continue our long-standing relationship with the rubber industry in Malaysia. We truly admire and are in support of FGV’s aims to be a global leader in natural rubber processing and offer premium quality rubber products through good manufacturing and eco-friendly practices. We are thrilled to expand FGV’s Green Rubber products to new markets in Europe and North America.”

FGV operates four rubber processing facilities in Malaysia, which are licensed by the Malaysian Rubber Board as SMR factories, with a total annual group production capacity of 230,000 MT. FGV also owns one Latex Concentrate factory in Thailand and one factory in Cambodia producing Cambodian Standard Rubber.

FGV’s rubber operations are supported by two in-house accredited laboratories by the Department of Standards Malaysia with ISO/IEC 17025:2017. FGV’s various grades of natural rubber meet the Technical Specified Rubber specification. FGV’s client base includes major international tyre producers.