KUALA LUMPUR: The National Graphene Action Plan 2020 (NGAP) has graduated 12 manufacturing companies to develop graphene-based industrial products for applications in several areas such as rubber, oil and gas, plastics, electronics and renewable energy.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Datuk Seri Madius Tangau said these companies had the potential to generate a combined revenue of RM300 million and would create more than 1,000 new jobs in selected industries by 2020.
“Graphene is a growing industry and could generate substantial upside for Malaysia through the commercialisation of graphene-enhanced products if we leverage its full potential,” he told reporters after officiating the annual Graphene Malaysia 2017 conference yesterday.
Graphene is a one-atom-thick sheet of carbon that combines extreme mechanical strength, exceptional electronic and thermal conductivities, impermeability to gases, as well as many other properties that make it highly attractive for a broad range of applications.
The NGAP 2020, launched by the government in 2014 and led by NanoMalaysia Bhd, is the result of an extensive collaboration between the Malaysian government, private sector, domestic and international research institutes and academia to assess how the country can benefit from the graphene potential.
Earlier, Madius witnessed the Memorandum of Understanding document exchange between NanoMalaysia and IDC Global Sdn Bhd to deploy graphene-based building materials for the construction industry.
NanoMalaysia Chief Executive Officer, Dr Rezal Khairi Ahmad said the 12 companies were among 20 firms being established as graphene-related product manufacturers under the NGAP.
“We are assisting these 12 companies within the next six to 12 months to establish the graphene-related manufacturing, with each company getting RM200,000 fund from the government.
“Graphene is expected to play a revolutionary role in the coming years, with Malaysia getting the opportunity to become one of the early leaders in the industry.
“Since 2014, the NGAP 2020 has activated 24 industrial projects with participants from local and foreign innovation partners,” he added. — Bernama