MOSTI's Deputy Minister Officially Opens Largest Agarwood Distillery and Research Centre in Johor

Asia Plantation Capital celebrates the first anniversary of its state of the art agarwood processing and research facility at the Masai Industrial Park, Johor.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, June 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- More than a year has passed since Asia Plantation Capital Berhad (APC) announced the opening of its new, purpose-built agarwood (gaharu) distillation and research centre, located in the Masai Industrial Park, Johor, Malaysia. Now fully operational and having met the prescribed standards of efficiency, Asia Plantation Capital is celebrating the facility's achievement with an official opening ceremony. Officiating at yesterday's launch was YB Datuk Dr. Abu Bakar bin Mohamad Diah, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI).

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Incorporating an Oud oil distillery, a wood chip processing centre, a fragrance stick factory and a research centre, the state of the art facility occupies a 44,000 ft² unit in the Masai Industrial Park. Also situated within the complex is a visitor centre, along with a wholesale factory shop stocked with the ever-growing range of agarwood products that APC produces. The facility also houses a laboratory for perfumes and essential oils, APC inoculation systems production, and MSDS analysis systems.

Equipped with the latest heat exchange steam distillation units using purified water -- as well as a clean energy solar power system to ensure maximum economic efficiency -- the factory utilises sustainable and environmentally-friendly energy systems throughout. This multi-million US dollar investment is integral to the company's strategic expansion of its Malaysian plantations and production capacity.

With the region's largest purpose-built agarwood factory, along with acres of newly-acquired plantations in Malaysia, and the recent move of APC's regional headquarters to Kuala Lumpur, the expansion of the company is seen as an opportunity to further strengthen APC's presence in Southeast Asia.

"It's been a year since our agarwood processing factory has been fully operational," said Steve Watts, APC's Chief Executive Officer, Asia Pacific, "and we have already welcomed a significant number of visitors and/or clients to the facility -- some of whom are among the most influential investment and fund managers in the world."

He added, "Over the coming years, in line with our expansion programme, we fully expect Asia Plantation Capital to become a major exporter and employer in Malaysia, and a big success story for the country. Over the last seven years we have constantly been researching and improving our systems, and have identified and perfected a proprietary 'soil to oil' production process which is now the subject of 22, separate, intellectual property patent applications. These systems are not only being utilised by the group to widen its market share, but are also being offered to smaller growers and farmers across Asia, to assist them in the cultivation and end processing of agarwood to create income. This will, in turn, help boost rural economies and also underpin the group's future supply requirements. As well as supplying systems and knowledge." Watts concluded, "We are offering fixed 'buy backs' on products made exclusively from our systems. This process is already under way in India, Thailand and Malaysia."

Asia Plantation Capital's agarwood distillery and research centre is to be officially launched by the Deputy Minister of MOSTI, YB Datuk Dr. Abu Bakar bin Mohamad Diah. He said, "I applaud and congratulate APC for the opening of this state of the art facility. We are pleased that a forward-looking company such as Asia Plantation Capital has chosen Malaysia as its destination for expansion with its distillation factory and research centre. This undoubtedly affirms Malaysia's potential as an excellent location for doing business -- not only in terms of being able to enjoy lower operational costs, but also in terms of being able to provide companies with a skilled and educated workforce in the fields of science and technology. Factories such as this." He concluded, "Not only increase investment into the country and provide job opportunities for Malaysians, but also encourage and stimulate progress in science, technology, research and development."

Zaahira Muhammad
Senior PR & Marketing Executive 
zaahira.muhammad@asiaplantationcapital.com  
+6012-203-5344

Samantha Tham
PR & Marketing Executive
samantha.tham@asiaplantationcapital.com  
+65-9144-0933

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