Compliance factor key growth driver for cleanroom specialist Supergenics

PETALING JAYA: The sun rises on Malaysia’s cleanroom industry as improvements in compliance standards have proven to be a key growth driver for the industry, according to Supergenics group managing director Tan Bii Chau (pix).

“Only in the past four to five years, many have taken notice of the cleanroom business driven by the compliance requirements from the government and the private sector,” he told SunBiz in an interview recently.

Tan gave an example that to start a cell production operation, a business needs to meet a number of compliance standards for their facility such as cGDP, cGMP and ISO14644 from the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA).

“Many operators and factory owners had no choice but to upgrade their production plant to comply with the cleanroom standards,” he said.

Supergenics started out as a building construction company in 1982 amid the boom in the sector in the 1980s and 1990s.

The transition into the cleanroom business took place due to Tan’s mechanical engineering educational background with knowledge in cleanroom control systems.

In 2008, Supergenics received its first cleanroom project and from there it started offering turnkey projects. Throughout the years, Supergenics has learnt how to manufacture a good and reliable cleanroom.

A research and development department was set up in 2010 to conduct studies on cleanroom behavior and information.

This culminated in Supergenics’ proprietary Laboratory Monitoring and Control System (SGLMS), which enables it to automate and control the indoor air quality based on the group’s bot design, firmware and software.

“Since then, we have gathered knowledge and experience in executing life science cleanrooms, which include operating theatre complex, life sciences, animal studies, drug manufacturing and food production,” Tan said.

He stressed that life science cleanrooms such as cell production facilities require 24-hour cleanroom service.

“We cannot let the cleanroom break down, the SGLMS system will auto balance the cleanroom’s temperature, relative humidity, volatile organic compound levels and even backup generator in case of a blackout.”

Tan shared that Supergenics is estimated to command 17% of the current cleanroom market based on an independent market research.

“We feel that there is more potential in the market than anticipated as the findings are based on past results, we foresee the demand for clean-room to increase,” he said.

Moving forward, the group sees its LEAP Market listing on Bursa Malaysia as a catalyst to expand beyond the Klang Valley.

“A lot of people could not believe that most of our clients this year are concentrated in the Klang Valley. Hopefully, we can reach Penang, Johor, Labuan and Indonesia following the LEAP listing,” said Tan.

He disclosed that there have been a lot of inquiries from these locations, but because of a shortage of manpower and resources, the group has not ventured into these markets.

To expand outside the Klang Valley, Tan said, it needs to develop strong support services for the cleanroom and its clients. “The expansion is not capex heavy, it is primarily lies in talent instead.”

Source: TheSunDaily