NEW YORK, April 22 — A United States company executive, having good knowledge of and hands-on experience in Asia, has described Malaysia as an "important business centre” in the Asia-Pacific region.

David B. Johnson, director of sales at Hitec Power Protection Inc. of Rosenberg, Texas, said that Hitec maintained an office in Cyberjaya.

"We have an office in Cyberjaya… we manufacture diesel rotary UPS (uninterruptable power systems) which serve a dual purpose… first, they provide power conditioning, which runs 100 per cent of the time, and secondly, they serve as a back-up power In case there is a breakdown in electricity supply or there is power outage,” Johnson explained in an interview with Bernama at the just-concluded Interphex 2018 trade show in New York.

Interphex is an important event in the US for manufacturers of machinery, equipment and services used in the production of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, medical devices and other products.

Hitec Power Protection’s parent company is based in Almelo, Netherlands; it has regional support centres in the US and Asia Pacific, and a presence in the UK, Germany, Russia, Spain, Malaysia, Taiwan and China.

The company’s global coverage is further enhanced by a network of distributors, agents and representatives who enable the company to service equipment and support customers around the world.

As the population increases its reliance on communication and connectivity, urban expansion, and manufacturing and automation, the world’s power grids will continue to be stretched to their limits.

This power dependency creates a significant risk that can lead to dramatic utility power outages that affect business-critical facilities such as hospitals, airports, stock exchanges, data centres and industrial manufacturing processes.

These segments of the economy in Malaysia rely on an efficient and uninterrupted power supply.

The company products are used by many industries, including manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, semi-conductors, crystals, etc.

The robust growth posted by Malaysia’s medical devices sector, for example, has not gone unnoticed by suppliers in other parts of the world.

Some businesspeople at the Interphex told Bernama that they had developed long-term business relationship with Malaysian suppliers of medical devices.

The Asia Pacific region appears to be the biggest market today and also in the coming years.

"Yes, for us, the Asia Pacific is a highly promising market.  There is, obviously, greater demand being generated in that region,” Johnson said.

Malaysia, with its strategic location, a well-functioning infrastructure and an extensive distribution network, is seen as a crucial stepping stone into the region. This augurs well for attracting investments into the country. — Bernama