Malaysia’s Minox sees its valves, tubes strengthen Southeast Asia’s food and beverage backbone
From Kuala Lumpur, the company has expanded operations to Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia
Valves, tubes and fittings – these humble items form the backbone of food, beverage and pharmaceutical factories.
As the main supplier of sanitary and pharmaceutical-grade stainless steel valves, tubes and fittings to manufacturers across Southeast Asia, Malaysian company Minox Valves and Fittings continues to meet the highest hygiene standards of the food processing, medical and other industries.
Quality is paramount, and Minox has been ensuring that its products pass global standards. “We started 20 years ago as a trading company selling materials from Europe and Asia,” says Minox managing director Cheong Chee Son. “So we understand the importance of branding and the significance of quality.
“We eventually started to create our own Minox brand and our own quality control department at our Malacca warehouse.”
Food and beverage accounts for 80 per cent of the company’s revenues, while pharmaceuticals make up 15 to 20 per cent. About 30 per cent of total group revenues still come from Malaysia, while Indonesia is slowly overtaking markets such as Thailand and the Philippines. Minox is a member of the European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group and the Food Processing Suppliers Association.
High inventory levels and strong local support are crucial for Minox, and the company has overseas branches to be near to customers. From Kuala Lumpur, the company has expanded operations to Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia. Its next branch will be in Myanmar as it plans to create an e-shop to serve Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Cambodia and Laos.
Minox is considering partnerships to serve the wider Asian market. It has received offers from various foreign companies that would like to build their presence in Southeast Asia. Among the company’s major long-standing customers are Del Monte, Dutch Lady Milk, Heineken and GEA Process Engineering Group.
“Relationships and reputation are very important to us,” Cheong says. “Our mission is to have a reliable brand name in Southeast Asia’s food and beverage industry. We want to be the best.”