KUALA LUMPUR: Iconic Worldwide Bhd is venturing into face mask manufacturing, initially targeting factory and construction companies in Malaysia.
The tourism and property development company said its new business would be placed under fully-owned Iconic Medicare Sdn Bhd.
"Currently, the manufacturing facility located at Juru, Penang, is capable of producing face masks at a rate of 100 pieces per minute, amounting to anout two to three million face masks a month.
"There are plans to increase production to five million face masks a month by the third quarter of 2020, as orders have already been fully taken up until July," it said today.
Iconic Worldwide managing director Datuk Tan Kean Tet said the company saw a need to locally produce face masks as a large part of Malaysia's supply is still from China.
Tan said as the Recovery Movement Control Order (RCMO) is implemented, the company expects people to be more willing to leave their homes and the consumption of face masks to increase.
"We are confident of matching the demand with a reliable supply.
"Furthermore, producing it locally can give our customers assurance on the origins of the product and the high quality materials that go into making our face masks," said Tan.
He said Iconic Worldwide had been donating face masks especially to frontliners during the Movement Control Order (MCO), but realised that there were problems with sourcing face masks from China such as time delays and quality assurance.
Therefore, he said the company had decided to take it upon themselves to supply the local market with a reliable product.
"We are in the process of getting ISO and CE endorsement, with which we will look towards exporting medical grade masks emblazoned with a Made in Malaysia symbol.
"For now, we shall kickstart this venture from the northern region of Malaysia, as we gradually move down to other parts of the country," he said.
It said the face mask business will start to contribute to its financial year ending March 31, 2021.
It will also help to cushion the slight impact towards its property and hospitality business which has been affected by Covid-19.
"For financial year 2021, property development will continue to be the main driver of the company, supported by its hotel segment and followed closely by its new manufacturing segment," it added.