This year’s International Construction Week (ICW), together with BuildXpo, will be held from 15 to 17 November 2023 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur.
Hosted by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Malaysia, the annual ICW is set to return for its 22nd edition. It will be themed ‘Leading ESG in Construction’, featuring conferences, seminars, business matching, and a series of open forum and technology talks.
The ICW’s exhibition component, BuildXpo, will cover the whole supply chain of the construction industry. With a focus on environmental, social and governance practices, the exhibition serves as a platform for industry professionals and stakeholders to exchange knowledge, showcase innovative solutions and foster collaboration for a more sustainable built environment. BuildXpo is organised by Qube Integrated Malaysia Sdn Bhd.
According to the organiser, BuildXpo will delve into various essential topics, including the adoption of environmentally sustainable building practices, the exploration of advanced work packaging in construction, and the unveiling of ground-breaking technological innovations in critical heavy structure load-out operations, among others.
MCC Group to join the event
In its latest press release, the organiser announced that CIDB has secured the participation of global Fortune 500 company MCC Group at ICW and BuildXpo. This comes after the Malaysian agency’s visit to Beijing, which also saw the presentation of the Certificate of Recognition to Inspection and Certification Co Ltd MCC as an affiliated laboratory of CIDB Malaysia following rigorous audits at MCC labs in Beijing and Shanghai.
CIDB Malaysia CEO, Dato’ Sr Mohd Zaid Zakaria, said, “According to MIDA, Malaysia recorded US$59.9 billion in approved investments across the manufacturing, services and primary sectors. Out of this, US$12.5 billion came from China involving a total of 91 projects. These ventures have created 11,545 new job opportunities for Malaysia. CIDB is proud to lead the charge in enhancing Malaysia’s bilateral relations and advance sustainable construction practices at the global level.”
Leading the delegation, CIDB Malaysia senior general manager of technology development sector, Zainora Zainal, said, “The presentation of certification to our newly affiliated laboratories in Beijing is a culmination of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by CIDB Malaysia and MCC Overseas Malaysia Sdn Bhd this past July.
“The certification of MCC labs, following rigorous audits, is a positive milestone in ensuring the highest quality of construction materials in line with industry standards and elevating speed to market for the benefit of Malaysia’s construction industry.” The labs are said to be pivotal in conducting quality tests and issuing quality certifications for construction materials in China before they enter Malaysia.
Ms Zainal addressed key decision makers from China’s construction industry, on behalf of CIDB Malaysia CEO, to deliver a presentation on policy and procedures governing construction material importation and quality certification and assurance. The speaking opportunity was part of the delegation’s participation at the High Quality Development and Intelligent Manufacturing Seminar for Construction Steel in 2023 and the MC Certification 10th Annual Meeting. During the visit, representatives from CIDB Malaysia also had the privilege of touring the YongFeng Steel Mill in Shandong, China.
In 2022, China emerged as Malaysia’s primary trading partner, serving as both the largest export destination and the primary source of imports. According to Niqman Rafee M Sahar, Malaysia trade commissioner in Beijing, the total bilateral trade between Malaysia and China in 2022 reached RM487.14 billion, marking 8.8% year-on-year growth. Malaysia’s exports to China totalled RM210.62 billion, reflecting a notable 3.1% year-on-year increase.
“Next year marks the 50th anniversary of trade and investment relations between Malaysia and China. We believe our long-term partnership with CIDB Malaysia and this milestone certification will give an important boost to our bilateral activities, especially in trade and investment,” said Li An Wei, managing director of MCC Overseas (M) Sdn Bhd.
