DuPont Malaysia Sdn Bhd expects to record stronger financial performance in 2005 as the company capitalizes further on Malaysia's favourable business environment and economy.
The chemicals, materials and energy company exceed its target of RM300 million in revenue last year, registering a 9 per cent jump compared to 2003.
"We are confident of hitting a better turnaround this year and achieving substantial growth thus increasing our revenue." Managing director Dr A. Hapiz Abdullah said.
DuPont is accomplishing this by investing in biology based technology platforms that can support significant long term future innovation and extend the market potential of its existing technology base.
"Good business environment, Malaysia's strong economy and steady supply of products are among the main factors which will allow us to record a high turnover this year," he told Business Times.
He said the factor which sets DuPont apart from the rest of the corporate world is not its longevity, but its unique ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
"Perhaps because of our foundation in science with an emphasis in discovery ?change is very much part of DuPont culture." he said.
Its parent company in the USA started operations way back in 1802 as a company handling explosives. It now operates in more than 70 countries worldwide with revenue up to US$27.30 billion (US$=RM3.80) in 2004 and has over 90,000 employees.
The goroup recorded a global consolidated net sales of US$6 billion for the fourth quarter 2004 compared with US$6.5 billion in the same period in the previous year, and US$27.3 billion for the full year compared with US$27 billion in 2003.
However, its net income for the fourth quarter was US$278 million, or US28 cents per share ,compared with US$636 million, or 63US cents per share in the prior year.
Net income for the full year was US1.78 billion, or US$1.77 per share, compared with US$973 million, or 96US cents per share, for 2003.
As for DuPont Malaysia, Hapiz said the company has a three-part strategy to meet its business targets; firstly to deliver new products through the power of integrated science; secondlyto vigoursly pursue knowledge intensity in all business and significantly increase productivity .
"Our overall mission is sustainable growth and we will remain with the current sectors, as there are still lots of areas for growth and improvements.
We are also working towards newer sectors like the knowledge intensity areas." he said.
Among DuPont's popular products are Tyvek, Teflon Delrin and Cyrel.
Hapiz said the company's principal business also includes agricultural crop protection products, polymers, chemicals, fluoro-products, fibers, refinishes, imaging, solid materials, advance composites and packaging and industrial polymers.
