Thursday, July 5, 2001 (The Star) - NOVOZYMES (M) Sdn Bhd, the South EastAsian marketing unit of industrial enzymes producer Novozymes A/S ofDenmark, is keen to collaborate with local companies to develop new valueadded enzyme-based products that will spur their business.Its managing director Lars C. Hansen said the company has the knowhow andknowledge to develop new enzyme products that would meet the requirementsof the different industries in the country."We have been operating in the country since 1974 and our products areused by various industries, such as textiles, bakery, food and detergents."Novozymes aims to help its local partners by ensuring their end-productsare of high quality," he told Star Business in an interview.To that end, the company is planning to set up joint partnershipprogrammes with local bio-industrial institutes such as the Palm OilResearch Institute of Malaysia (Porim) and the Malaysian Rubber Board.According to Hansen, the company is currently in discussion with Porim toassist in increasing the yield of palm oil.And, in collaboration with the rubber board, the company had developedenzymes that reduce protein in rubber to make allergy-free gloves.The US and Europe, Hansen said, have strict regulations on the use ofrubber gloves in various sectors for fear of protein allergy.Novozymes' research and manufacturing facilities are located in Denmark,the US and Japan.Novozymes A/S president and chief executive officer Steen Riisgaard saidthe company is working with the US Department of Energy on developingalcohol fuel from agricultural waste, for which it had been awarded aUS$15mil grant.There were plans in the long term to work with Petronas on a similarproject to develop an alternative car fuel, he added.Novozymes A/S currently commands 43% of the global industrial enzymesmarket--making it the number one producer of industrial enzymes in theworld.Last year, it recorded a worldwide turnover of RM2.3bil and is expectingan increase of between 5% and 6% this year.