Thursday July 21, 2005 - CB Industrial Product Holding Bhd's (CBIP)wholly-owned subsidiary, Modipalm Engineering Sdn Bhd, wants to focus onsecuring more automated palm oil mill projects as part of its strategy togrow its business.

These should be a mix of both local and overseas projects, CBIP managingdirector Lim Chai Beng said, adding that there were currently a fewprojects in the advanced stage of discussion.

Speaking in Kuala Lumpur yesterday at the contract signing betweenModipalm and Sarawak Oil Palms Bhd for the construction of a 45-tonne perhour automated oil palm mill, Lim said Modipalm would want to make theproject - which engages the use of continuous sterilisers - a showpiece inSarawak. "This technology is now commercially accepted by the industryworldwide," he said, adding that he was optimistic of the potential of thetechnology.

On the oil palm industry in Malaysia, Malaysian Palm Oil Boarddirector-general Tan Sri Dr Yusof Basiron said it had grown into one ofthe main pillars of the nation’s economy, with oil palm productscontributing some RM30.4bil in exports last year.

He said to ensure the continued progress and prosperity of the industry,research and development must be carried out to increase productivity asone major growth area for productivity was the development of moreefficient oil palm mills.

Left to right: CB Industrial Product Holding Bhd MD Lim Chai Beng,Malaysian Palm Oil Board director-general Tan Sri Datuk Dr Yusof Basironand Sarawak Oil Palms Bhd chief executive officer Paul Wong at thecontract signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday. - Starpic by UuBan"The government’s vision is to make Malaysia the leading palm oilproducing country and the leading country in terms of research anddevelopment," he said.

CBIP transferred to the Bursa Malaysia main board from the second boardyesterday.