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Biomass Energy Saves Rubbermex 50pc Cost

Posted on: Monday, 6 March 2006, 03:01 CST

By AYU MUSA KAMAL

RUBBEREX Corp Bhd, the world's third largest glovemaker for industrial use, is using biomass energy to generate power for its machineries, said its managing director Ping Kok Wah.

"We shifted to biomass energy late last year. We spend about RM200,000 a month on biomass energy," said Ping in an interview with Mail Money.

He said by switching to biomass, the company can save as much as 50 per cent on its energy cost. Previously, when fuel was its mainstay, the company's energy allocation was in region of RM5 million a year.

According to Ping, due to the cost savings from using biomass energy, Rubberex is planning to use biomass energy at its sole plant in China.

Ping said the plan to use Biomass energy at its China plant is still at an early stage, as the company is still mulling several factors as to how to utilise the energy.

"If we decide to change to biomass energy, coal will probably be the base instead of palm kernel," Ping said, adding that it is easier to find coal rather than palm kernel in China.

Companies such as Rubberex are increasingly looking at alternative sources of energy due to the steep cost of fuel, which puts pressure on operational margins.

Biomass is any organic matter particularly cellulosic or lingo- cellulosic matter which is available on a renewable or recurring basis, including trees, plants and associated residues - plant fibre, poultry litter and other animal wastes, industrial waste, and the paper component of municipal solid waste.

Biomass energy can also be converted to fuel, serve as a feedstock for electricity and a building block for chemicals.

Source: Malay Mail

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