B. Braun Medical Industries (BMI) commemorates its 50th year in Malaysia which began with 200 employees at their surgical instrument production unit in Penang.

It has now grown to be one of the top suppliers and manufacturers of effective solutions and devices for the world’s leading healthcare sector, employing close to 7,500 employees and occupying over 193,285 square meters that house its three production sites and regional headquarters.

Christoph Müller, Senior Vice President, Operations Asia Pacific and Head of Center of Excellence Intravenous Access, shared, “The facility here in Penang is B. Braun Group’s first manufacturing site in Asia Pacific and one of the largest sites outside of Europe. We set up shop around the same time as the arrival of the “Eight Samurais,” – the eight multinational enterprises focusing on electronic and engineering (E&E) that revolutionised the industrial transition in Penang.

“The prominent presence of the E&E sector generated opportunities for companies in the industry to transition into medical device manufacturing by leveraging similar manufacturing skillsets. BMI was at the forefront of this transitionary ecosystem, leading the way and growing Penang’s burgeoning medical device industry within the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone.”

BMI has invested close to RM5 billion in its Malaysian facilities since its establishment in 1972. In 2006, the subsidiary was recognised as the Centre of Excellence for Intravenous Access (CoE IVA) by the B. Braun Group.

This centre was responsible for producing safety products and systems, including the syringes needed to administer COVID-19 vaccines, at its Penang facilities to be exported to worldwide markets including the United States, Europe, China and Japan.

“When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, it proved to be a challenge to all industries, and healthcare was not spared from this global crisis. The demand for our infection prevention products and infusion therapy solutions soared, and much of our efforts were focused on ensuring consistent supply to meet the high demand for the global battle against COVID-19.

“As of July 2022, we have shipped close to 5 billion of our Safety IV Catheters from Malaysia globally. This in large is due to the establishment of our CoE IVA, which played an integral role in ensuring we deliver standards-setting solutions to meet the stringent requirements of the healthcare industry.

In addition to having the right innovation, our established and scalable manufacturing facility coupled with the right talent and skillset enabled us to seamlessly provide our much-needed smart solutions to meet global demand, especially during the pandemic.

“We couldn’t have met this milestone without our employees’ commitment to continue protecting and improving the health of people around the world.”

BMI employs close to 7,500 employees in Malaysia, with 99 per cent being Malaysians, and is helmed by the first Malaysian President for the Asia Pacific region, Lam Chee Hong.

Lam shared, “The medical industry is ever-evolving, and as we are in the business of saving lives, we too must progress with the times. Thus, BMI places high emphasis on growing talents in Penang and Malaysia, as seen with our knowledge transfer through the German Dual Vocational Training (GDVT) with the Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC) and the Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MGCC).

“A total of 76 BMI employees have successfully graduated from this training. The hands-on ‘on-the-job’ experience empowers students to get their feet wet and be better prepared for the workforce. There is an option to participate in additional training under the Industriemeister programme, which provides a platform for employees to enhance their organisational and managerial abilities. These training programmes are a crucial talent pipeline for both B. Braun and the country as it upskills the existing technical workforce and young graduates with international-level competencies.

Source: Business Today

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