Malaysia-Colo. Exchange fosters future alliances

Business Report Correspondent

BOULDER — Partnering can pave the way to business links that may lead to global deals.

That premise prompted the Malaysia-Colorado Cleaner Production Policy and Technology Exchange. “When the program started, the Asian economic downturn was starting. We knew we were not going to get hard-dollar projects at that time, but we felt it was important to build relationships for business exchanges later on,´ said Karen Eye, director of the CU Business Advancement Center (CU-BAC) at the University of Colorado-Boulder.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Federal District Court Rules Corporate Transparency Act Unconstitutional . . . But Most Small Businesses Must Still Comply

Lyons Gaddis Real Estate and Business Attorney Cameron Grant shares important details of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA).

CU-BAC managed the project. The exchange was created by partner groups of the Colorado Environmental Business Alliance (CEBA) Ambassador Program. Those groups include the Denver Mayor’s Office of Economic Development/International Trade, U.S. Export Assistance Center, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, and CH2M Hill.

A grant of about $180,000 from the Council of State Governments State Environmental Initiative Program (CSG) funded the project. CSG is supported by the U.S. Asia Environmental Partnership(USAEP) through USAID. USAEP sponsors U.S. initiatives that promote pollution prevention in the Asia/Pacific region. Project participants provided in-kind time and meeting facilities.

Councils formed in Colorado and Malaysia represented academic, business and government groups. Colorado business members included Denver-based Quest Management International and Environmental Training and Consulting. Malaysian participants included the Malaysia Department of Environment, Greenfields Environmental Consultants, and Environmental Management and Research Association of Malaysia(ENSEARCH). “It is important that academic, business and government sectors recognize each other and draw from each other in areas of expertise. Universities are doing early research that can be transferred to companies and governments that have economic support systems that can support those businesses,” Eye said.

Founded in 1978, CU-BAC supports the development of technology industries in Colorado through information, consulting, research and networking services to firms and organizations. In October, CU-BAC received the National Association of Management and Technical Assistance Centers Project of the Year Award for its innovative use of partnering in economic development.

The CEBA/Ambassador Program began in 1997. It connects Colorado consultants and small- and medium-sized environmental companies in the state with environmental companies in other countries.

Located in southeastern Asia, Malaysia’s main industries are metal finishing, textiles, electronics and food. According to a Jan. 4 article in Kuala Lumpur’s Star newspaper, there are 22.2 million people in Malaysia. That is an increase of 4.6 million in the last 10 years. Statistics represent a preliminary count in Malaysia’s 2000 population and housing census.

The Malaysia-Colorado Exchange took place from September 1998 to June 2000. During five forums, more than 237 Colorado professionals met with Malaysian professionals from more than 183 companies and groups. Colorado team and council members met with more than 445 Malaysian professionals representing more than 260 businesses and organizations. To date, four memorandums of understanding have been signed between businesses in Colorado and Malaysia.

“Our approach set up relationships that pulled the Malaysians together, as well. Malaysian companies and organizations were working on things but separately,´ said Ellen Drew, CEBA executive director and co-project director of the Malaysia- Colorado Cleaner Production Policy and Technology Exchange.

In July 1999, ENSEARCH organized the first Malaysian Cleaner Production Conference. Last January, the firm presented a workshop on groundwater monitoring/remediation techniques and technologies. A Malaysian conference titled “Sustainable Urban Development in the New Millennium” took place in March.

“People from both Colorado and Malaysia made presentations. It was a true exchange,” Eye said. “The project provided us with professional expertise, case studies and new sustainability related concepts.”

“An estimated 50 other people/organizations who had not been introduced to the Colorado Cleaner Production/Pollution Prevention experience before then had the opportunity to learn about it,´ said Thayanithi Kulenthran, president of Greenfields Environmental Consultants in Malaysia.

Through the exchange, Colorado companies discovered new programs. The Penang Skills Development Center, for instance, informed local manufacturing firms of a Malaysian training tax fund drawn from company contributions. Businesses must use the money within a year to upgrade worker’s technical skills.

The Tech Trek program intrigued Eye. The U.S.-Malaysian Chamber of Commerce takes young people to technology-based industries to expose them to technical career opportunities.

An electronic ListServe developed by CU-BAC for the exchange has been used by Malaysians seeking speakers on certain topics. Colorado companies interested in Malaysia now have access to contacts and technical information.

“When people in Malaysia are faced with making a purchasing decision about products and technologies to support cleaner production projects and must decide whether to choose a Japanese or German or U.S. product, there will be a tendency to work with Colorado because of this program,” Drew said.