Capacity Boost for Philip Morris Plant

Source from:  Malay Mail  08/12/2004

PHILIP Morris (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, a unit of Switzerland's Philip Morris International Inc, said it had spent as much as RM102 million this year to increase the capacity at its existing plant in Negeri Sembilan "We constructed a new wing which houses the additional processing facility at our existing plant in Seremban. The new facility will enable us to increase production and maintain quality standards," said its communications and public affairs manager, Eliza Mohamed. Eliza, however, declined to reveal the number of sticks that the company is capable of rolling on a monthly basis. The new investment will complement Philip Morris' RM167 million investment in 1995 to establish the Seremban plan. "The plant is capable of producing six million kilogrammes of processed tobacco per annum," Eliza told Mail Money in an e-mailed reply. She added that the investment should help Philip Morris register an increase in yearly sales. "We are also bracing for a larger share of the market which is valued at more than RM4.2 billion," said Eliza. She said the company, which currently has a 17 per cent share in the market, is optimistic of the growth due to the growing popularity of its products. Philip Morris manufactures Marlboro and L&M cigarettes in Malaysia, but over 80 per cent of its total production is aimed for export markets in Asia and and West Asia. She also said that Philip Morris has a good network of sales offices, branches and distribution centres in Malaysia. The company also has agronomy stations in Sabah, Kelantan and Kedah that cater to the 1,200 local tobacco farmers who are registered with the company for its agronomy programme. Enditem