Maica Laminates

Maica Laminates Sdn Bhd is the first high-pressure laminate (HPL) manufacturer in Malaysia. It is one of the earliest local-foreign joint venture manufacturing company in Penang.^[1]

History

Maica Laminates was formed in 1968 as a joint-venture between a Malaysian investor and a premier Japanese manufacturer, Aica Kogyo. Aica Kogyo is certified as an "Aichi Quality Company", which the Aichi Prefecture has certified as "superior manufacturing companies within the prefecture".^[2]

The company products are exported worldwide. In 2005, Maica Laminates and Trespa International signed an agreement for the manufacture and distribution of Trespa HPL thin products and HPL compact panels, produced by Maica Laminates and marketed in the Asia-Pacific region under the Trespa brand name.^[3] Maica's brand also stays in the market for other products not specified under this contract. The company also has other OEM customers.^{[citation needed]}

Maica's main marketing arm is Maica Corporation, incorporated in 1982, and to date comprises nine sales and distribution branches in Singapore and Malaysia, as well as sister companies that act as the company's sales arm. These include Maica Australia, Ibilee Maica (Hong Kong), and another in the Netherlands to serve the European market.^{[clarification needed]}

The company achieved ISO 9002 in 1995, and upgraded in year 2003 to ISO 9001:2000^[4] . In 2009, the company renewed its ISO certification, this time to the new ISO 9001:2008^[5]. It has not one, but two ISO certifications, one from UKAS^[6] and another from Standard Malaysia.^[7][8]

Products

Maica products consist of High Pressure Laminates (branded maiLaminate) and Compact laminates (maiCompact).

Quality Certificates

Maica Laminates products have received various certifications related to the high-pressure laminates and compact laminates products and industry. These include the European Standard EN438^[9] and some other certifications for anti-bacteria, anti-fungi, termite resistance, and chemical resistance.

Since 2008, Maica has obtained two "green" certificates for its laminates products, the Singapore Green Label certificate, and Greenguard.

Awards

• November 2006 - 2 awards by the Institute of Interior Designers: The Industry Service Excellence Award and The Interior Products Award ^[10]
• 2008: Silver award for the Open Booth Category at the Malaysia’s Interior Lifestyle Showcase, Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC);
• 2009: Silver Award, Best Booth Award, Open Booth Category in 2009.^[11]

References

1. ^ Malaysia Aica Berhad corporate profile, printed and distributed in the 1980s. Malaysia Aica Berhad is a public listed company in Malaysia (Stock Code: MYAS), and Maica Laminates Sdn Bhd was formerly one of its substitute companies.
2. ^ "Aichi Quality Company Requirements". aichi-brand.jp. 2009 [last update]. http://www.aichi-brand.jp/about/standard-e.html. Retrieved 8 February 2011. 
3. ^ "Think Trespa". trespa.com. 2011 [last update]. http://www.trespa.com/na/aboutTrespa/strategicalliances/maica/. Retrieved 8 February 2011. 
4. ^ http://www.maicalaminates.com.au/ and http://www.maica.com.my/
5. ^ ISO 9001:2008 - Quality management systems - Requirements
6. ^ UKAS
7. ^ Department of Standards Malaysia -Home
8. ^ All certificates based on Maica Laminates official website and printed company profiles.
9. ^ Product certificates can be seen in the company's official website and Maica Australia's website: http://maicalaminates.com.au/iso9001.asp
10. ^ New Straits Times, 25 November 2006: Taking Interior Design One Notch Higher; December 2006: Maica’s Midas Touch; Best of the Best
11. ^ ARCHIDEX

External links

• Maica Laminates official website