Serving Asia & World Markets

Malaysia is a gateway to Asia, which has the fastest growing economies and where 75% of the world’s population resides. Asia’s healthcare market constitutes approximately 34% of the global healthcare market and this share is expected to increase to 45% by 2005.

The Malaysian government is actively promoting the medical device industry as a strategic industry. Opportunities abound for investors to embark upon R & D and the manufacture of cardiovascular, wound care, ophthalmic and orthopedic products as well as transplant equipment. As a result, major medical device manufacturers from Europe, Asia and North America have chosen Malaysia as a base for growth.

Over 40 medical device companies use Malaysia as a global base for developing, manufacturing and marketing a wide range of products and services - from single use products, equipment and diagnostics to packaging and sterilization. Malaysia is currently the world’s leading exporter of surgical gloves and catheters. Many of these companies continue to expand their operations within Malaysia by establishing product and process development centres. For example, Ansell and Rusch have expanded their R&D facilities within Malaysia. A growing network of suppliers operating to world-class standards support the country’s
medical device industry.

Although the country's medical devices industry presently concentrates on rubber-based products, more companies are moving into the manufacture of products made from plastics, silicone and metal alloys.

Medical device companies in Malaysia also have the advantage of the ASEAN market at their doorstep. And with the full realization of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) in 2003, medical device manufacturers will benefit from a single market with a total population of 530 million people, a combined GDP of US$737 billion, and a total trade of US$720 billion.