TDM Plantation Inks Mechanisation and Innovation Pact with TATIUC

02 December 2021 – TDM Berhad  through its plantation arm, TDM Plantation Sdn Bhd (TDMP), today inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with TATI University College (TATIUC) to elevate its productivity and operations through mechanisation technology and innovation expertise sharing. Present to witness the inking of the pact at Permai Hotel Kuala Terengganu was Terengganu Syariah Implementation, Education and Higher Studies Committee Chairman YB. Haji Satiful Bahari Mamat and TDM Executive Director Haji Najman Kamaruddin.

At the signing ceremony, TDM Plantation was represented by TDM Plantation Advisor En Jalaini Che Kar and its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) En Hamdan Ibrahim, while TATIUC was represented by its Rector Professor Dr. Anuar Ahmad and Deputy Rector (Academic & Internationalisation) Associate Professor Ts. Dr. Rosliza Ramli.

TDMP CEO En Hamdan during his speech mentioned that the collaboration is a notable opportunity for the company to gain insights in the areas of technology innovation and mechanisation as well as automation from an experienced and highly competent industry player. This in turn allows the company to elevate its operations through technological advancement, further aligning the company with the Fourth Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0 and Internet of Things (IoT).

TDMP seeks not only to drive productivity and growth of our plantation ecosystems but also to ensure that the right support system is in place. This includes having the right infrastructure, facilities, training, and knowledge to further mechanise our business operations, solve the increasingly acute shortage of labour at our estates and ensure the company remains competitive, particularly as we weather through this pandemic. The signing of MoU with TATIUC is undoubtedly a step towards this goal.

Through the collaboration, the two parties will work together to leverage on each other’s respective expertise and strengths. In a mutual and agreed responsibility towards the partnership, TATIUC will provide all the necessary support and advice in relation to innovation and mechanisation of plantation operation activities, organisation of symposia, conferences, short courses and meetings on plantation innovation and mechanisation, sharing of research outcomes for commercial benefit for both parties and any other areas of cooperation mutually agreed upon.

TATIUC Rector Professor Dr. Anuar shared that TATIUC is very excited about the signing of the MoU today and looking forward to greater collaborations with TDMP in innovating and mechanising its operations. With its network of highly skilled experts who are industrially competent and up to date with technical capabilities in various technical fields, TATIUC IS confident to support the company towards realising its fullest potential.

Forward-looking companies with innovation high on their agenda have been able to focus on gaining competitive edge amidst the volatility and uncertainties of today’s business environment. TDMP recognises that strategic elements like automation, innovation, and mechanisation are important to ensure business resiliency, continuity, and growth.

TATIUC looks forward to seeing the positive results of TDMP’s capabilities with TATIUC’s technical expertise. Additionally, TATIUC, through many of its responsibilities, seeks to help TDMP address immediate and long-term challenges that can disrupt the company’s momentum, including the possibility of enhancing any labour-intensive works and further reducing the dependency on human labour using mechanisation and automation technology.

TDMP previously entered into an agreement with Edaran Badang Sdn Bhd to procure machineries, namely Mechanical Buffalos, for its estate. It aligned well with the current collaboration that the company made with TATIUC, bridging a greater degree of mechanisation which can be implemented at all across TDMP estates.