OSAKA, JAPAN, 15 April 2025 – Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Berhad (EXIM Bank), a Development Financial Institution with a mandate to support Malaysia’s export sector, has signed a USD 20 million Supplier Financing Facility Agreement with Pertama Ferroalloys Sdn. Bhd. This strategic partnership underscores EXIM Bank’s commitment to advancing Malaysia’s global trade competitiveness.

The signing ceremony took place at the Malaysia Pavilion, World Expo 2025 in Osaka, with Nurbayu Kasim Chang, President and CEO of EXIM Bank Malaysia, and Hirotaka Suzuki, Chairman of Pertama Ferroalloys. The event was witnessed by Dato’ Hairil Yahri Yaacob, Secretary General of the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry (MITI), and Yuki Nakamura, Board Director and General Manager of Pertama Ferroalloys.

Pertama Ferroalloys plant in Bintulu, Sarawak, is Malaysia’s first large-scale manganese alloys and ferrosilicon plant. The financing agreement will accelerate Pertama Ferroalloys’ production and capacity, enabling the company to scale operations from Malaysia to global markets, while also deepening local supply chain participation and economic value creation.

Nurbayu Kasim Chang, President and CEO of EXIM Bank Malaysia, said: “This agreement is more than a financing milestone, it represents our commitment to driving Malaysia’s industrial transformation and expanding its export footprint. By supporting Pertama Ferroalloys, we are not only catalysing global trade but also uplifting the local economy through job creation, community empowerment, and sustainable innovation. This is how EXIM Bank builds resilience, drives inclusive growth, and strengthens Malaysia’s presence in the global economic narrative.”

She added, “Pertama Ferroalloys presence in Malaysia has generated strong backward linkages, stimulating demand for local raw materials, services, and infrastructure in supporting the global supply chain for ferroalloys, an essential material in steel production used across the construction, automotive, energy, and infrastructure sectors. The company also fosters local empowerment, with 87% of its workforce comprising of Malaysian employees”.

Yuki Nakamura, Board Director and General Manager of Pertama Ferroalloys., added, “This collaboration will serve as a powerful testament to what can be achieved when vision aligns with decisive action, echoing the spirit of the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030”.

Beyond industrial output, Pertama Ferroalloys continues to make a meaningful impact through its 300-hectare bamboo plantation project launched in November 2023. Designed to support carbon sequestration and the production of bamboo charcoal, the project actively involves local communities and supports Sarawak’s green development goals under PCDS 2030.

This initiative complements EXIM Bank’s sustainability agenda, which includes a target of RM1.5 billion in sustainability financing by 2027, through its sustainability-linked products and services.

At the World Expo 2025, EXIM Bank is hosting an engaging Pocket Talk titled “Empowering Halal Trade: Facilitating Cross-Border Growth Through Shariah-Compliant Solutions” on 17 April 2025 at the Malaysia Pavilion. This session will delve into Shariah-compliant solutions for cross-border trade and offer valuable insights into the future of Halal commerce. EXIM Bank invites all attendees to attend the session as part of the bank’s continued effort in promoting global trade innovation.

Leveraging the bank’s customised financing programmes initiatvie, Go-Export Osaka 2025 initiative, EXIM Bank, in collaboration with MITI and its agencies, is accelerating Malaysia’s export agenda with its flagship products like SMExport, GreenExport Technology, and Export ACE. These programmes nurture SME exporters, promote GreenTech industries, and build anchor company ecosystems initiative by providing financing and export credit takaful services. Coupled with strategic business matching sessions, the initiative connects Malaysian exporters with global leaders, solidifying Malaysia’s role in international trade.

In 2024, EXIM Bank facilitated 144 Malaysian exporters amounting to the total financial support of RM3.1 billion through credit takaful and business financing, enabling them to venture into new markets. To date, 67 exporters were supported specifically through credit takaful with exposure in 48 countries, primarily in the Asia region.

EXIM Bank encourages all Malaysian exporters to connect with the bank to explore customized financing solutions that can accelerate their progress and expansion into international markets.

For more information about EXIM Bank’s initiatives and activities at the World Expo 2025, visit www.exim.com.my.

ABOUT EXIM BANK

The Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Berhad (EXIM Bank) was incorporated on 29 August 1995 and is wholly-owned by the Government of Malaysia. The Bank has assisted a diverse range of Malaysian business in various sectors in their global ventures.  EXIM Bank takes pride in meeting its mandated role of stimulating and enhancing the competitiveness of Malaysian industries for exports and investments globally via the provisioning of internationally and domestically competitive banking and insurance products and advisory services. The Bank also offers Shariah-compliant financing and Takaful instruments. For more information, visit www.exim.com.my.