SWS Ventures Into Drones, AI to Boost Agricultural Performance in Malaysia
9 July 2019, Kuala Lumpur:- Bursa-listed manufacturing company SWS Capital Bhd (‘SWS’) is venturing into Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) technology, confident that an Industry 4.0 data-driven approach via Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Malaysia’s agriculture industry will boost yields and increase efficiency for local producers.
To effect this, SWS today inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with local IT company Nexus Union Sdn. Bhd., accompanied by an Options Agreement to purchase 3,442,500 shares, or a 51% share, in Nexus’ 70%-owned subsidiary MATA Aerotech Sdn. Bhd. The transaction is valued at RM4.725 million.
L-R: Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr. Tan Khoon Hai, Executive Chairman, SWS Capital Berhad and Randall Low, Director, Nexus Union Sdn. Bhd. venture Into Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI), to boost agricultural performance in Malaysia.
MATA Aerotech Sdn. Bhd. is a joint venture company formed with Taiwan-listed Geosat Aerospace & Technology Inc., a full service UAS and robotics technology organisation with activities ranging from research & development (R&D), manufacturing and assembly, training, commercial service provision and data analytics.
The joint venture between Nexus Union and Geosat is the result of cooperation and facilitation provided by Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) Delegated Smart City Development Project and the Institute for Information Industry (III).
Ranked No. 1 in Taiwan for UAS technology, the award-winning Geosat, with drone-specific patents that include Mission & Flight Path Planning, Automatic Object Detection from Aerial Imagery and Positioning and Orientation Systems Synchronisation, offers military and commercial-grade solutions to governments and large corporations in Taiwan and internationally.
L-R: Tan Pei Wei, Managing Partner, PW Tan & Associates; Wan Azrain Adnan, Chief Business Officer, Nexus Union Sdn. Bhd.; Dato’ Seri Serm Juthamongkhon, Director, SWS Capital Berhad; Randall Low, Director, Nexus Union Sdn. Bhd. and Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr. Tan Khoon Hai, Executive Chairman, SWS Capital Berhad after signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a joint venture with Taiwan-listed Geosat Aerospace & Technology Inc.
“MATA Aerotech’s partnership with Geosat of Taiwan makes it the premiere drone company in Malaysia for optimising agricultural performance,” said SWS Executive Chairman Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Tan Khoon Hai. “We are both proud and confident that this technology can propel SWS and Malaysia to even greater heights.”
AWARD-WINNING
L-R: Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr. Tan Khoon Hai, Executive Chairman, SWS Capital Berhad and Dato’ Seri Serm Juthamongkhon, Director, SWS Capital Berhad testing the award-winning drones by Geosat Aerospace & Technology Inc, Taiwan’s #1 drone company.
Going forward, as a 51% subsidiary, SWS will benefit from MATA Aerotech’s access to Geosat’s workforce, where almost 50% are PhD and Masters holders and over 75% are involved in R&D activities.
In 2015, GEOSAT was awarded the ‘National Industrial Innovation Award” by the Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs. Last year, two of Geosat’s UAVs, “Sky Arrow” and “ Pterosaur”, won the Taiwan Excellence Award.
“The efficiencies brought on by UAS, or drone technology, reduces costs, increases yield and incurs less harm to the environment,” said MATA Aerotech spokesperson Wan Azrain Adnan.
Recently, MATA has already demonstrated the UAS technology to, and is in talks to collaborate with, some of Malaysia’s largest agribusiness players, Azrain added.
Deploying drones to accurately map plantations, assess crop health and spray pesticides and fertilisers over thousands of hectares offers vast benefits. Producers are able to save millions of ringgit via superior labour deployment, input materials procurement while also reducing wastage and leakages all along its agribusiness value chain.
Some of MATA Aerotech’s solutions include Plantation Management, Asset Management, Natural Resources Management, Imaging/ Survey, Emergency & Disaster Relief, Surveillance and Delivery.
“Drones are The Next Big Thing in the Agribusiness world,” added Wan Azrain. “It’s going to be a game changer.”
For more information, please visit SWS Capital at http://www.swscap.com/
About SWS Capital Berhad
SWS Capital Berhad (“SWSCAP”) commenced operations on 1 December 2003 as an investment holding company and listed in Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad on 15 March 2004. SWSCAP manufactures and sells furniture, veneer, and lamination as well as trade in various building materials, plastic wares, and household products. SWSCAP is also venturing into drones and AI, focusing on agribusiness applications to boost yields and increase efficiency for local producers.
SWSCAP adheres to stringent quality controls and monitoring systems. SWSCAP invests substantial resources in its ongoing Research and Development Program to improve and develop quality products to meet the demands and expectations of customers.
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