GMA Garnet Group (GMA), the industrial garnet business unit of diversified industrial conglomerate Jebsen & Jessen Group and the world’s largest fully integrated garnet company, has celebrated the first anniversary of its Malaysian distribution hub in Port Klang. The facility, which commenced operations in June 2024, has rapidly become a cornerstone of the company’s Asia-Pacific strategy.
Strategic Hub Captures Majority of Asian Trade
Since opening, the Port Klang facility has scaled dramatically to handle 71 percent of GMA’s Asia garnet trade, establishing itself as a strategic gateway that accelerates growth and expands access to high-demand industrial markets across the region. The hub serves GMA’s entire APAC market, positioning Malaysia as an increasingly significant player in global industrial trade.
(From left) Arno Taljaard (APAC supply chain manager), Flynn Cowan (general manager, international sales & marketing, GMA Garnet Group), Heinrich Jessen (Chairman, Jebsen & Jessen Group), and Shashi Kumar (APAC sales & marketing manager, GMA Garnet Group) at the company’s Port Klang distribution facility
The expansion comes at an opportune time to serve high-growth markets across North East Asia (NEA) and South East Asia (SEA). The Asia Pacific construction market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.8 percent from 2025 to 2030, driven by significant investments in transportation, energy, infrastructure, and urban development projects.
Operational Excellence Drives Regional Performance
Strategically located at the crossroads of key regional markets and leveraging Port Klang’s growing capabilities, the Malaysian distribution hub has delivered significantly faster lead times by up to 21 days, broader market coverage, and substantial increases in regional delivery volumes to meet growing demand for high-performance abrasives.
The facility implements rigorous industry-leading quality control and assurance processes, supported by comprehensive training programmes to ensure the highest standards for garnet products. Recent safety enhancements have further strengthened operational capability, including the installation of guards around all conveyors and upgraded operational processes, ensuring safer and more efficient production of high-performance abrasive solutions.
Innovation Platform for APAC-Specific Solutions
Flynn Cowan, general manager of International sales & marketing at GMA Garnet Group, emphasised the hub’s strategic importance: “Our Malaysian Hub in Port Klang has been a crucial part of GMA’s growth across APAC and serves as more than a transit point. It enhances our supply chain and service capabilities, and enables us to introduce abrasive innovations specifically tailored to APAC’s industrial challenges. Looking ahead, we plan to enhance our Malaysian distribution hub further and continue growing our APAC footprint from Port Klang.”
Earlier in 2024, GMA launched ToughBlast™ through the Malaysian distribution hub as the sole port for this latest product and its complementary range of engineered abrasive blends customised for the APAC region. The premium garnet abrasive, engineered for extreme surface preparation environments, serves industries including oil & gas (onshore and offshore), shipyard maintenance and repair, water and wastewater treatment, and energy generation.
Product Innovation Delivers Measurable Performance Gains
Designed for longer blasting cycles and faster cleaning rates, ToughBlast™ has demonstrated up to 30 percent higher productivity compared to conventional slag abrasives in key trial applications. The launch is complemented by a comprehensive range of engineered abrasive blends tailored to APAC working conditions, including GMA NewSteel™, GMA SpeedBlast™, GMA PremiumBlast™, and GMA ExtremeBlast™. These solutions offer lower dust abrasive blasting, reduced abrasive consumption, and lower operational costs through improved blasting efficiency.
Leadership Strengthened for Regional Growth
GMA has announced key leadership appointments to strengthen its position and support growing APAC market needs. Shashi Kumar has been appointed as APAC Sales and Marketing Manager, bringing over two decades of global and regional experience to the role. His proven leadership, strategic insight, and market knowledge will be instrumental in strengthening customer relationships and expanding the company’s regional presence.
The first anniversary milestone demonstrates GMA’s successful execution of its APAC expansion strategy, with the Malaysian hub serving as a model for regional distribution excellence while supporting the company’s position as the world’s leading integrated garnet producer.
For more information visit www.gmagarnet.com
