PUCHONG: George Kent (M) Bhd is currently in discussions with several Southeast Asian nations over the possibility of securing several, lucrative railway projects.
If successful, this would mark the firm's debut into overseas markets for its engineering division, which at 80 per cent contributes the lion's share of the group's revenue.
"We had initially eyed the European market as we are already supplying meters to the United Kingdom as an original equipment manufacturer,” said chairman Tan Sri Tan Kay Hock after the conclusion of the firm's extraordinary general meeting (EGM) here, this morning.
"However we found that entering the European market is somewhat challenging given the ongoing economic and political volatility there."
Tan stressed that the firm is very much still interested in Europe, but are already in discussions with several Southeast Asian nations.
"It is too soon to say now, but I am confident of clinching the Southeast Asian railway job, given our existing track record and familiarity within this region."
The group currently have an order book of some RM6 billion which will keep it busy till 2022.
George Kent and its partner, China Communications Construction Company Ltd had just last month been awarded a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya (SSP) Line system work package worth RM1 billion, from Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd.
The MRT SSP Line will run as far 52.2 kilometres from Sunga Buloh to Putrajaya, with 37 stations, inclusive of 11 underground stations along the stretch.
The RM1 billion system work package for the MRT SSP Line comprises of engineering, procurement, construction, testing and commissioning of trackworks, maintenance vehicles and work trains.
Works are expected to be completed by May 1 2022.
This mark the third major rail transportation project for the firm since securing the RM1.1 billion Ampang Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line extension project in 2012.