M2 construction panels maker eyes international market

Looking at its initial foray into the Malaysian market last year as a "positive development," Marathon Building Technologies Inc. is now eyeing a wider market in Southeast Asia for its versatile M2 construction panels.

The export to that country in 2002, worth some $80,000, was for a mass housing project.

"The good news is that we have received new inquiries from Indonesia, India and again Malaysia and that negotiations are expected to start as soon as their representatives arrive in Manila," according to Robert Lee, marathon president and general manager.

He added that as part of its market expansion thrust, the company is also participating in the forthcoming World Building and Construction Exposition at the WTC in Pasay City. Its booth in the exhibition area will showcase its flexible and extremely versatile construction system.

M2 is a 15-year-old patented technology by Italian firm Emmedue Srl. and is widely used today in over 26 countries. Marathon, which has a plant in Sta. Rosa, Laguna equipped with state-of-the-art machines from Italy, is Emmedue’s sole manufacturer and distributor for Asia. It is now inviting and accrediting new dealers in the country owing to its great potential as building component, says Marie Soriano, assistant to Lee.

M2 panels, which come in four basic versions, are flexible and extremely versatile system enabling the erection of earthquake-resistant buildings from one up to 20 stories high as well as complex architectural structures.

"The novelty of these panels lies in their potential use as a load-bearing formwork in the construction of walls and slabs as well as partitions, floors, ceilings and roofs," said Mr. Lee.