International Tin Association (ITA) CEO Helen Prins, Chief Representative of ITA China Lan Gao, and Market Analyst Huanbo Qin, travelled to Thailand and Malaysia in the first week of June to visit Thailand Smelting and Refining Company (Thaisarco) in Phuket, Thailand, Malysia Smelting Corporation (MSC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and to meet other key stakeholders.
This is the second visit to these two countries by ITA staff in recent years following the trip by ITA around the International Tin Conference in Penang in May 2024.
Valuable insights were provided by Andrew Davies, Managing Director of Thaisarco, and Dato’ Dr. (Ir.) Patrick Yong Mian Thong, Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of MSC.
Mr. Andrew Davies guided an onsite tour to the operations of Thaisarco and deepened the ITA team’s understanding on the production process of tin and the additional value-added products. Thaisarco maintains a strong business position in balancing production and meeting the diversified needs of customers.
MSC has restarted operations at its Pulau Indah tin smelter after a temporary interruption to production due to a gas pipeline explosion in nearby Putra Heights in early April. The company puts significant focus on increasing their own mined tin supply through subsidiary Rahman Hydraulic Tin—Malaysia’s largest tin mine—and are progressing well with pilot testing of hydro-borehole mining. MSC lends strong support to research and development in tin at universities and institutes in Malaysia.
The team also travelled to Tongfang Technology’s solder plant near Bangkok and Redring Solder in Kuala Lumpur, seeing the production process and learning more about responsible sourcing requirements from downstream customers of each company.
The team also travelled to O. M. Manufacturing, a subsidiary of Japanese firm O. M. Company. O. M. Manufacturing is a secondary tin solder alloy producer, making solder alloys from solder production scrap.
ITA’s last visit was to the Tin Industry (R&D) Board to meet Chairman Dato’ Seri, Mohd Ajib Anuar and his team. The organisations shared information on major events taking place this year. The Tin Board highlighted the major potential for tin exploration and exploitation from hard rock deposits in Malaysia.
Stakeholders gave positive feedback on ITA’s plan to hold Asia Tin Week in Hong Kong on 19-21 November this year, to foster a broader Asia approach, reflecting the region’s growing significance in both tin production and consumption.
As deeply historic and significant countries in the global tin industry, both Thailand and Malaysia play modern and strategic roles in the industry, remaining essential parts of the tin supply chain through smelting and downstream processing capabilities.
ITA is grateful for the support from Andrew and Patrick in hosting the visit to Thailand and Malaysia, and also thanks Tongfang Technology, Redring Solder, OM Manufacturing, and the Tin Board for sharing their invaluable insights.
ITA represents more than 70% of global refined tin production and remains committed to leading the tin industry towards a sustainable future through engagement across the supply chain and with major stakeholders.
Thailand Smelting and Refining Company and Malaysia Smelting Corporation are Members of the International Tin Association.
