Midwest Composites earns Japan’s MakiChalle Business Competition grand prize

Midwest Composites highlights some of the natural fiber biocomposite products the company has successfully produced and commercialized to customers. Source | Midwest Composites

Midwest Composites Sdn. Bhd. (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) has been selected as the Grand Winner for the 2024 Maki-Challenge, a competition hosted by Makinohara City, Japan, that celebrates international innovation.

Aligning with Japan’s commitment to sustainability, the company has secured a ¥1 million cash prize, a financial boost and a pathway to develop joint initiatives with local Japanese industries and municipal leaders. Through these partnerships, Midwest Composites will expand its biocomposite technologies and sustainable manufacturing practices tailored to the Japanese market, reinforcing its mission to promote eco-friendly solutions across various sectors. The MakiChalle 2024 award ceremony was held on Nov. 7, 2024.

Midwest Composites is a sustainable composite materials company, specializing in bio-based and recycled plastic waste for a variety of industries, including aerospace, mass transit, automotive and consumer goods.

The company incorporates renewable, low-cost natural fibers like jute and kenaf into its composites, actively experimenting with bamboo and pineapple which are abundant in Southeast Asia, instead of the popular flax and hemp fibers which cost more due to recent demand.

The MakiChalle challenge has particularly opened the doors for opportunities with Japanese automotive industry giants Suzuki and the region’s generational tea companies, to develop natural fiber composites from tea plant waste.

Midwest Composites also employs low-energy manufacturing methods, such as closed molding, vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) and RTM, coupled with compression molding and traditional open mold layup. Company CEO Sethu Raaj notes Midwest has optimized the VARTM process to reduce cost and materials used.

According to Yoshito Denawa, CEO of CF Startup Partners, the organization in charge of the contest, the number of startups that applied for the MakiChalle event this year was 149, including 40 from overseas. “The special feature about this event is that it competes for business plans that include specific collaboration proposals with local industries centered on the sponsors,” Denawa notes. “For overseas startups, in addition to the chance to get the prize money, if the collaboration proposal is adopted, it will be a big first step in entering the Japanese market.”

MakiChalle recognizes businesses that push boundaries in sustainable practices, drawing global participation from leaders in environmental and technological innovation. This award serves as a springboard for Midwest Composites to continue its work with natural fibers and recycled materials, developing solutions that address the needs of both global and local markets.