Founded in 1999, ITRAMAS has emerged as a trailblazer in greentech engineering, excelling in renewable energy, energy efficiency, electronic manufacturing, and smart city solutions. Under its founder, Group Managing Director and CEO Lee Choo Boo, ITRAMAS has pursued global expansion and established key ties with China. “China was a promising market,” Lee recalls. “In our early years, we collaborated on major projects like the Beijing Olympics, providing LED lighting for the Forbidden City. Competing with local Chinese firms was tough, but it shaped our strategy to work with them rather than against them.”

Between 2008 and 2015, the company expanded into Europe, Australia, and the US, while broadening its China collaborations. “We found a strong partner in China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), part of the Sinomach Group,” says Lee. “CMEC’s focus on export and their alignment with our goals made them an ideal partner.” In this second phase, ITRAMAS also built 18 control centres in Malaysia, one in Indonesia, and one in Italy. “We began exploring the global market from the outset,” says Lee. “This laid a strong foundation for future growth.”

By 2015, ITRAMAS had entered the solar energy sector, building Malaysia’s first large-scale solar plants with a RM1 billion green SRI Sukuk, supported by the World Bank. Its SOLARSAVE program now delivers affordable, sustainable energy to homes and businesses while advancing ESG goals.

Recent collaborations with Chinese companies have further strengthened ITRAMAS’s position. The 40-acre RE Industrial Park in Johor, part of Malaysia’s National Energy Transition Roadmap, will host CMEC Wuxi, Longmax, and others. Backed by UEM Sunrise, the park will position Malaysia as ASEAN’s renewable energy hub.

Q: What is your long-term vision?
At ITRAMAS, we believe that collaboration is the key to driving innovation in the renewable energy sector. By working closely with industry leaders from China and beyond, we aim to bring world-class solar technology to Malaysia. Our goal is not only to enhance local manufacturing capabilities but also to strengthen Malaysia’s position as a regional hub for renewable energy solutions.

Q: What are ITRAMAS’s core values?
We follow three core operating philosophies or principles—C2S—which have guided our company’s growth over the past 26 years. The first is Contribution. While making a profit is essential for survival as a private entity, we only engage in areas where we can make a meaningful contribution. The second is Competence. In today’s world, competency is vital. We emphasise education and training, which is why we established an ITRAMAS Academy. The third is System. To ensure organisational effectiveness, we need a robust system in place.

Q: How do partnerships like UEM Sunrise’s RE Industrial Park fit into your goals?
The RE Industrial Park is more than just a facility; it’s a cornerstone of Malaysia’s energy transition strategy. Through partnerships with global leaders like CMEC and Longmax, we are setting up advanced manufacturing operations that will play a pivotal role in powering Malaysia’s green economy and accelerating the adoption of clean energy solutions across ASEAN.

Q: How does smart city technology remain a focus for the company?
We initially started as a manufacturer, focusing on LEDs and eventually expanding into solar plants. We also ventured into intelligent transport systems. Smart city technologies include advancements like street lighting. Our current focus includes "smart poles," and we are rolling out EV charging infrastructure. We are also developing our capabilities in cybersecurity.

Q: How does ITRAMAS prioritise sustainability?
Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at ITRAMAS. We are committed to ensuring that our projects not only meet current energy needs but also contribute to long-term environmental goals. Through innovative solar projects and our continuous focus on clean energy, we aim to support Malaysia in reaching its decarbonisation targets.

Q: What comes next?
We have established a foundation for providing vertically integrated solutions. We possess manufacturing capabilities, engineering expertise, project experience, and financial structuring skills. Importantly, we have a strong understanding of working with the Chinese and integrating this with the global market. Our strategy now is to build scale. With the Malaysian government’s recent announcement of a third-party access mechanism to liberalise the market, we see a good opportunity.