Sika Malaysia: Shrugging Off Global Construction Slump
The Breakfast Grille · 2026-06-03 · 23 min
Episode notes
Francisco Retondo, General Manager of Sika Malaysia, joins The Breakfast Grille to discuss how the specialty chemical giant has decoupled from a slowing global market. While global sales flattened and a real estate crash hit operations in China, Southeast Asia emerged as Sika's star performer. Francesco breaks down the mechanics of their extensive local footprint, now spanning six factories, and reveals how they are managing a volatile energy crisis. We unpack the delicate trade-off between protecting profit margins and passing costs down to increasingly price-sensitive local contractors, the strategy for fending off aggressive Chinese suppliers looking for overseas buyers, and Sika's bold corporate roadmap to double its Malaysian business. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.