MARA’s Design Development Centre rebrands

Design Development Centre (DDEC) has launched its new name and logo, renaming itself to Malaysia Design Development Centre (Malaysia DDEC), with more focus on helping small and medium enterprises (SME) in Malaysia.Malaysia DDEC's , a wholly owned subsidiary of Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), rebrand is in line with its Strategic Plan 2011 - 2015, which aims to offer seven new services to entrepreneurs in the field of design.These new services include branding, industrial design, design consultation, infrastructure facility design, event management, advertising and green design, having previously focused on helping SMEs in the design of packaging and labeling.Chairman of Malaysia DDEC, Datuk Md Othman Yusof said, "The objective of the rebranding of DDEC to Malaysia Design Development Centre is intended to make Malaysia DDEC as the main reference point for activities based on design in Malaysia, consistent with the objective of assisting Bumiputra entrepreneurs from a creative angle, such as branding, industrial design, commercialisation and certification."Since its operation in 2008, Malaysia DDEC has assisted more than 1,500 Bumiputra entrepreneurs and it hopes to assist 5,000 entrepreneurs by 2012.Datuk Yusof added that the establishment of this organisation is to assist SMEs who lack the resources to develop the design process and product branding, to obtain design standardisation and certification as well as design commercialisation, and with the assistance of Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO), to register trademark and product patents.Some of its clients include Secret Garden, SimplySiti, Harrods, Honey3, Forest'secret, Bank Muamalat and Mimos among others.To reach more SMEs nationwide, Malaysia DDEC has opened a new office in Johor, with plans to open in Sabah, Sarawak and Kedah this year. An investment of RM1 million was set aside for the development of the Johor branch, including the cost of set up and infrastructure.It also plans to develop a design facility centre at the Malaysia DDEC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur over the next three to four years.In promoting its services, Malaysia DDEC will organise and participate in on-ground events. Events participated so far include Malaysia Design Year 2012, Malaysia Technology Expo, Brand PowWow with the Handicraft Industry and the German Malaysian Institute Open Day.