MACROKIOSK to expand to 3 more countries this year

GOLD IS Bhd's 70% subsidiary Macro Kiosk Bhd is targeting to have physical presence in Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan this year, taking its total operations abroad to nine countries.

Its chief operating officer Henry Goh said the company was also in the midst of conducting due diligence on the Indian and Bangladeshi markets as part of expansion plans in the Asian region.

Goh said the bulk of Macro Kiosk's revenue came from its operations in Malaysia, accounting for about 70%.

He said the company was targeting to eventually increase overseas contribution to about 80% from 30% of its total revenue now.

"We have allocated a substantial amount to propel our physical presence abroad and our operations there have begun contributing to both topline and bottomline," he said.

He said Macro Kiosk was keeping its options open to listing on any one of the countries it operated in, but preferred either the Hong Kong or Singapore exchanges if it were to proceed with it.

Goh was speaking to reporters in Petaling Jaya after a media briefing to announce its acquisition of Eluxion Media, a local interactive multimedia production house.

Macro Kiosk acquired a 60% stake in the company for RM72,000 while the remaining 40% would be held by Eluxion Media founders Lee Hua Ling and Ian Su.

"With the acquisition of Eluxion Media, we are offering mobile interactive media on multi channels such as television, radio and the mobile device."

"The acquisition does not mean we are now a content provider. We are only expanding our services in our core business by providing the expertise to help our clients produce and brand their own television and video content," said Goh. He said with the acquisition, Macro Kiosk could now offer services catered for the television and radio operators, channel owners, media and brand holders as well as third generation mobile operators.

Macro Kiosk deploys home-grown Malaysian mobile technology offering mobile data links to 364 telecommunications operators in more than 115 countries worldwide. Its SMS Gateway, e-tracker, is globally connected to 95 major SMS centres.