Pelangi Publishing Group (PPG) was
founded in 1979 by a team of young teachers. Within a period of 38 years, the
company has grown from strength to strength, publishing over 10,000 titles
spanning multiple languages.
It was conceived by 3 former
teachers who saw the potential demand for locally written revision books in the
national language as, at that time, there were only a handful of such books
available in the market when the Cambridge Examination System was replaced by
the local examination system and the medium of instruction changed from English
to Bahasa Malaysia. The partners’ initial goal was to assist students in their
efforts to prepare themselves for the new examination system. Their first
publications were translations of past-year examination papers with suggested
model answers for core subjects such as Mathematics and Science.
An
Award-winning Publisher
Pelangi is the first Malaysian
publisher to be awarded the ISO 9001: 2000 accreditation in publishing. This
accreditation serves as a platform for the company to further enhance its
overseas markets and place the company in a better position to meet any
challenges that might arise. The company is also the first homegrown publisher
to be public listed in 2004.
As a testament to its high-quality
products and sensitivity to new developments in the educational sector of
Malaysia, Pelangi was awarded the Enterprise 50 Awards 2000, 2001 and 2002,
Superbrands 2005, Golden Bull Awards 2008 – Hall of Fame, The BrandLaureate –
SMEs Chapter Awards 2009 and 2011 for Books/Digital Products, the Anugerah Buku
Negara 2012, SMEs Signature Award 2012 and 2013, The World’s Best Brands in
Publishing Award 2013, Signature Award in Educational Products 2014, President
Award Publishing Educational Award 2015 and Most Sustainable Brand Award in
Leadership Publishing & Education Solution 2016.
Diversification
and Expansion
In 2004 and 2005, the company
expanded its business overseas with the setting up of subsidiary companies in
China, Thailand and Indonesia. The expansion has resulted in increased
marketing activities in these countries. In addition to selling to countries in
Southeast Asia, the company has also targeted the Middle East and West Asian
countries like Egypt, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
In September 2009, the company had
incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary company in England and Wales under the
name of Dickens Publishing Ltd. It is part of the company’s plans to use London
as the point to venture into the global market. With the incorporation of
Dickens in Europe, its goal of becoming a renowned publishing brand worldwide
will be a step nearer.
At an exciting time of business, PPG
has grown into a multi-million corporation with an annual group turnover of
over RM 60 million. The company’s range of products caters to all levels of
society, from pre-schoolers to adults, and is exported to many countries.
Other than publishing, PPG has also
ventured into printing, educational training, digital, multimedia and online-related
businesses. Currently, the company has subsidiaries and associate companies in
China, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Pelangi
Publishing Group is without doubt a trusted leading publisher in Malaysia.
Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR)
To strike a balance between
Pelangi’s corporate and social value, the company also takes part in community
service actively. PPG extends its contributions to the public good through its
Corporate Responsibility Initiative, which is taken up to ensure that the Group
continues to embody the principles of corporate responsibility in order to
create sustainable value. Each year, besides contributing monetary and product
donations to charitable and needy organisations, the Group also acts as a sponsor
for various educational functions and events.