Nicknamed the ‘rice bowl’ of Malaysia due to its rich rice production, Kedah is now redefining itself as a strategic regional hub for industrial and manufacturing sectors. As a result, talks of building aerotropolis and industrial parks in the state are circulating.
As such, 2 developers find it the right time and place to set up their manufacturing plants in Kedah. The new launches of the plants took place in the first quarter of 2021 and hope to contribute to Kedah’s commercial and economic growth significantly.
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Disposable lens manufacturing plant by Menicon Co Ltd in Kulim Hi-Tech Park, Kedah
On 1 March 2022, Menicon Co. Ltd announced their first manufacturing plant in Malaysia at the Kulim Hi-Tech Park, Kedah. The Japanese headquartered company specialises in designing and making contact lenses and offers lens care solutions.
In the announcement ceremony, they stated that the manufacturing plant in Kulim will be an extension of their business as it will be used to produce daily disposable contact lenses.
Menicon is investing RM650 million to materialise the project, spearheaded by their wholly-owned subsidiary, Menicon Malaysia Sdn Bhd. It will be their largest facility globally with 45,000 square metres of floor area comprising a factory with 200,000 square metres of site area.
Advanced technology and sustainable products will be used to build the facility. The factory will be transformed into a ‘Smart Factory’ with an integrated system to produce, transport and ship the lenses.
Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) is closely working with Menicon to materialise the project. MIDA has a One-Stop Centre (OSC) for business travellers keen to invest in Malaysia. This centre is allowing Menicon to receive their investment money on time for the construction, which began in August 2022.
The project is expected to complete by 2025. Upon completion, the plant will hire 200 employees with engineering specialities. This will add to the high-income employability of Malaysia. The facility also meets Malaysia’s National Investment Aspirations (NIA), aiming to grow the economy with high-value career opportunities.
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Porsche Assembly facility by Sime Darby in Kulim, Kedah
Porsche opened their first assembly facility outside of Europe at Sime Darby’s motor vehicle production and assembly facility in Malaysia. Located in Kulim, Kedah, the facility premiered the launch with a locally assembled Cayenne for the domestic market on 28 March 2022.
The facility is designed to keep sustainability a priority. For example, solar panels are installed on the roof, which provide all the power for operation. They also integrated a rainwater harvesting technology to keep wastewater at a minimum.
The facility aims to cater dream sports cars to Malaysian Porsche fans. It will provide right-hand drive Cayenne with a range of high-quality equipment specifically designed for the Malaysian market.
In addition, the facility offers a specially curated ‘Porsche Exclusive Maufaktur’ option package and a Porsche Design timepiece to further personalise the vehicle for consumers. Consumers can also request a variety of lifestyle-oriented Tequipment accessories to enhance their car.
The facility is 100% staffed by high skilled Malaysians with full-scale training from Porsche. Thus, it will create job opportunities that will contribute to the growth of the local community. It will also create business opportunities for many Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and add to the global supply chain development.
With Sime Darby’s high-value expertise in assembly capacity, it will add to Malaysia’s growth in the motor business. This aligns with the National Automative Policy (NAP) 2020, aiming to progress Malaysia as a regional leader in automotive manufacturing, engineering, sustainability development and technology growth.
Tell us what you think about these new manufacturing and industrial developments in Kedah. And stay tuned to the Guyub news portal to know what new launches are happening in other parts of Malaysia.
