MKS Malaysia Penang Supercenter Factory Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony

Recently, MKS Instruments held a groundbreaking and celebration ceremony for its Supercenter factory in Penang, Malaysia.

This important moment has been witnessed jointly by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and Invest Penang, which will help meet the growing demand for semiconductor equipment for wafer manufacturing in the region and globally.

This advanced factory, covering an area of approximately 500000 square feet (about 17 acres), is expected to employ around 1000 employees and will be constructed in stages. The first phase of the project is scheduled to be completed in the first half of 2026.

YB Goh Choon Aik, Director General of Penang Investment Authority, and ADUN Bukit Tambun stated that Penang is known as the "Silicon Valley of the East", and its 50 year industrialization process and reputation for innovative technology have solidified its global position as the preferred destination for electronics and electrical investment in Southeast Asia. They emphasized that Penang's thriving industrial ecosystem naturally attracts investors such as MKS Instruments, further demonstrating the state's attractiveness as a preferred investment destination and supported by its strong ecosystem.

YB Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry of Malaysia, welcomed the arrival of MKS Instruments. He pointed out that this groundbreaking super center factory is not only a strong affirmation of the Malaysian government's commitment to accelerating investor projects, but also in line with the goals of Malaysia's New Industrial Master Plan 2030.

The plan aims to enhance economic complexity, promote symbiotic relationships between global companies and local small and medium-sized enterprises, and create high skilled, high paying jobs in cutting-edge fields such as engineering and technology, benefiting the people of Malaysia. He believes that these measures will propel Malaysia's semiconductor industry towards the top of the global value chain and become a true 'stunt' in the world's industrial sector.

Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) stated that this important moment provides an excellent opportunity for Machinery and Equipment (M&E) companies to showcase their strength. He emphasized that MIDA will continue to be committed to supporting and promoting investments to enhance operational capabilities, in order to drive the rapid rise of Malaysia's manufacturing industry and become a true 'industrial powerhouse'.

Dr. John T.C. Lee, President and CEO of MKS, stated that Penang provides an attractive and rapidly growing semiconductor ecosystem platform. Choosing to establish a significant business here is part of MKS's strategy and long-term capital planning. He emphasized that the addition of Penang brings MKS closer to customers, suppliers, and a strong technological infrastructure, including a deep and talented workforce. This will help MKS continue to stimulate innovation and enhance its leadership position in a wide range of semiconductor manufacturing applications.

According to the MIDA report, in the first half of 2024 (1H2024), the local Machinery and Equipment (M&E) department achieved impressive growth, with a total of 64 projects approved and an investment of RM2.8 billion. These projects are expected to contribute to the sustained development and expansion of the industry in Malaysia, and create over 3500 new job opportunities.

As the main government investment promotion and development agency under the Malaysian Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), MIDA is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Central and has 12 regional offices and 21 overseas offices, responsible for supervising and promoting investment in Malaysia's manufacturing and service industries.

MKS Instruments is a company that provides fundamental technology solutions for leading semiconductor manufacturing, electronics and packaging, as well as special industrial applications. MKS utilizes extensive scientific and engineering capabilities to create instruments, subsystems, systems, process control solutions, and specialty chemical technologies for numerous world leading technology and industrial companies, in order to improve process performance, optimize productivity, and achieve unique innovation. The solutions from MKS Instruments are crucial in addressing the challenges of miniaturization and complexity in advanced equipment manufacturing. They have made significant contributions to industry development by increasing power, speed, enhancing functionality, and optimizing connectivity.

Source: OFweek