JOHOR BAHRU: SEW-Eurodrive Sdn Bhd, a local subsidiary of the SEW-Eurodrive Group is expanding its operations in Malaysia with a new Drive Technology Centre in Frontier Industrial Park’s Frontier 2, Ulu Tiram.
The new facility which will house the Assembly, Sales, Service and Training functions all under one roof was officiated by Malaysian Investment Development Authority’s (MIDA) Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Azman Mahmud.
“SEW’s enhanced facility will be of strategic importance to attract more multi-national companies that uses the company’s technology to set up their plants in Malaysia.
“We are very excited that besides providing enhanced drive technology services and local sourcing mainly in logistic services, SEW employs 100 per cent local manpower in their facilities whereby 70 per cent earns more than RM3,000 monthly.
“There are already 51 Malaysians working with SEW and this project will create additional 14 more job opportunities for locals, particularly for skilled personnel such as electrical and electronic engineers, process engineers and mechanical engineers,” said Azman.
“Germany is among the largest source of foreign investments for the country, with 404 manufacturing projects implemented totalling RM29 billion.
“The sustained inflows of German investments into Malaysia are a reflection of the country’s continued competitiveness for businesses.
“The very fact that these companies continue to invest in Malaysia, even during such challenging times to the global economy, is indeed even more noteworthy,” the MIDA CEO further added.
The German world leader in drive technology and a pioneer in drive-based automation is known for quickly solving the most difficult power transmission and motion control challenges with their unique modular system of components in their gearmotors.
Having built 90 facilities all over the world, the operations need to comply with strict quality processes that will necessitate a customised factory.
Impressed with WB Land’s capability in build-to-suit solutions with an in-house turnkey project management team who could meet the Germans’ specifications, Malaysia’s first SEW Drive Technology Centre will be built at Frontier 2.
In this plant SEW will add four more products to be assembled here to provide faster delivery and after-sales support within the shortest time-frame.
Commenting on the new facility, SEW Eurodrive District Manager for South East and East Asia, Andreas Appel said “I am pleased to note that SEW-Eurodrive is marking its 30th anniversary of their Malaysia’s operations by investing in this 2.4-acre facility.
It is our way of proving our long-term commitment in Malaysia.” With the expanded product range, the new factory will assemble locally all types of gearmotors to suit different types of conditions or requirements, such as their S-Type geared unit for low noise operations in airports’ conveyer systems.
Frontier 2 is a 62-acre industrial park comprising 66 semi-detached and 11 build-to-suit (BTS) factories, a secure and green home for industries with gated-guarded surveillance, a purpose-built two-acre central park for rest and recreation, and a workers’ dormitory for on-site accommodation.
Frontier 2 is part of the 136-acre Frontier Industrial Park (FIP) next to Desa Cemerlang at Ulu Tiram within Iskandar Malaysia, with overall project completion by July 2018; Frontier 1 was completed eight months ahead of schedule in 2014.
It is only 15 minutes to Johor Port, 25 minutes to Woodlands Checkpoint and 30 minutes to Senai Airport. — Bernama