ELNA PCB Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Elna PCB) is achieving another milestone with the expansion of a new plant in central Seberang Perai here.
Elna PCB, one of the key printed circuit board (PCB) players in Penang, is set to invest about RM1 billion; which includes the plant, equipment and machinery.
Established in 1994, Elna PCB became part of the PSA Group in Taiwan, following a joint venture between PSA Group and Japan-based Elna Printed Circuit in 2018.
The expansion works started in December last year and are expected to be completed within a year.
Elna PCB president Ian Yang said the new plant, which will be located next to the existing plant in Lorong Perusahaan 4 at the Perai Free Industrial Zone, was designed to manufacture PCBs for the usage of automotive, server, networking, laptop, desktop, and consumer electronic device products.
“Upon completion, the new plant is expected to create an additional 1,000 employment opportunities to support the ecosystem.
“We are optimistic that, upon the completion of the expansion project, we will be able to achieve a five-fold business growth from our current business size.
“We chose Penang as our present and future home as Penang’s competitive edge lies in its skilled workforce, robust market, and supply chain.
“Our local suppliers have been very supportive and we wish to strengthen our ties with them by enabling more localisation activities.
“In addition, the state’s top-notch infrastructure and the strong government support are also the key reasons for us to invest in Penang,” he said in his speech before the groundbreaking ceremony today.
The expansion project would see a six-storey factory unit built on a 10,289sq m land area.
Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) (investment promotion and facilitation) deputy chief executive officer Sivasuriyamoorthy Sundara Raja said Mida was optimistic that Elna PCB’s latest reinvestment would enhance the transfer of technology and knowledge, as well as foster more local supply chain partnerships, leading to an even stronger industry ecosystem in Malaysia.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said Elna PCB has a presence of nearly 30 years in Penang.
“Its decision to expand is a testament to Penang‘s sustainable location for investments.
“I believe Penang’s robust industrial ecosystem, strong talent pool, and conducive business environment are among the key factors for Elna PCB to deepen its roots in the state,” he said in his speech.
Chow said that Penang had been recognised as one of the key players in the global semiconductor industry and other electronic component manufacturing, including the much essential, PCB manufacturing.
“The growing demand for digitalisation is seen as one of the key drivers for PCB, being a vital component of many of today’s most advanced technologies.
“Driven by Penang’s position as the country’s leading Electrical & Electronics (E&E) hub, the state continues to be a key pillar of Malaysia’s external trade.
“Penang topped the nation’s list in 2021 with an export value of RM354 billion recorded.
“The external trade momentum in Penang had persisted into 2022 with a 27% year-on-year spike on the export value, which reached an all-time high of RM452 billion in the said year. It represented 29% of the country’s total,” he added.
He highlighted that on the investment front, Penang was also among the top contributors in the country. The state clocked in an all-time high of RM76 billion in its approved manufacturing investments in 2021.
“From January to September 2022, Penang garnered RM9 billion of approved manufacturing investments, among which 53% was contributed by E&E products; which represented 22% of the country’s total in E&E. This further strengths the state’s position as the Silicon Valley of the East,” he said.
Chow welcomed industry leaders to take advantage of what Penang has to offer.
“I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to Mida and InvestPenang for their synergistic efforts in engaging investors and facilitating project implementations,” he said.
Also present were Penang State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Law Choo Kiang, Penang Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin, InvestPenang chief executive officer Datuk Loo Lee Lian, Penang Mida director Muhammad Ghaddaffi Sardar Mohamed and PSA PCB Business Group president Davis Lai.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Alissala Thian
Video by Siti Nuratikah Rahmat