PETALING JAYA: Malaysia welcomed an RM8.5 billion (€1.7 billion) investment from Austria-based manufacturer of high-end printed circuit boards (PCB) and integrated circuit (IC) substrates AT&S to set up a manufacturing facility in Kulim, Kedah, which will see the creation of 5,000 jobs.
“The facility will produce PCB and IC substrates with construction slated to commence in the second half of this year, while commercial operation is expected to come on stream in 2024,” Senior Minister and International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali said in a statement today.
This project is among the investments attracted by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority under the National Short-Term Economic Recovery Plan’s (Penjana) investment scheme, launched on June 5, 2020.
AT&S’ high end PCB and IC substrates are used in mobile devices, industrial electronics, automotive applications as well as medical and health technology.
As an international enterprise, the company has production facilities in Austria, India, China and South Korea.
AT&S CEO Andreas Gerstenmayer stated that it came to the decision to invest in Malaysia after scouting globally.
“Beside manufacturing of high-tech products, a significant amount of research & development activities will be executed at this new location,” Gerstenmayer said.
“AT&S’ footprint in Malaysia will also further boost the development of our semiconductor ecosystem, enable opportunities for our local vendors in the field of advanced electronics and spur high-tech employment for Malaysians,” Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.
