GEORGE TOWN: Motorola Solutions Malaysia expects its local talent pool to grow with its expansion plans here.
Its deputy managing director and global supply director John Andersen said Motorola in Penang has a workforce of 1,200 highly skilled engineers of which 97% are young and tech-savvy Malaysians.
The American electronics giant celebrated its 45th anniversary, from when it had a pool of 10 engineers here in 1974.
Andersen and its Asia Pacific communications director Damien Batey told an invited group of Penang journalists that there are expansion plans ahead.
Almost 380 types of Motorola products and components will go through its research and development facility in Bayan Lepas, Andersen said. “We have our fingers on almost every company product,” he added.
Despite challenges in the industrial production era, Motorola remains positive on its outlook in Penang. Its production here reaches 100,000 customers in 120 countries.
Motorola Solutions in Penang also provides support to 18 networks for clients throughout the world, including in Latin America.
Its senior engineering manager Tan Chian Meng said the R&D facility here is also pursuing Artificial Intelligence and the crunching of Big Data as it has embraced the Industrial Revolution 4.0 age.
Tan said that the engineers here are working with machines which constantly learn by themselves and they help to design the latest products for Motorola.
The market for Motorola’s flagship communication devices of the walkie-talkie variety have also grown steadily in the past years.
Motorola has also ventured into public security and natural disaster management with the state-of-the-art communications devices which can withstand rough weather.
Andersen said it is the hope of the company that they can sustain their presence in Penang for another 45 years or more.
