KEDAH, Malaysia, Nov 1 (Bernama) -- AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd is pleased to announce the start of construction of its new Integrated Circuit (IC) Substrates manufacturing facility here in Kulim Hi-Technology Park, Kedah.

The groundbreaking ceremony was jointly officiated by YAB Tuan Haji Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, Chief Minister of Kedah and YB Dato' Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI).

During his speech, YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali remarked “Despite the pandemic, companies like AT&S are continuing to expand and grow. I am happy that AT&S has chosen Malaysia to establish its first production plant in Southeast Asia. This is by far the largest investment in the history of AT&S with the total investment of €1.7 billion Euros which is expected to create high skilled job opportunities for over 6,000 Malaysians. This investment is timely because the market environment is bullish with the dynamics of global demand.

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate MIDA for the expeditious effort since November 2020 to realise this investment. It is with great pride for me to note that it took only about 12 months for this investment to come to fruition from inception to groundbreaking. Indeed, this groundbreaking ceremony is a much-awaited event for Malaysia, and we are delighted to have one of the key global electrical and electronics (E&E) players here in Kedah.”

Echoing the Senior Minister, Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) remarked, “We are proud that AT&S will join Malaysia’s E&E industry cluster. Our strategic position within ASEAN, our robust pool of talent and our established local supply chains that are well-integrated into the global value chain are undeniable pull factors for investors such as AT&S to choose Malaysia as their springboard into the region. Being the country’s principal investment promotion agency under MITI, MIDA looks forward to working closely with AT&S to support the growth of their operations here in Malaysia.”

Despite the global pandemic, MIDA has worked closely with AT&S since November 2020 to realise AT&S’ investment. The One-Stop Centre for Business Travellers, managed by MIDA enables investors to travel to Malaysia with a strict Standard of Procedure (SOP) and make business decisions, which also helped AT&S to set up their manufacturing plant in Kulim, Kedah.

The electrical and electronics (E&E) industry contributes to a significant part of Malaysia's economy. Malaysia's E&E manufacturing sector is rapidly evolving, with companies shifting their focus to high-tech, knowledge-intensive and higher-value activities. With the E&E ecosystem in place, MIDA is continuously working towards attracting high-value MNCs to Malaysia.

This AT&S project in Malaysia looks to enhance the development of Malaysia’s semiconductor ecosystem while opening opportunities for local vendors in advanced electronics through industry and training partnerships.

AT&S CEO, Mr. Andreas Gerstenmayer assured, “This step marks a true milestone for AT&S. With our new state-of-the-art factory for IC substrates, we are able to establish a completely new technology sector in Malaysia, one of the future global microelectronics hotspots. We will not only manufacture high-end IC substrates for high-performance processors at our new facility, but also conduct R&D activities at this location. This creates a win-win situation for both, AT&S as well as the Malaysian society as an investment in R&D is an investment in the future of a country.”

“With the AT&S investment in Malaysia, we are creating 6,000 high-tech jobs in the region and will help to set-up the framework for future growth in Malaysia”, says AT&S Chief Operating Officer (COO), Mr. Ingolf Schröeder. “We see it as our natural responsibility as an international company, to truly live our social commitment and our positioning as an inclusive, diverse and responsible employer at any new location.” 

MIDA and AT&S had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on long-term research and development partnerships and upskilling programmes with Malaysian universities, training and research institutions, to create highly skilled and high-value-added employment opportunities. The MOU will see both parties collaborate to uplift Malaysia's talent competence, especially in high end printed circuit boards (PCB) and IC substrates. 

About MIDA
MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. 

About AT&S
AT&S is a leading manufacturer of high-end printed circuit boards and IC substrates. AT&S industrialises leading-edge technologies for its core business segments Mobile Devices & Substrates, Automotive, Industrial and Medical. AT&S has a global presence with production sites in Austria (Leoben, Fehring) and plants in India (Nanjangud), China (Shanghai, Chongqing) and Korea (Ansan near Seoul). The company employs roughly 12,000 people. For further information please visit www.ats.net.  

Source: Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Name: Mr. Gerald Reischl
Director Communications & PR – AT&S AG
Tel: +43 664 88592452
Email: g.reischl@ats.net 

Name: Ms. Azlina Hamdan
Director, E&E Division, MIDA
Tel: +603-2267 3791
Email: azlina@mida.gov.my 

Name: Ms. WaiQuan Wong
Junzi Communications
On behalf of AT&S AG
Tel: +6012-456 0308
Email: waiquan@thejunzi.com

--BERNAMA