KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 (Bernama) -- Menicon Co., Ltd, the Japanese-headquartered specialised designer and manufacturer of contact lenses and lens care solutions today announced an investment of RM650 million (JPY18 billion) for the establishment of its first manufacturing plant in Malaysia at the Kulim Hi-Tech Park, Kedah to produce daily disposable contact lenses. 

This strategic investment, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Menicon Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (Menicon Malaysia) will witness the setup of the building and equipment for a new production facility spanning over a site area of 200,000 square metres. The plant’s 45,000 square metres floor area will also be built aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Environmental-friendly features like solar panels will be installed to utilise renewable energy and eaves to prevent rise in room temperature. 

Notably, the plant is expected to employ close to 100 personnel once the scheduled production begins in 2025, which will further position Malaysia at the forefront as a global hub for quality investments while creating high-value jobs.

Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI) said, “Menicon’s decision to establish a highly automated factory here is a testament to our ability in meeting rigorous demands of highly regulated industries like medical devices and our business-friendly policies that can support our investors’ business goals. This investment meets our National Investment Aspirations (NIA), particularly in creating greater economic complexity and high-value career opportunities for Malaysians. Furthermore, Menicon’s commitment to sustainable practices in the design and construction of their plant augurs well with Malaysia’s ESG goals for greener investment undertakings.”

Datuk Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) echoing the Senior Minister said, “MIDA has been working closely with Menicon throughout the pandemic to materialise their investment successfully. This continuous facilitation includes the One-Stop Centre (OSC) for Business Travellers, which enables investors to travel to Malaysia for their investment undertakings in efforts to minimise disruptions to the economy and revitalise trade and investment into our country. We are optimistic that Menicon’s investment will be another major step forward for Malaysia and the company’s growth here will be beneficial for our local medical devices industry and people.”

Dr. Hidenari Tanaka, CEO of Menicon Co. Ltd. remarked, “Our Malaysian plant is set to be the largest facility in the Menicon group globally. This facility combined with our existing plant in Singapore is expected to drive our business growth in the international market. To meet high level of quality control requirements in our industry, this new plant in Kedah will be designed and built as a Smart Factory. We have evaluated various aspects of each country such as global competitiveness, risk of natural disasters, languages, and finally selected Malaysia as the best location to realise a stable operation for the long-term. Our strong and longstanding ties with the Government of Malaysia will help us set-up smoothly in this new location and help us meet the global demand for daily disposable contact lenses and contribute to the Malaysian economy.” 

He further shared that due to the increasing myopia population globally, contact lens market, especially daily disposable contact lens, has been growing in recent years. To meet the growing demand, the whole supply process of contact lens including production, transportation and shipment will be connected by an integrated system, which will enable high level of productivity and quality control supported by the industry’s high-performing machines. 

Menicon’s investment project was discussed during the Trade and Investment Mission (TIM) to Tokyo in April 2021 led by Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali. The project’s approval and subsequent start of the facility’s construction in August 2022 demonstrates the Government’s continued effort to welcome and facilitate highquality FDIs for Malaysia.  

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 Menicon Co., Ltd
Menicon Co., Ltd., headquartered in Nagoya, Japan, has distribution channels in more than 80 countries and specialises in every aspect of the field from material development and lens design to manufacturing of lenses and lens care solutions. Menicon provides contact lens users with safe products and services through innovative product development and unique subscription service called “MELS plan”, which was developed by CEO, Hidenari Tanaka.
https://www.menicon.co.jp/
https://www.menicon.com/ 

Source: Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 
MIDA
Name: Balkish Mohd Yasin (Ms.)
Director, Life Sciences & Medical Technology Division, MIDA
Tel: +603-2267 3458
Email: balkish@mida.gov.my

Menicon
Liaison & Public Relations Dept
Email: presscontact@menicon.co.jp

--BERNAMA