SHAH ALAM: Panasonic Group of Companies is investing RM300 million in the next three years to incorporate Industry 4.0 smart manufacturing at its four factories in Selangor.
"Panasonic Group of Companies is made up of 23 entities in Malaysia. Of that, the four entities in Selangor is embracing the Malaysian government’s initiative to incorporate Industry 4.0 smart manufacturing,” said Panasonic Management Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PMM) managing director Cheng Chee Chung.
“PMM is one of the four entities here investing into smart manufacturing. We aim to be less reliant on manual labour and at the same time, upskill local staff to be familiar with automation and robotics,” said PMM senior executive of sales & human resources divisions Siew Pui Ling.
Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Bhd (PMMB), which is listed on Bursa Malaysia, manufactures and exports electric fans, home showers, vacuum cleaners, rice cookers, blenders, juicers, electric irons, dish dryers and bidets.
“The four entities in Selangor, including PMMB, is investing RM300 million in the next three years for the factories here to embrace smart manufacturing,” said Siew.
Cheng and Siew were speaking to reporters after Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari officiated at PMMA's opening of three new facilities here today.
“We have also invested RM50 million into these new building and new research and development (R&D) facilities in Shah Alam,” Siew said, adding that 140 engineers are currently employed, of which 80 per cent are locals who are already familiar with product development.
Also present at the event today were International Trade and Industry deputy minister Dr Ong Kian Ming, Selangor executive councillor Datuk Teng Chang Khim, International Trade and Industry Ministry secretary-general Datuk Isham Ishak and Japan Ambassador to Malaysia Dr Makio Miyagawa.
Panasonic Corp appliances company chief executive officer Tetsuro Homma, who flew in from Japan, is joined by his colleagues here, namely Panasonic appliances Asia Pacific managing director Hiroyuki Tagishi, Panasonic Asia Pacific managing director Takehiko Ryu, PMMB chairman Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin and managing director Toyokatsu Okamoto.
On company outlook, Siew said PMMB remains cautiously optimistic of achieving its internal target of RM1.2 billion turnover in the current year ending March 2019.
“Half of our products are sold locally and the other half in exported within Asia and the Middle East,” she said.
“We experienced good sales, during the tax holidays period for three months, from June to August this year,” said Cheng.
“We now see sales picking up again this month and the next in view of Christmas and Chinese New Year festivities,” Cheng added.
Siew also highlighted that among the challenges PMMB faces in the export market is the general slowdown especially to the Middle East market.