KULIM, Kedah: Porsche's first assembly plant outside of Europe located in Kulim, Kedah will be fully staffed by highly skilled Malaysians, all of whom have said to have received comprehensive training from the German automaker.
Sime Darby Bhd group chief executive officer Datuk Jeffri Salim Davidson said the plant, which is located at the group's motor vehicle production and assembly facility here, would not only support the growth of its businesses across the automotive value chain in Malaysia but also create a pipeline of jobs to empower the local community.
Assembly is also said to be further supported by a network of local suppliers and service providers in the area, aimed at empowering the future of the local community with job opportunities, upskilling prospects, and potential for further expansion.
The company said it would take two days to complete production of a single Porsche model at the plant, with maximum capacity per-time period expandable depending on demand.
The global chip shortage situation, despite its challenges and complications, would not impact production at the plant, it added.
"We are very honoured by Porsche's continued trust in Sime Darby, as we deliver a product consistent with Porsche's highest standards for quality, performance and driving experience," he added.
The launch of Porsche's Kulim assembly plant was officiated by the Raja Muda of Kedah Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah Ibni Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin, Kedah minister Datuk Seri Haji Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, along with Sime Darby, Porsche AG and Porsche Asia Pacific executive board members and management.
International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali said Porsche's expansion in Malaysia was aligned to the National Automotive Policy (NAP) 2020, which aimed to advance Malaysia as a regional leader in automotive manufacturing, engineering, technology, and sustainable development.
"Sime Darby and Porsche choose Malaysia for its first assembly facility outside of Europe, signifying the company's confidence in Malaysia's conducive ecosystem and strength to support their long-term growth.
"This assembly facility also acknowledges the capability of Malaysia's local talent of highly skilled engineers and technicians towards expanding their footprint in the Asean region."
Azmin added that the government viewed the automotive industry as a strategic economic sector acting as a gateway to boundless precision engineering possibilities.
This, he pointed out, was examplified by how established automotive-producing nations have demonstrated the vibrancy of the global supply chain's development, which had been instrumental in the substantial growth of creating jobs and skilled workforce as well as generating many business opportunities for SMEs.
Detlev von Platen, member of the executive board for sales and marketing at Porsche, said it had reached a new milestone as it rolls out the first locally-assembled (CKD) sports utility vehicle (SUV) Cayenne.
The specific right hand drive Cayenne models, first debuting during the inaugural launch of the assembly plant, is said to focus on catering to the local market
It will come with an elevated and enhanced standard equipment range specified exclusively for the Malaysian market, with a specially-curated Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur option package and a special Porsche Design timepiece available for further personalisation.
A wide range of lifestyle-oriented equipment accessories are also available on request.
"Our growth strategy underlines the importance of Malaysia for Porsche as we look to expand our presence in the Asean region. It also demonstrates our confidence in Sime Darby as a strong partner on our side," he added.
"The new assembly site in Malaysia meets specific market needs and operates alongside Porsche's established network of production sites in Europe. In particular, it meets comprehensive quality standards set forth by Porsche when assembling Porsche sports cars," said Albrecht Reimold, member of the executive board for production and logistics at Porsche.
"Additionally, the facility was built alongside our production philosophy: smart, lean and green. Therefore, the new assembly facility is not only a benchmark in efficiency and quality, but also in sustainability," he added.
The facility is designed with sustainability in mind with solar panels on the roof to provide all the power needed for operation and rainwater harvesting technologies to ensure wastewater is kept to a minimum.
Currently there are no plans for electric vehicle (EV) development and assembly at the plant, as with exporting to other countries in the region.
Porsche has said it would monitor the situation first before considering expansion plans.