KUALA LUMPUR: Global manufacturer and marketer of medical devices Boston Scientific Corp is set to expand in Asia Pacific and has embarked on its first manufacturing facility in Asia, to be located in Penang.
The 375,000-square feet Boston Scientific facility at the Batu Kawan Industrial Park is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of next year.
Vice-president of operations Dave Mitchell told Business Times about the significant role Malaysia is about to play as part of the group’s expansion plans in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (AMEA).
“Penang came up as the best location for our first manufacturing facility in Asia as it enables us to expand our global presence in AMEA as well as provide support for local research and development and new business development.
“Our investment in Malaysia is driven by the country’s good business environment, a well-established manufacturing infrastructure and a growing medical sector. Under the 11th Malaysia Plan, the medical device industry is identified as a key to rapid growth alongside the aerospace, chemical, electronics and machinery sectors,” he said.
Most importantly, Malaysia also offers a strong pool of local talent.
The Penang facility will produce medical devices for Boston Scientific’s cardiology and endoscopy portfolios to cater for regional needs. It is also the newest addition to the company’s global network of 13 high-tech manufacturing facilities.
“The initial phase includes building the capacity to produce medical devices. We are evaluating subsequent phases to confirm the best mix of products to develop in the Penang facility,” said Mitchell.
The Penang facility will be part of Boston Scientific’s global supply network, which markets medical devices to around 30,000 hospitals, clinics and medical offices across more than 100 countries.
Boston Scientific expects to create more than 400 jobs at the Penang site within four years after the commencement of operation, with room to grow significantly beyond that.
“We are focused on employee development, and our entire team in Penang will participate in intensive training related to the staff’s specific roles in the organisation. I am happy to say that some of our new hires for the Penang facility have been sent to Ireland for training and another group of employees is undergoing training in Costa Rica.
“We also plan to bring in employees from overseas to help establish the Penang facility and train local leaders. We invest heavily in employee development as well as new technologies that will help us better serve the patients and physicians who use our products,” said Mitchell.
He said in the long term, the group will work with local universities as part of its commitment to build talent in countries where Boston Scientific has established manufacturing facilities.
The group is also optimistic about the local and regional healthcare markets.
“The government is working towards achieving universal access to quality healthcare to realise Vision 2020 and we believe that this will continue to categorically impact the local healthcare industry.
“The medical device industry has seen strong growth in Asia Pacific over the years. The region is now comparable to Europe in terms of opportunity as the medical device industry here is expected to record strong growth of almost six per cent to reach US$315 billion (RM1.3 trillion) by year-end, according to research firm Euromonitor,” he added.