WITH a presence in Malaysia for more than 20 years, Saint-Gobain's new factory is its fifth industrial establishment in the country and the 28th in Southeast Asia.
Located on a 50,000 square metre site in Johor, the factory has been inaugurated on May 25 and will serve the company's Malaysian and Singaporean markets.
Gathering the best of its technologies and manufacturing processes, the new plant will allow manufacturing of a large range of mortars, waterproofing and construction chemicals.
Testament to the confidence that investors have in Malaysia and the region, the latest expansion is a priority for Saint-Gobain in establishing a regional manufacturing hub to service Asean countries and beyond.
This new plant is also designed to produce 3D printing solutions to support their pioneer positioning in this new market segment. The capacity of the plant is scalable for future demands.
With the aim of reducing its carbon dioxide emission and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, the new plant is designed to use natural gas as fuel.
The company is committed to continually invest in projects relating to Industry 4.0, recycling, raw material and energy reduction to reach its desired goals.
Saint-Gobain Asia-Pacific senior vice-president and chief executive officer Javier Gimeno said the company's investment in Johor is proof of its long-term commitment to Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
"Indeed, we are convinced of the huge potential of development in these geographies, whose markets are increasingly driven by innovation, technology, product performance and genuine respect of the environment.
"At Saint-Gobain we strive to excel in these fields so we can give our clients and final users the best value proposition," he said.
Malaysian Investment Development Authority chief executive officer Arham Abdul Rahman said the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to accelerate the adoption of digital technology in the manufacturing process.
"Given that research and innovation are at the heart of Saint-Gobain's strategy, we are excited to witness this latest undertaking here.
"We are confident that Saint-Gobain will further benefit from Malaysia's strategic location, comprehensive global trade agreements, competitive cost of doing business, multi-faceted talent pool, as well as business-friendly policies," said Arham.
Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and solutions for the construction, mobility and healthcare industries.
Developed through a continuous innovation process, they can be found everywhere in our living places and daily life, providing wellbeing, performance and safety, while addressing the challenges of sustainable construction, resource efficiency and climate change.
To learn more about Saint-Gobain, visit www.saint-gobain.com.my