Intel to invest $40m in Malaysia: Barrett
Intel to invest $40m in Malaysia: Barrett
Agence France-Presse
Penang, Malaysia
U.S. computer chip giant Intel on Tuesday announced it will
invest 152 million ringgit (US$40 million) to boost its
manufacturing capacity in Malaysia.
It would be used to expand its facilities, including to open a
new technology design and development center in northern Penang
state, Intel Corp. chief executive officer Craig Barrett said.
Barrett said Intel would continue to support Malaysia's growth
and technology development but did not specify how many years the
new investment would be spread over.
Penang is regarded as Southeast Asia's Silicon Valley and
houses hundreds of international manufacturing companies such as
Motorola, Jabil Circuits, Hitachi and FairChild.
Intel has two plants in Malaysia -- one in Penang and another
in neighboring Kedah state with about 8,000 employees.
"Today, we celebrate and build on Intel's 31-year history of
technology manufacturing in Malaysia," Barrett was quoted as
saying by Bernama news agency.
The company chief was in Penang to launch Intel's PG12
facility, which will develop, assemble and test chipsets for
Intel's manufacturing sites worldwide.
The new center will also house several design and development
facilities including Intel Malaysia's assembly technology
development and testing technology development labs that focus on
manufacturing process and packaging technology, he said.
Barrett said Intel would use its strong manufacturing base in
the country as a springboard to design and develop future
made-in-Malaysia technologies.
"Building on the successful design and development of key
technologies, the employees of Intel PG12 will now innovate
future technologies for the convergence of computing and
communications," he said.
Barrett said Malaysia's "readily available infrastructure,
high volume manufacturing capacity, skilled workforce and strong
government support for information technology innovation," made
it an ideal location for the new center.
Malaysia, however, must be more competitive in the expanding
global economy and not to rely only on its manufacturing success,
but also focus on value-added technology design and development,
he said.