KULIM: BMW Group Malaysia and Sime Darby Auto Engineering (SDAE) - a division of Sime Darby Motors, today opened the new SDAE Engine Assembly Facility in Kulim, Kedah.
The RM132mil facility has been established upon a land site of over six acres with a built-up area of 8,500 square metres and can currently produce 1,200 engines per month per shift. There will be a second shift added soon.
“The new engine assembly facility will not only boost the local capabilities and regional competitiveness of the country but will also create employment opportunities and raise technical competency skills for Malaysians,” said Ministry of International Trade and Industry Malaysia deputy secretary general (Industry) Datin K. Talagavathi.
The German premium carmaker's locally assembled cars, for domestic and export markets (Philippines and Vietnam), will be supplied with petrol (three and four-cylinder) and diesel (four-cylinder) engines that will also be included for use in its plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
The facility is manned by 60 employees who will make use of the latest innovation for engine assembly such as EST tightening equipment, Dosing and Bonding Technology (DoboTech) equipment and engine engraving.
Also included are engine oil filling and test machines for hydraulic valve play compensation, leak tests as well as hot and cold testing.
“Malaysia has long played the role of a strategic partner to the BMW Group in South East Asia and has already successfully achieved a 15% increase in the deliveries of BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad vehicles in the country, delivering 3,000 vehicles in the first quarter of 2018,” said BMW Group Malaysia managing director and CEO Harald Hoelzl.
The facility ensures quality control is maintained by implementing the same checks as those found in Munich, Germany.
Other simillar engine assembling facilities within the region include Thailand and India, which are operated by their partners - not by BMW personnel as in Malaysia's case.
