Malaysia remains regional strategic hub for BMW

By BERNAMA | 8 September 2015


KULAI: Malaysia will continue to be a strategic hub for the BMW Group in South-East Asia with the construction of its new parts distribution centre in the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) of Senai Airport.

BMW Group Malaysia managing director/chief executive officer, Alan Harris, said the facility would cater to the needs and demand as well as support 22 countries in the Asia-Pacific.

The first phase of the facility, Harris said, was expected to be completed in December next year.

"Malaysia has always been an important key growth market for the BMW Group and this was also highlighted by our established network of dealerships and remained as the number one premium car brand in the country," he said at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility at the FTZ of Senai Airport here today.

Harris said this was also demonstrated by the expansion of the headquarters, Regional Training Centre and Group Date Centre in Cyberjaya, its local assembly facilities at the BMW Group assembly plant in Kulim, Kedah as well as established network of dealerships nationwide.

He said the group had also consistently strengthened its investments in the country, provided skilled and professional jobs for Malaysians nationwide as well as offered significant transfer of advanced technologies and processes to the local car industry.

BMW Group, however, did not unveil the amount of the investments for the new facility.

The new facility, which would be build in two phases, would have a total 761,000 sq ft gross floor area, once completed by 2019.

Its storage provisions would entail car spare parts for BMW MINI, lifestyle items for BMW MINI and over 40,000 line items.

It would also replace the current Parts Distribution Centre facility in Malaysia for the BMW Group which is located within the Free Trade Zone of the Port of Tanjung Pelepas.

Present at the event were MMC Corp managing director Datuk Seri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh Pan Asia Logistics Investments Holdings CEO Susan Tan,   Pan Asia Logistics Holdings Singapore group managing director Christian Bischoff, BMW Group Malaysia finance and administration director Thomas Senser and Parts Distribution Centre Malaysia head Philipp Lindemann.

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