SELANGOR: MCE Holdings Bhd's (MCE) RM50 million advanced manufacturing facility in UMW High Value Manufacturing Park, Serendah is now operational.
The eight-acre MCE Auto Hub's purpose is to strengthen the group's design, engineering, manufacturing and research and development (R&D) capabilities.
It is an Industry 4.0-ready manufacturing hub and incorporates clean room production areas, as well as tightly controlled manufacturing environments required for increasingly advanced automotive electronics for both internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and electric vehicles (EVs).
The hub forms the first phase of the company's long-term investment plan of up to RM200 million and will eventually more than double the group's production capacity and further strengthen its capabilities in automotive electronics as well as next-generation mobility solutions.
Investment, Trade and Industry minister (MITI) Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani who was at the opening of the hub said the investment marks a significant step in the continued development of Malaysia’s automotive industry and is a reflection of the confidence in both MCE Holdings and Malaysia’s future.
"It is imperative that local suppliers continue to pursue manufacturing excellence by cultivating engineering expertise, innovation and technology in a highly competitive industry,” said Johari.
MCE Group managing director Dr Goh Kar Chun on the other hand commented that their company has continuously invested in strengthening their capabilities since their first contract supplying remote alarms and central locking systems for the domestic market in 1990.
"We have expanded our portfolio from traditional automotive components into more advanced automotive electronics and mechatronic solutions over the years.
“Today, we serve customers across Malaysia, ASEAN and the United States, supplying increasingly sophisticated automotive electronics and mechatronic solutions.
"The MCE Auto Hub is the next step in that journey and reflects our confidence that Malaysian engineering, talent and manufacturing capabilities can compete on the world stage,” he added.
Expanding on the hub's role, Dr Goh said the facility will also strengthen MCE’s position to support greater localisation efforts within the automotive industry, creating opportunities for Malaysian engineers, technology companies and suppliers to participate in the design, development and manufacture of advanced automotive technologies in Malaysia.
The group now employs a workforce of 680 employees with the MCE Auto Hub operational.
This includes 90 engineers across its operations in Johor Bahru, Port Klang and Serendah to strengthen its ability to support a growing portfolio of programmes across both internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric (EV) segments.
"We believe the future of Malaysia's automotive industry will be built through stronger collaboration between carmakers, Tier-1 suppliers and local ecosystem players, including semiconductor and E&E companies.
"Working together, we can create more opportunities for Malaysian-developed technologies to be integrated into automotive applications and supply chains, while strengthening Malaysia's position as a regional hub for automotive electronics," Dr God added.
