KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 – State-owned Penang Development Corporation has entered into an agreement with Smith+Nephew for the UK medical equipment manufacturing company to open a facility in Penang
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said that the facility, which is the first in Southeast Asia, is expected to create up to 800 jobs in five years.
“The new facility in Batu Kawan will initially be 250,000 sq ft with an opportunity to expand in the future,” he said yesterday, according to Malaysiakini.
“Construction is expected to begin in early 2020, with first production batches shipped before the end of 2022.”
According to Smith+Nephew Global Operations Manufacturing Network Strategy vice-president Ross Macken, the new facility is expected to be ready in February, after which the company would start hiring its employees.
The company is looking to hire about 10 expatriates for a start.
“In three years, most of these positions would be taken up by locals,” Macken said.
The company, which has been in operations for about 150 years, has offices in Memphis, USA, Russia, India and a small operation in China.
