MKS Instruments Breaks Ground on Super Center Factory in Malaysia
New Factory in Penang to Create 1,000 Jobs and Boost Malaysia’s Manufacturing Sector
ANDOVER, Massachusetts, United States; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia., 24 October 2024 – MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ: MKSI), a global provider of technologies that transform the world, celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony of its super center factory in Penang, Malaysia to support the growing needs of semiconductor equipment for wafer fabrication in the region and globally. The state-of-the-art facility will be located on a 17-acre plot, spanning approximately 500,000 square feet. and will employ approximately 1,000 people. The new factory will be built in multiple phases, with the first phase scheduled for completion in the first half of 2026.
ADUN Bukit Tambun and Director of InvestPenang, YB Goh Choon Aik stated, “Penang, renowned as the Silicon Valley of the East, has cemented its position as a preferred global destination for electronics and electrical investments in Southeast Asia. With a legacy of five decades of industrialisation and a reputation for innovation and technological excellence, the state offers a thriving industrial ecosystem that naturally attracts investors. MKS Instruments’ expansion into Penang is a testament to the state’s appeal as a preferred investment destination, supported by its robust ecosystem.”
YB Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), welcomed MKS Instruments to Malaysia, stating, “This groundbreaking super center factory is a resounding affirmation of Malaysia’s speedy implementation of the New Industrial Master Plan 2030, and MITI’s firm commitment to expedite targeted, high-tech investments with the support agencies like MIDA and InvestPenang. More importantly, this will create opportunities for better integration of local SMEs into global companies’ supply chains, while creating high-skilled, higher-paying jobs in cutting-edge sectors for Malaysians. I am confident MKS’s investment will help strengthen our semiconductor sector, supporting MITI’s positioning of Malaysia as a regional manufacturing and services hub for high-tech industries.”
Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid, CEO of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), lauded MKS Instruments’ milestone, stating, “This momentous occasion presents a golden opportunity for our machinery and equipment (M&E) companies to showcase their prowess in producing high-value products and integrated services that meet the exacting standards of multinational corporations (MNCs). MIDA remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting and facilitating investments that enhance operational capabilities, ultimately catalysing the meteoric rise of Malaysia’s manufacturing sector, a true ‘industrial powerhouse’ in the making.”
“Penang offers an attractive and rapidly growing semiconductor ecosystem, and building a significant presence here is part of our strategic and long-term capital planning,” said Dr. John T.C. Lee, President and Chief Executive Officer of MKS. “Adding Penang to our global footprint puts us closer to our customers, suppliers and a robust technology infrastructure, including a deep and talented labour pool, as we continue to spur innovation and enhance our capabilities as a leader across a broad array of semiconductor manufacturing applications.”
MIDA reported that for the first half of 2024 (1H2024), the Machinery and Equipment (M&E) sector saw promising growth, with a total of 64 projects approved, amounting to investments valued at RM2.8 billion. These projects are anticipated to create significant opportunities, generating over 3,500 new jobs and contributing to the sector’s continued development and expansion in Malaysia.
*****
About MIDA
MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 21 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube channel.
About InvestPenang
InvestPenang is the Penang State Government’s principal agency for the promotion of investment. Its objectives are to develop and sustain Penang’s economy by enhancing and continuously supporting business activities in the State through foreign and local investments, including spawning viable new growth centers. To realise its objectives, InvestPenang also runs initiatives like the SMART Penang Center (providing assistance to SMEs), Penang CAT Center (for talent attraction and retention), and Global Business Services (GBS) Focus Group (promoting and developing digital economy). For more information, please visit https://investpenang.gov.my/ and follow InvestPenang’s social media channels: Facebook; LinkedIn; WhatsApp Channel; TikTok.
About MKS Instruments
MKS Instruments enables technologies that transform our world. We deliver foundational technology solutions to leading edge semiconductor manufacturing, electronics and packaging, and specialty industrial applications. We apply our broad science and engineering capabilities to create instruments, subsystems, systems, process control solutions and specialty chemicals technology that improve process performance, optimize productivity and enable unique innovations for many of the world’s leading technology and industrial companies. Our solutions are critical to addressing the challenges of miniaturization and complexity in advanced device manufacturing by enabling increased power, speed, feature enhancement, and optimized connectivity. Our solutions are also critical to addressing ever-increasing performance requirements across a wide array of specialty industrial applications. Additional information can be found at www.mks.com.
For more information, please contact:
MIDA
Ms. Zakiah Sajidan
Director, Machinery and Metal Technology Division
Email: [email protected]
Tel.: +603 22676769
InvestPenang
Ms. Elaine Cheah
Communications & Business Intelligence
Email: [email protected]
Tel.: +604 6468833
MKS Instruments
Mr. Bill Casey
Senior Director, Marketing Communications
Email: [email protected]
Tel.: +1 630 995 6384
Ms. Kerry Kelly
Partner, Kekst CNC
Email: [email protected]
Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, regarding MKS’ construction of a factory in Malaysia and the projected timeline. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact should be considered to be forward-looking statements. Actual events or results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements set forth herein, including as a result of the factors described in MKS’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. MKS is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.
