Proton unveils new RM140mil stamping line in Tanjung Malim
14 Mar 2023
National automaker Proton Holdings Bhd today launched its RM140 million stamping line at its plant in Tanjung Malim.
The new line is the largest in Malaysia with up to 2,500-tonne stamping force and aims to reduce the importation of parts by 115,000 units per year.
Proton deputy chief executive officer Roslan Abdullah said the launch of the new stamping line is a major addition to the carmaker’s production capabilities.
“As a national automotive brand, the increased use of locally sourced parts in our production activities is vital to the national automotive ecosystem and helps reduce the outflow of funds from the country.
“Aside from potentially reducing our use of imported parts by 115,000 units per year, the stamping line also allows for greater flexibility when deciding our production mix every month and improving the speed by which we can locally produce new models,” he said in a statement today.
Construction works for the new stamping line began in early April 2021, with machinery installation beginning in July 2022 and completed by December.
There are five stamping machines with a single machine capable of exerting 2,500 tons of force and two machines each with a pressing force of 1,200 tons and 1,000 tonnes, respectively.
The stamping line uses six robots to transfer parts between workstations and utilises IR 4.0 technology using real-time data and machine learning to improve the quality of parts produced.
The new line can produce up to 50 unique components, boosting local content for Proton’s sport utility vehicle (SUV) models as items such as body panels can now be produced at Tanjung Malim.
This carries the additional benefit of reducing the company’s reliance on imported parts, insulating it against any potential disruptions to global trade, and
improving local parts supply.
The launch of the new facility was unveiled during an official visit by Perak chief minister Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad and was hosted by Proton chairman Datuk Seri Syed Faisal Albar.
Following the launch of the stamping plant, Saarani then officiated the line-off ceremony for the latest addition to the Proton model range.
The new SUV, assembled at Tanjung Malim alongside the Proton X50 and Proton X70, is due to embark on a nationwide customer familiarisation tour before being officially launched in the coming months.
Earlier in the year, Proton announced it would be expanding its model range in 2023, and the first edition was given its public debut at a line-off ceremony that followed the unveiling of the company’s new stamping line.
The new model is the third SUV in the Proton range, which will help reinforce the brand’s standing as the most popular SUV brand in Malaysia.
Additionally, the new model will also be the first model to offer hybrid technology, marking Proton’s debut in the new energy vehicle (NEV) space.
Proton took this step in its commitment to introduce more NEV models to its range in the lead-up to its first locally produced electric vehicle (EV).
Prior to this, the company had already inked a deal to distribute smart EVs in Malaysia and Thailand and had sent 16 engineers to China for a six-month work attachment focussed on all aspects involving such vehicles.
“Today’s line-off ceremony marks the beginning of activities leading up to the official introduction of Proton’s latest model.
“Following the start of production, we will hold a media preview and customer familiarisation sessions before launching our new SUV, which will also mark our first NEV product.
“This is an important step in our
NEV journey, which will gradually build emphasis on hybrid technology before we launch the first Proton EV,” added Roslan.
Source: NST
