INTEL TO GROW MALAYSIAN PRESENCE
Demand for its products, especially memory chips, continuing to rise
INTEL Corp will continue to expand its presence in Malaysia as the country is a strategic investment destination. Intel Malaysia Sdn Bhd managing director Robin Martin said its initial investment of US$1.6 million in a memory chip assembly plant had now grown to more than US$7 billion.
Its workforce has also grown from around 100 employees in 1972 to a 12,000-strong team today.
“Our operations in Malaysia have contributed significantly to many Intel products over the years, with the latest being the 11th-generation Intel Core processors and the third-generation Intel Xeon scalable processors.
“Our investments in Malaysia continue to grow, including the recent RM10 billion commitment to start a new advanced test technology factory and expansion of manufacturing space in existing factories at our Penang and Kulim campuses,” he told the New Straits Times.
Martin said over the years, Intel Malaysia had also grown to become an Internet of Things (IoT) powerhouse focusing on delivering support and solutions to customers.
“We are working closely with the local IoT system integrators, in partnership with the Malaysia government, to drive the adoption of artificial intelligence and IoT as part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution initiative.
“As an example, Intel Malaysia has been collaborating with Gamma Solution Sdn Bhd, V-Series International Sdn Bhd and DF Automation and
Robotics Sdn Bhd to come up with solutions in tackling the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
Touching on the market, Martin said demand for Intel products continued to be strong, especially during the pandemic.
He said the company delivered a record US$77.9 billion in revenue last year while the first quarter had seen a stronger-thanexpected performance, driven by continued demand for its products.
He added that Intel’s central processing unit (CPU) volumes reached an all-time high in the first quarter, up 54 per cent yearon-year.
“We also saw first signs of recovery in the enterprise and government portion of our data centre business as well as in our IoT and programmable solutions businesses.
“This is a pivotal year for Intel. We are setting our strategic foundation and investing to accelerate our trajectory and capitalise on the explosive growth in semiconductors that power our increasingly digital world.
“We believe Intel is the only company with the depth and breadth of software, silicon and platforms, and packaging and process with at-scale manufacturing that customers can depend on for their next-generation innovations,” he added.