Kibing starts operations at Kota Kinabalu plant
KUALA LUMPUR: Kibing Group has started operations at its billionringgit solar glass panel factory at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) ahead of schedule.
The factory, operated by Sabah Kibing Solar New Materials (M) Sdn Bhd, was built in 17 months by the Shanghai stock exchange-listed group.
Piling began on May 13 last year while construction started on May 10 this year. The production line furnace was ignited on Tuesday.
Kibing assistant chief executive officer (CEO) Yao Xin Xi said the company’s goal is not only to produce high-quality solar glass but also foster talent and create jobs for the community.
“I am confident that this strategic investment will not only foster significant advancements in the renewable energy sector but also contribute to the overall socioeconomic growth of Sabah,” he said in a statement.
Yao said Sabah was chosen due to the availability of raw materials such as high-quality sand, its proximity to the market and the government’s excellent support.
Kibing’s plant in KKIP is the second in Malaysia. The group’s first plant in Negri Sembilan has been producing floating, ultra-clear and coated glasses since 2017.
The Sabah government and Kibing signed a memorandum of understanding on Aug 18 last year over the Chinese-funded company’s commitment to invest RM3 billion in the construction of two production lines in Sabah.
The first is the solar glass panel factory in KKIP while the second is SBH Kibing Silicon Kudat, a silica processing factory in Kudat. Kibing has other operations in Sabah, including silica sand mining and a processing plant in Sikuati, Kudat.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor officiated at the opening of the solar glass panel factory in KKIP.
Officials from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) and the Sabah government as well as Kibing chairman Yu Qibing were present.
Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz welcomed Kibing’s RM3 billion expansion in Sabah.
“This reflects the company’s confidence in Malaysia as an investment hub and in our policies on sustainable manufacturing and green economy.”
Tengku Zafrul said this significant investment reaffirmed Malaysia’s standing as a key player in the complete manufacturing value chain for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, supporting the country’s net zero emission goal by 2050.
Mida CEO Datuk Arham Abdul Rahman congratulated Kibing for advancing Malaysia’s glass industry and ecosystem. He said Mida is optimistic that the new solar PV glass factory will serve as a guide for the industry.
“The spillover from this investment would certainly benefit Sabah in many ways, such as transfer of technology and job creation. This would inevitably aid the state to progress to a thriving manufacturing centre and stimulate economic development,” he added.