Local assembly of Proton X70 starts
The first X70 to be built at Proton’s new plant extension in Tanjung Malim, Perak, has rolled off the production line a year after its market introduction as a fully-imported model.
Malaysia’s best-selling C-segment premium SUV is put together in a state-of-theart plant extension here that was built in record time at a cost of RM1.2bil.
At the same time, Proton worked together with local and overseas vendors to ensure a supply chain for parts required to build its first SUV, would be in place when production activities began.
In the run-up to manufacturing, Proton worked with its local vendors to match them with other companies who were already supplying components for the SUV.
These efforts have resulted in seven new joint-ventures being formed as both local and foreign companies started partnerships based in Malaysia to share competencies and production resources.
Other deals achieved by the effort include technical agreements and foreign direct investments, resulting in a total investment of RM263mil and the creation of 1,084 jobs as the vendor community gears up to create a pipeline of high technology components for the X70 and future models.
The new plant would not only produce future products jointly developed with Geely but it would also be a centre for right-hand-drive production of vehicles for export, said Proton chairman Datuk Sri Syed Faisal Albar.
Present at the event last Friday were Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Darell Leiking, Geely Auto Group president and CEO An Conghui and Proton CEO Dr Li Chunrong.