Elna PCB Deepens Root in Penang With RM1 Billion Expansion Plan

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Elna PCB Malaysia Sdn Bhd, one of the key printed circuit board (PCB) players in Penang, held a groundbreaking ceremony today for the expansion of its new plant in Seberang Perai Tengah, Penang. Bringing an investment value of approximately RM1 billion for the equipment, plant, and machinery, the construction of this new plant, which has commenced in December 2022, is expected to be completed within a year, and aiming to have mass production by 2024.

Spanning a land area of 10,289 square meters, the new plant is designated to manufacture PCBs for the usage of automotive, server, networking, laptop, desktop and consumer electronic devices products. Upon completion, the new plant is expected to create an additional 1,000 employment opportunities to support the ecosystem with its increased growing capacity.

Officiating the groundbreaking ceremony, the Right Honorable Mr. Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang, congratulated Elna PCB on achieving this milestone. “With a presence of nearly 30 years in Penang, Elna PCB’s expansion decision has greatly attested Penang as a sustainable location for investment. I believe that our robust industrial ecosystem, strong talent pool, conducive business environment as well as the region’s growth opportunities are among the key factors for Elna PCB to deepen its roots here,” said the Chief Minister.

“With PCB and substrate being a promoting subsector in Penang, I am confident that the expansion of Elna PCB will further enhance the local talent’s capabilities in advanced PCB technology solutions and create greater opportunities for our local suppliers. The state government, via InvestPenang and other state agencies, will ensure smooth implementation of Elna PCB’s expansion in Penang. I look forward to establishing a strong relationship with Elna PCB in the years to come,” the Chief Minister added.

Commenting on Elna PCB’s significant milestone, Mr. Sivasuriyamoorthy Sundara Raja, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Investment Promotion and Facilitation of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), said “We are honoured that Malaysia’s competitive traits are in tandem with PSA Group’s strategic approach in mitigating the impact of COVID and geopolitical disruption. At MIDA, our focus is on attracting high-quality investments that have tangible spillover effects on Malaysia, in line with our National Investment Aspirations (NIA) and New Investment Policy (NIP). Our aim is to create high-skilled job opportunities and develop our local supply chain capabilities to meet the evolving requirements of our core economic sectors while encouraging innovation in emerging ones.”

“We are optimistic that Elna PCB’s latest reinvestment will enhance the transfer of technology and knowledge, as well as foster more local supply chain partnerships, leading to an even stronger industry ecosystem in Malaysia,” he added.

“Elna PCB is optimistic that, upon completion of this project, we will be able to achieve a 5-fold business growth from our current business size. We chose Penang as our present and future home, as Penang’s competitive edge lies in its skilled workforce, robust market and supply chain. Our local suppliers have been very supportive and we wish to strengthen our ties with them by enabling more localization activities. In addition, Penang’s top-notch infrastructure and the strong government support are also the key reasons for us to invest in Penang,” said Mr. Ian Yang, the President of ELNA PCB.

Established in 1994, Elna PCB became part of the PSA Group in Taiwan, following a joint venture between PSA Group and Japan-based Elna Printed Circuit in 2018. PSA Group, short for Passive System Alliance, belongs to Walsin Lihua Group, an international conglomerate headquartered in Taiwan with operations spanning wire and cable, stainless steel and renewable energy. Having more than 50 production bases globally, including Taiwan, China, Japan and Malaysia, PSA’s business entities focus on PCBs, passive components, electronic manufacturing services and assembly.

Also presented at the groundbreaking ceremony included YB Dato Law Choo Kiang, Speaker of the Penang State Legislative Assembly, YB Yeoh Soon Hin, Penang State EXCO in Tourism and Creative Economy, Dato’ Loo Lee Lian, CEO of InvestPenang and Davis Lai, President of PSA PCB Business Group.