ACM keen to invest, expand in Kedah

BUKIT KAYU HITAM (Dec 11): Aerospace Composites Malaysia Sdn Bhd (ACM), a manufacturer of advanced composite components for the aerospace industry, is keen to continue its investment and expand its Malaysian plant.

Managing Director, Jose Garza said ACM had secured nine additional contracts, with durations ranging from five to seven years, adding that the company was making significant investments in Malaysia, especially in new equipment.

Established in 1998, ACM is a strategic alliance between two United States-based companies — The Boeing Company and Hexcel Corporation.

The company is a world leader in supplying composite products and sub-assemblies to the global aerospace industry and had invested US$49 million in its plant here.

“The expansion plan includes upskilling and retraining of the workers,” he said at the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between ACM and Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Politeknik Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, Jitra Industrial Training Institute and the National Youth Skills Institute in Jitra, witnessed by Kedah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.

He said as the plant integrates and introduces more technology, ACM is working on training, re-training and upskilling its workforce, which had grown by 11 per cent since last year to the current 975 employees.

Garza said under the MoUs, ACM would be collaborating with the local academic institutions in research and development, advisory, training and skills development for students and lecturers and knowledge and skills exchange via the National Dual Training System programme.

In his speech, Mukhriz said ACM was a significant player within the Malaysian aerospace industry supply chain and was the only aerospace manufacturing company in the state.

He said with the MoUs, the company was helping Kedah to realise its aspirations to further develop high-tech industries, provide value-added training and produce highly-skilled manpower to cater to existing and upcoming opportunities at the Kulim High Tech Park, Kedah Science and Technology Park and Kota Perdana Logistics Hub being developed nearby.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes is the end customer for nearly all of ACM’s output.

As a direct supplier to Boeing Commercial Airplanes, ACM builds 747-­8 aileron panels and spoiler components and fixed leading edge panels for Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner and Next­Generation 737.

ACM also directly supports Hexcel by building fixed trailing edge panels for the Next-­Generation 747, 747­-8, 767 and 777.