Smiths Detection builds first Asia Pacific manufacturing facility in Malaysia

Smiths Detection, the designer and manufacturer of advanced detection systems dedicated to making the world a safer place, has formally opened its first Asia Pacific Manufacturing Facility today in the Iskandar region, Malaysia to underline its commitment to the Asia Pacific region.

Philip Bowman, Chief Executive, Smiths Group (L) and Dato' Benjamin Haji Hasbie, Federal Commissioner, Iskandar Regional Development Authority (R),
officiating the launch of Smiths Detection (M) Sdn Bhd. Source: Smiths Detection.

Smiths Detection Malaysia (SDM) will improve and support both global and regional sales of advanced X-ray scanners, particularly in fast-growing, emerging markets like Vietnam, China, India and Indonesia, serving customers beyond Asia as required. 

Brian Jones, Interim President of Smiths Detection, said: “As a truly global player, Smiths Detection now has three regional hubs for X-ray production from which we serve customers all over the world. Our hubs in Germany, the US, and now Malaysia will help us improve distribution, logistics, speed-to-market, and customer service. Quality levels have been standardised across all three locations to maintain our leading reputation in this critical product area.”

Smiths Detection will have invested US$20 million in Malaysia by 2017, said Nathan Manzi, Managing Director of Smiths Detection Asia, who also shared that though the business is presently split equally across Europe, the US and the rest of the world, including Asia, the Asia Pacific region is expected to grow significantly over the long term. 

Manzi said: “Smiths Detection is in Asia for Asia. We are committed to safeguard and protect our world through technology, innovation and manufacturing excellence. Reduced regional shipping times due to the facility’s strategic location have already helped to secure significant new orders from Japan and South Korea. We are positioned to exploit our advantage and deliver products to our customers faster than ever."

Officiating at the inauguration was Dato’ Benjamin Haji Hasbie, Federal Commissioner of Iskandar Malaysia, who congratulated Smiths Detection on their decision to locate their plant in the Nusajaya sector, also called Flagship 'B', which is a key component of the Iskandar region. 

"With some 24,000 acres of contiguous development, Nusajaya is one of the largest property development sites in Southeast Asia," he said. "Flagship 'B' will be a major new growth centre of Iskandar Malaysia, with most of the catalyst projects to be developed within this area."

Smiths Detection (M) Sdn Bhd. Source: Smiths Detection.

Located in the Kawasan Perindustrian Southern Industrial & Logistics Clusters (SiLC), at Nusajaya, in the Iskandar region of Johor Bahru, the new 130,000 square foot facility successfully completed its pilot production in September 2012. It subsequently delivered an order to Vientiane International Airport in Laos, shaving six weeks off shipping times due to geographical proximity.

Now fully operational, it manufactures systems that screen hand baggage, parcels, pallets and freight to the tune of around 100 systems a month.

 

Smiths Detection offers advanced security solutions in civil and military markets worldwide, developing and manufacturing government-regulated technology products that help detect and identify explosives, chemical and biological agents, radiological and nuclear threats, weapons, narcotics and contraband. Singapore has been the regional headquarters for Smiths Detection for more than 10 years. 

The company is part of Smiths Group, a leader in applying integrated, advanced technologies to markets in threat and contraband detection, energy, medical devices, communications and engineered components.