KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 (Bernama) -- JF Technology Berhad, a leading innovator and manufacturer of high-performance test contacting solutions for global integrated circuit (IC) makers, announced the establishment of its Test Contacting Centre of Excellence in Kota Damansara, Selangor, with an investment of RM40 million. The investment is part of the company’s plan to further expand its business and to capture the immense opportunities from the semiconductor industry. The Centre of Excellence will be established at the company’s expanded facility and will house state-of-the-art labs and equipment for the development of new intellectual properties (IPs) and products to serve its customers globally.
“This project is both timely and significant given the current stage of the 5G rollout and the potential contribution to the Malaysian economy in terms of high-income employment. At the same time, this also demonstrated the ability of a Malaysian company adopting next-generation technology. It is anticipated that the establishment of this Test Contacting Centre of Excellence will result in the creation of approximately 77 new jobs by 2025 with around 80 per cent of the employees coming from the technical and engineering backgrounds.
This would further solidify Malaysia’s position as a strategic investment destination for global companies, particularly in the Machinery and Equipment (M&E) industry, mainly in the Electrical and Electronics and Autonomous Vehicle sectors. In terms of adoption and production of sophisticated 5G technology-related products, commercialisation of 5G-related research and development (R&D), and transfer of new technologies in manufacturing value chains, this project has significant potential for creating a multiplier impact within local domestic economy.” shared Datuk Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA).
Datuk Arham added, “The company is also committed to its innovation path, having modernised its manufacturing facility in accordance with Industry 4.0 and investing in the cutting-edge software and hardware for its new Centre. JF Technology’s Test Contacting Centre of Excellence is meant to support 5G and electric vehicle (EV) development, which comes at an opportune time, particularly given the current phase of 5G rollout.”
Managing Director of JF Technology Berhad, Dato’ Foong Wei Kuong shared his vision for the new Centre, “The establishment of our state-of-the-art Test Contacting Centre of Excellence will accelerate the generation of IPs and development of talent. JF Technology will continuously invest in this Centre, especially on human capital development. We take pride that JF Technology operates with 99 per cent local talent and will continue with this commitment by creating more job opportunities through the Centre with the emphasis on high-income technical jobs for Malaysians. This, combined with the continuous development and enhancement of our country’s technological and innovation ecosystem, will continue to strengthen Malaysia’s competitive edge and move our country up the semiconductor value chain.”
“We would like to record our sincere appreciation for the Malaysian Government’s and MIDA’s continued efforts to develop Malaysia’s semiconductor industry. Their initiatives in building the right ecosystem to support the industry has greatly improved the ease of doing business, which in turn enabled us to reach our target markets, seize the growth opportunities and ultimately realizing our investments. As part of our growth plans, we are also pleased to share that the Proposed Transfer of our listing to the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad is progressing as planned. Looking ahead, the prospects of JF Technology remains promising and the execution of our growth drivers continues to be our key focal point.” Dato’ Foong added.
The exponential growth in the 5G market and its adoption globally including Malaysia, will drive adoption across various industries. This presents enormous opportunities for the industry JF Technology operates in as every single IC needs to be tested with a customized test socket. There will be a large spectrum of applications that can capitalize on 5G such as smartphones, internet of things (IOT), artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous driving, smart homes and cities, and many more. While JF Technology has ready solutions to capitalize on this tremendous growth, the Group will also further develop 5G-related test solutions.
The Test Contacting Centre of Excellence at JF Technology comprises four main components: human capital development, continual intellectual property generation, state-of-the-art software and hardware, and manufacturing modernisation. As part of the four pillars, part of JF Technology’s focus will be on enhancing human capital development in order to develop and nurture an innovative and forward-thinking workforce. This pool of talent would ensure continual generation of IPs and R&D for game-changing technologies such as 5G and 6G. The prospects for 6G are very exciting considering its potential to create another paradigm shift, just like 5G. JF Technology has filed for 68 patents in various countries, 33 of which have been granted, while the remaining 35 are pending approval. The patents are related to 5G testing and automotive applications.
