South Korean top battery manufacturer, Samsung SDI Energy Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Samsung SDIEM) has launched the second phase of its EV battery cell manufacturing facility in Seremban, Negri Sembilan state. The firm has invested MYR 7 billion (USD 1.56 billion) in cumulative for its first production location in Southeast Asia and the first electric vehicle (EV) battery cell facility in Malaysia.
To meet the growing demand for EVs, Samsung SDI Co Ltd invested MYR 7 billion (Phase One: MYR 1 billion (USD 223 million) and Phase Two: MYR 6 billion (USD 1.34 billion)) to set up and run an EV battery cell production facility in Seremban. Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri states that Samsung SDIEM’s green technology development is seen in line with the goals of the country to achieve a zero-carbon nation as early as 2050 as stated in the 12th Malaysia Plan strategy. Since Malaysia has the third-largest automotive market in ASEAN, the sector is a vital and rapidly expanding part of the nation’s industrial economy.
Samsung SDIEM’s parent Samsung SDI has marked its footprint in Malaysia since 1991, beginning with cathode ray tube (CRT) manufacturing under Samsung Electron Devices (SEDM). SEDM later changed its name to Samsung SDIEM, embarking on lithium-ion cell manufacturing in September 2011 until May 2022, where Samsung SDI invested a total of MYR 2.8 billion (USD 625 million). The firm has generated MYR 2.5 billion (USD 558 million) of annual export and created 2,500 Malaysian workforces.
