New plant to cater for industrial gases demand

KUCHING: Linde Malaysia Sdn Bhd has commissioned a new RM40mil air separation plant to cater for increasing demand for industrial gases in Sama Jaya High Tech Park here.

The plant will supply high purity gaseous nitrogen through an extensive pipeline network to multiple customers, including Taiyo Yuden and LONGi.

Taiyo Yuden, which produces multilayer ceramic capacitors, is investing in a new plant in the high tech park under the Japanese group’s medium-term management plan 2025.

LONGi Kuching, the sole overseas operation of China-based world’s largest maker of solar monocrystalline silicon products, has been expanding its production capacity to meet increasing demand for its products in recent years. According to Linde Malaysia managing director Anuj Sharma, the company’s new plant in Sama Jaya will also produce ultra-high purity liquid oxygen for customers in Kuching and throughout the Asean region.

He said the latest investment has increased Linde’s nitrogen capacity in the high tech park to more then 18,000 Nm3 (normal cubic meter) per hour.

“The increasing pace of digitalisation and adoption of renewable energy has led to industry leaders in the electronics and solar technology markets expanding rapidly in the Sama Jaya High Tech Park. Linde has made multiple investments in recent years to support this growth.” he added.

The new plant will feature Linde’s latest state-of-the-art technology with 30% better power efficiency, which is expected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by more than 6,000 tonnes per year. This is in line with Linde’s targets of reducing the GHG emissions by 35% by 2028. The plant will be connected to Linde’s remote operating centre located in Hicom Shah Alam, Selangor and can be monitored, controlled and operated remotely.

Remote operations capabilities helps Linde to ensure a continuous and reliable supply of industrial and medical gases to customers throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I am proud to see this latest plant startup with the latest and most efficient technology which will support the growth of our customers. This major investment indicates our confidence in the Sama Jaya High Tech Park and Malaysia,” said Sharma.

Since 1960, Linde has invested in building numerous world-class facilities in Malaysia, including air separation units in Pengerang, Shah Alam, Samalaju in Bintulu and Pasir Gudang, steam reformers (hydrogen plants) and nitrogen plants at strategic locations in Malaysia, pipeline networks for oxygen and nitrogen in various industry clusters in key industrial areas and a state-of-the-art cylinder filling facility in Banting.

Linde also manufactures medical oxygen and other medicinal gases at various locations spread across West and East Malaysia.

Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said recently that Taiyo Yuden, LONGi, HGST Malaysia Sdn Bhd and IMM Technology Sdn Bhd were planning to invest a combined RM6.31bil in their business expansion in Sama Jaya High Tech Park.

Also, International Trade and Industry, Industrial Terminal and Entrepreneur Development Minister Awang Tengah said these companies have performed well even during the pandemic due to the high demand globally for multilayer ceramic capacitors, solar products, aluminum substrates and copperfoil.

A total investment of RM17.5bil has been poured into the high tech park, which exported electronic and electronic products worth RM6.93bil in 2020, he said.