Johor in talks with US pharma companies to set up plants in state

Johor investment, trade and consumer affairs committee chairman signing a plaque during the official launch of AME Elite Consortium Bhd’s i-TechValley at SILC Phase 3 in Senai, Kulai on Tuesday (Oct 4) while AME group managing director Kelvin Lee (left) and AME executive director Simon Lee (second from right) look on.

KULAI: Johor is in talks with two US-based medical and pharmaceutical companies in hopes of pulling the investors into the state, says Lee Ting Han.

The state investment, trade and consumer affairs committee chairman said the Johor government aims to secure the investments by early next year, if not the end of this year.

Speaking at the official launch of AME Elite Consortium Bhd’s i-TechValley at SILC Phase 3 in Senai here on Tuesday (Oct 4), Lee said that the company has 11 manufacturing facilities and 22 technical services laboratories across the globe.

“I was informed that it has confirmed the booking of approximately 2.43ha or 24,359.17 sqm of land within i-TechValley to set up their first facility in South-East Asia right here in Johor,” he said.

“This company is an international leader in the design and technical support of advanced film coating systems, modified release technologies and functional excipients for pharmaceutical solid dosage forms," added Lee.

He said in June, a groundbreaking ceremony of another investor Insulet Corporation - a Nasdaq-listed medical device giant - was also held in Gelang Patah.

Lee added that within the Gelang Patah area, two other multinational companies from the similar field were already in operations, which eventually turns southern Johor into an attractive destination for medical and pharmaceutical companies due to the supply chain.

“With these significant investments and with more to come, I understand that AME intends to designate a dedicated pharmaceutical and medical hub within i-TechValley, and set the stage for the entry of complementary high-value support services.

“This is in line with the state government’s plan to develop industry clusters in Johor so as to achieve economies of scale and increase spill overs,” he added.