GEORGE TOWN: German laboratory equipment giant Eppendorf is investing RM180mil (€40mil) to establish its first Southeast Asian manufacturing plant at the Bandar Cassia Technology Park in Batu Kawan.
Expected to begin operations in 2028, the greenfield facility will produce high-precision laboratory instruments—including centrifuges, mixers, and thermal cyclers—for export to global markets such as Europe and North America. The plant is slated to employ around 130 people by the end of 2029.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the investment highlights global confidence in the state’s industrial ecosystem and boosts its medical and scientific technology sector.
"Between 2021 and early 2026, Penang secured RM2.3bil in approved investments in the scientific and measuring equipment sector, representing nearly 20% of Malaysia's total and creating almost 4,500 jobs," Chow said at the lease signing ceremony in Komtar on Tuesday (July 28).
Eppendorf Group CEO Dr Christine Munz said the new facility marks a major milestone in the Hamburg-headquartered company's growth, strengthening its 30-year presence in Malaysia where its regional hub has operated since 1995.
The lease agreement was signed between Munz and Penang Development Corporation (PDC) CEO Datuk Abdul Latiff Abd Aziz, alongside InvestPenang CEO Datuk Seri Loo Lee Lian.
