MELAKA: The local assembly of two new Great Wall Motor (GWM) hybrid models is expected to strengthen Melaka’s automotive industry and support more high-skilled job opportunities as EP Manufacturing Bhd (EPMB) expands its operations in Pegoh, Alor Gajah.
Caretaker chief minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said the official roll-off of the GWM WEY G9 HEV and EC15S HEV marked another milestone for EPMB, which has grown from an automotive components manufacturer into a vehicle assembler serving several international brands.
“With the introduction of these two new hybrid models, EPMB is targeting an annual production of more than 30,000 vehicles,” he said at the roll-off ceremony at Hicom Pegoh yesterday.
Ab Rauf said the expansion reflected the type of industrial growth the state wanted to see, with investment translating into higher production capacity and more high-skilled employment opportunities for the people.
EPMB currently assembles four GWM vehicle models at its Pegoh plant, alongside vehicles for MG and XPeng.
Ab Rauf said the company’s progress showed that Melaka was capable of moving beyond component manufacturing into more sophisticated automotive activities, including complete vehicle assembly, and eventually, exports.
He said more than 1,100 GWM WEY G9 vehicles assembled in Malaysia had been exported to Thailand and Indonesia, while the total number of GWM vehicles assembled in the country had surpassed 10,000 units.
“I hope these new hybrid models will reach even more markets across Asean and eventually beyond our region,” he said.
EPMB is also planning further upgrades to its facilities, including additional assembly stations and improvements to vehicle inspection and delivery capabilities to support future expansion.
Ab Rauf said manufacturing remained a key pillar of Melaka’s economy, contributing 35.4% to the state’s gross domestic product of RM50.3bil last year.
He said the state had established industrial areas, infrastructure, connectivity, skilled workers and a network of local suppliers that gave manufacturers confidence to invest and grow in Melaka.
The state government, he added, would continue facilitating investments, improving coordination among government agencies and developing infrastructure needed for next-generation mobility technologies.
