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KUALA LUMPUR (July 30): South Korea-based semiconductor testing specialist K-Test Co Ltd has broken ground on a US$50 million (RM205 million) manufacturing facility in Perak, marking the group's first plant in Southeast Asia as it expands its global footprint to meet growing customer demand.
The new facility, to be operated by its wholly owned subsidiary K-Test Malaysia Sdn Bhd, will provide wafer and final testing services for memory, system and power semiconductors.
In a statement, the company said the plant is designed to support customers while expanding its global operations.
The project is expected to create about 100 jobs upon completion, providing employment opportunities for local talent while facilitating knowledge transfer and strengthening the state's skilled workforce.
Based on a clean-room construction contract previously awarded by K-Test Malaysia, the project is targeted for practical completion by Feb 28, 2027, paving the way for operations following equipment installation and customer qualification.
The groundbreaking ceremony was officiated by Perak executive councillor for tourism, industry, investment and corridor development Loh Sze Yee, and attended by InvestPerak acting chief executive officer Dr Ahmad Shahir Abdul Aziz, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) Perak director Dyrul Syahrytz Mohd Daud, K-Test Malaysia chief executive officer Brandon Lee and representatives from state and federal agencies.
Speaking at the ceremony, Loh said the investment reflected K-Test's confidence in Perak's long-term investment proposition and Malaysia's manufacturing ecosystem.
"Today's event is a testament to K-Test's reputation as a trusted provider of semiconductor testing services, supporting the global semiconductor industry with high standards of quality, precision and innovation. This project does not only demonstrate K-Test's confidence in Perak's long-term investment propositions, but also the thriving state of the manufacturing industry in Malaysia," he said.
He added that Perak's competitive business environment, cost advantages, established infrastructure, government support and availability of technical and management talent continue to attract high-value manufacturing investments.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Shahir said Perak is steadily emerging as an important node in Malaysia's semiconductor supply chain despite the stronger profile of neighbouring Penang and Kulim.
"While Penang and Kulim continue to hog the limelight as Malaysia's semiconductor powerhouses, Perak has been quietly building up its own position in the northern region's chip supply chain," he said.
"As global supply chains diversify and demand for semiconductor capacity continues to rise, the state is well positioned to play a significantly larger role in Malaysia's semiconductor and E&E (electrical and electronic) growth story by leveraging its established capabilities in downstream processes such as semiconductor packaging and testing."
K-Test is an outsourced semiconductor assembly and test partner that provides comprehensive wafer and final testing services for memory, system and power semiconductors.
The Perak facility will be the company's first manufacturing base in Southeast Asia, further expanding Malaysia's role in the global semiconductor value chain.
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