Embedded in Asia.

Anchoring high-value embedded computing capabilities in Malaysia.

The establishment of congatec's new subsidiary in Penang, Malaysia, marks a strategic expansion of its engineering and research footprint in Asia. The move signals congatec’s commitment to anchoring high-value embedded computing design, customisation and technical support capabilities in Malaysia as part of its global “local for local” strategy.

As part of the expansion, congatec has onboarded an experienced embedded engineering team from Kontron Asia, comprising 23 specialised engineers, with plans to scale the Penang operation to approximately 70 employees over the medium term. The new subsidiary strengthens congatec’s regional research and development (R&D) and technical support capabilities, enabling faster development cycles, application-ready (aReady.) solutions and closer collaboration with customers across the Asia-Pacific market.

Dato’ Loo Lee Lian, Chief Executive Officer of InvestPenang (representing the Right Honourable Mr. Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang), stated, “Penang’s 50 years of industrialisation has shaped a deep and highly skilled talent base spanning engineering, design, manufacturing, and advanced technologies. This long-standing industrial maturity enables investors like congatec to scale R&D, technical support, and regional operations efficiently, supported by talent that is both globally competitive and industry-ready.” 

“We are confident that congatec’s presence will generate meaningful technological spillovers for Penang. The integration of “Designed in Germany” quality standards with Penang’s robust industrial ecosystem—supported by our highly skilled talent—will create strong synergies for innovation and growth.”

Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid, Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), said, “congatec’s expansion to establish its R&D subsidiary in Penang exemplifies Malaysia’s shift towards high-value, innovation-driven activities within our electrical and electronics ecosystem. This investment underscores the growing recognition of Malaysia as a strategic location for advanced embedded computing capabilities. By anchoring sophisticated engineering and technical support functions here, we strengthen domestic R&D capacity, accelerate technology adoption, and create meaningful career pathways for Malaysian engineering talent. Aligned with the New Industrial Master Plan 2030, congatec's expansion contributes to Malaysia's position as a competitive hub for next-generation embedded and edge computing innovation in the region.”

Dr. Dominik Ressing, CEO of congatec, stated, “The opening of our Malaysian subsidiary is a natural next step in our ‘local for local’ philosophy. Regional development and support resources enable us to respond faster and more precisely to local requirements. Our goal is to improve customers’ time-to-market, total cost of ownership, and return on investment through local engineering expertise, while reducing barriers to application development across the APAC region.”

Mr. Konrad Garhammer, Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of congatec, added, “We are delighted to welcome such an experienced and highly motivated engineering team to the congatec family. With our new location in the ‘Silicon Valley of the East,’ we gain access to an outstanding ecosystem of semiconductor manufacturers and production partners. This enables us to combine our German engineering DNA with the dynamism of the Asian market. The new team brings extensive experience in developing highly integrated embedded computing platforms, enabling us not only to expand our portfolio but also to deliver maintenance and support services within our customers’ time zones. Furthermore, we are gaining vital capabilities across production, production support, and production engineering - expertise we plan to expand further. These are decisive factors in ensuring operational excellence.”

The Penang centre will support the APAC market with standard and customised embedded computing platforms developed in alignment with congatec’s “Designed in Germany” quality standards. In addition to advanced x86-based solutions based on Intel and AMD processors, the team will develop Computer-on-Modules (COMs) leveraging technologies from Qualcomm, Texas Instrument, and NXP, alongside expanded aReady. software and solution stacks. These validated platforms are designed to shorten design-in cycles, reduce non-recurring engineering costs and accelerate customers’ time-to-market.

---

@congatecAG @UnnGmbh #PAuto #Asia

IATF compliance in Bulgaria and Malaysia.

Consistent with a comprehensive program to ensure highest standards across all regions.

LEM's Bulgarian and Malaysian manufacturing sites are newly compliant with IATF 16949 requirements. This confirms LEM’s commitment to providing the highest standards of excellence.

“Today’s milestone builds on decades of automotive experience and highlights LEM’s commitment to excellence. I am proud of our teams and the dedication that went into achieving this,” says Raphael Surrel, Vice President of Quality, LEM. “Our intent is clear: To deliver solutions that adhere to the highest international standards, worldwide. Customers can be confident that our products meet the strictest requirements for quality, performance, and safety throughout their entire lifespan.”

LEM works with major car, bus, and truck manufacturers as well as Tier-1 suppliers. Its automotive solutions portfolio spans battery management systems, , motor control applications, DC/DC converters, on-board chargers (OBCs), and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE),

The certifications come as part of a wider concerted effort by LEM to define and implement a standardized and enhanced management systems across the group.

Certifications often involve multi-site collaboration. In achieving the IATF standard, for instance, LEM Japan, LEM Europe, the LEM Tech France R&D Competency Center, and LEM headquarters directly contribute through various supporting activities. The knowledge and expertise sharing within the group makes obtaining these certifications for all sites at LEM possible. Exchanging best practices and providing support to build competencies accelerates the learning curve across all sites and compounds employee skill sets.

Diversified compliance areas.
Their continuous progression model comprises increasingly diversified compliance efforts. It addresses the expectations of all stakeholders, including customers, investors, authorities, and LEM employees. Pursuing this range of certifications ensures LEM always operates according to the most demanding standards and drives efficiency across the group. LEM’s rich compliance history began in 1993, when LEM headquarters, Switzerland achieved ISO 9001. This was followed by LEM China in 2002 and subsequent locations.

Other historical certification highlights include (not an exhustive list):

• Automotive: IATF 16949 – LEM headquarters achieved IATF certification in 2002, followed by its main production plant in Beijing in 2007.
• Railway: IRIS/ISO 22163 – LEM headquarters was first certified in 2007, LEM China was certified in 2008, and LEM Bulgaria in 2016
• Environmental: ISO 14001 – All LEM manufacturing sites are now certified.
• Health and Safety: ISO 45001 – LEM China, LEM headquarters and LEM Malaysia are newly certified.
• Laboratory accreditations: ISO17025 – Switzerland and China since 2013 and 2014, respectively.
• Information security: TISAX Trusted Information Security Assessment Exchange – LEM International SA and LEM Europe GmbH are certified since 2024.

In 2022, LEM also pioneered in certification for its own designed and manufactured energy meters. Its Direct Current Billing Meter (DCBM) 400/600 and DCBM100 are compliant with MID module B and D European guidelines (METAS being the notified body), as well as national regulations for France (LNE) and Germany MessEV / MessEG (PTB, NMI, and CSA). Pursuing advanced certifications and deploying them globally creates significant value for LEM customers. It strengthens the LEM portfolio while embedding best practices, driving efficiency, encouraging knowledge sharing, and accelerating time-to-market.

---

@LEM_Inc @NapierPR #Automotive #Standards

Measurement technology high-tech plant in Malaysia.

Electrical measurement technology specialist LEM has inaugurated a new €15.7m state-of-the-art factory in Malaysia that combines environment-friendly design with advanced manufacturing technology.

Setting up this new factory reflects LEM’s growth plan which is driven by increasing global demand for the company’s core products, current and voltage sensors. The need for decarbonization in mobility, industry, energy production, as well as our private lives has led to an increased need for our products across all sectors where LEM’s products are used, including automation, automotive, traction, and renewable energy.

LEM chose to make such a substantial investment in the state of Penang in recognition of the region’s expertise in semiconductor production.

From employing around 70 people in April 2024, LEM expects to increase the Headcount to more than 200 people by March 2025 and eventually more than 500, with sales from the factory expected to reach over €200m. With plans in place already for an extension on the additional 5,000 sqm of land, the new 11,800 sqm factory features a state-of-the-art logistic system including automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) on the shopfloor which transport components from the warehouse to the high-tech production lines. LEM Malaysia is also the pilot for the roll-out of our new ERP system and will produce a substantial part of its energy through solar panels.

Right Honourable Mr. Chow Kon Yeow, the Chief Minister of Penang, declared: “We are delighted that such an internationally renowned company as LEM, with a reputation for dedication to quality, has chosen to invest not just in the region, which is renowned for its supply chain resilience and a well-developed ecosystem, but also in the acknowledged expertise of our people.”

According to LEM CEO Frank Rehfeld, it is vital that the company continues to invest in state-of-the-art facilities where it can manufacture world-leading products for a range of rapidly developing markets. “We are always looking to find solutions that will secure our operations while diversifying our global footprint. The new Penang factory is the latest venture in this quest. It is essential in uncertain times that LEM looks to increase its resilience and serve our customers better. We will achieve this by investing in advanced production facilities and personnel capable of manufacturing the best products designed to meet the demands of this growing sector,” he said.

Andreas Hürlimann, LEM chairman of the Board of Directors, added: “I’m very optimistic that having a state-of-the-art facility in this region with the ability to test our own semiconductors will be a major boost for our integrated current sensing business.

“It was vital when we commissioned this new factory that it complied with the Green Building Index (GBI), Malaysia’s industry-recognized green rating tool for buildings. With 300kW of solar energy systems already installed and another 400kW scheduled for 2026, the building also uses rainwater harvesting and building automation to optimize energy consumption. This new factory is proof of LEM’s commitment to its CO2 roadmap which is part of a long-term vision to help customers and society in general transition towards a more sustainable future.”

---

@LEM_Inc #PAuto #TandM

Sensors for asia.

Leuze has opened its new production site in Malacca (Malaysia) within a construction time of just 16 months. With immediate effect, Leuze sensors will be produced there for the international market. Leuze's Asian customers are primarily supplied from Malaysia

Based on 2020, sales of the Leuze electronic group should double again by 2025. For Sensor People, the construction of their new Leuze production site in Malacca (Malaysia) represents a key element in their global growth strategy. Furthermore, a milestone in the company's history. Construction of the new building, which involved many local partners, began in January 2021. Just 16 months later– in April 2022 – the plant was completed and, after a successful start-up phase, is to be officially opened in July.

To be able to meet the high global demand for its sensors and ensure a short delivery time, Leuze will double its production capacities by the end of the year. To this end, the company is implementing a strategy based on multiple production locations. "This will allow us to not only further improve our delivery capability but also optimize our international logistics flows," explains Sebastian Raible, Managing Director of Leuze electronic Malaysia and on-site project manager of the construction project. We implement the philosophy of process equality. This means that all production facilities worldwide are organized in the same process: same temperature, same humidity, same pressure.

“The work islands are built, tested, and duplicated in Germany and are then used all over the world," explains Jochen Wimmer, COO of the Leuze electronic group.

The production and warehouse logistics facilities covering an area of 4,500 square meters make up the bulk of the new plant. An additional 1,000 square meters are used for administration purposes. Areas totalling 7,000 square meters are available for a second expansion phase. Starting with 85 new local workers. By the end of the year, there will be over 100. With the growth of the plant, another 100 new employees are to be recruited in the first expansion phase. More will follow in the second expansion phase.

@TheSensorPeople @mepaxIntPR #Automation #PAuto

Manufacturer for systems for measuring electrical parameters opens new plant.

The inauguration ceremony has been held in Penang, Malaysia for LEM's new production plant. The ceremony was attended by the Chief Minister of Penang, the Chairman and CEO of LEM, together with invited guests including the Swiss Ambassador to Malaysia. The project was first announced in 2020, and this marked a major step in its construction with the first electric current sensor products expected to come on-line in Q1 2024.

“Supply chain resiliency and well-developed ecosystem are among the key differentiators that made Penang a sustainable location for the electrical and electronics (E&E) players." said the Right Honourable Mr. Chow Kon Yeow, the Chief Minister of Penang. "Being a leading company in electrical measurement that serves the emerging and high-growth industries, I am confident that LEM would be able to reap a myriad of benefits from its operation in Penang while complementing the State’s presence in the world map of technology.”

“The State, via InvestPenang and other relevant state agencies, is committed to work closely with LEM to ensure smooth project implementation on the ground,”

LEM's chairman Andreas Hürlimann remarked: “We are delighted to be welcomed today by the key persons in Malaysia who have made this investment process come to fruition so efficiently, despite the recent pandemic challenges. We selected Penang as a strategic location to improve our supply chains, increase our resilience and better meet the needs of our customers here in Asia, as well as Europe and the US. This plant will complement our existing facilities in China, Bulgaria and Switzerland as we invest in more capacity to achieve our ambitious but profitable growth objectives in the coming years.”

Frank Rehfeld, Chief Executive Officer of LEM, commented: “The talent and experience available here in Penang will be of significant benefit to LEM, particularly in the domain of semiconductors. This plant will be the main testing base for our integrated current sensor (ICS) products which are in great demand from customers in our automation, automotive and renewable energy businesses. As we develop our manufacturing operations here, we may also consider adding R&D investment and capabilities. We are grateful to everybody who has helped the project reach this important milestone today."

---

* LEM is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022, having been founded in Geneva, Switzerland in 1972. The company recently announced record annual sales of CHF 373.4m.

@LEM_Inc @NapierPR #Electrical #Malaysia

LIMS Distributor in Malaysia.

Autoscribe Informatics has announced the appointment of Nano Life Quest SDN BHD as distributor in Malaysia for the Matrix family of Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) products.

Nano Life Quest, based in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. While they provide complete solutions for the Molecular Diagnostics and Research, Cellular Biology, Life Sciences and Biotechnology’s market segments, they have also branched out to cover many different laboratory types including University, Veterinary, Hospitals, and more recently Oil and Gas, Food and Beverage, and Microbiological.

Bob Blunden, Director Australasia at Autoscribe Informatics, said: “Malaysia is a country that prefers to have local support for their LIMS software. The size and customer knowledge of Nano Life Quest is an excellent match with Autoscribe. We look forward to them rapidly learning and supporting Matrix Gemini to further grow our LIMS business in Malaysia. The configurability of Matrix provides opportunities in a wide range of markets, by allowing the LIMS solutions to be precisely tailored to the particular needs of individual laboratories, and even in multiple laboratories within a single organization.”

The comprehensive configuration tools built into Matrix Gemini allow genuine system configuration without the need for custom software coding. The tools use an intuitive visual workflow screen editor that utilizes visual drag and drop and point and click methods to add fields and list boxes, meaning that no programming skills are required. Using these tools the LIMS can be implemented quickly to meet the users’ exact needs in terms of workflows, screen designs, menu options, terminology, reports and much more.

Mr. WK LIM, Business Manager at Nano Life Quest, said “We have been receiving many queries about LIMS in recent times from our customers who are looking to move to more professional and functional systems. Matrix Gemini’s ability to be configured to the specific needs of our varied customer base in Malaysia makes it the ideal system for Nano Life Quest to market, install and support. We are proud to represent Autoscribe Informatics and Matrix Gemini LIMS.”

#LIMS @AutoscribeLtd @DenisBulgin

Control systems for floating LNG facility!

Yokogawa in Malaysia, has received an order from a consortium comprising JGC Corporation (J) and Samsung Heavy Industries (SK) that will supply control systems and safety instrumented systems for PETRONAS’s second floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility, PFLNG2.

Under the terms of the contract, Yokogawa Kontrol (Malaysia) will deliver an integrated control & safety system (ICSS) for the monitoring and control of the liquefaction facilities and storage tanks on PFLNG2. The ICSS will consist of a Yokogawa CENTUM® VP integrated production control system, a ProSafe®-RS safety instrumented system, a Plant Resource Manager (PRM®) package, a plant information management system, and other components. Yokogawa Kontrol will also be responsible for engineering, and the support of installation, commissioning, and training.

The PFLNG2 facility will be moored offshore off Sabah, Malaysia, and is designed to produce 1.5 million tons of LNG a year, with production scheduled to start in early 2018.

An FLNG facility is a new type of LNG plant that performs all operations at sea, starting with the routing of natural gas from offshore gas fields and including the refining, liquefaction, storage, and transfer of this resource onto LNG carriers. FLNG is attractive because the technology does not require the acquisition of land or laying of pipelines, making it suitable for small to medium-sized offshore gas fields that are deemed economically unfeasible to develop.

Since its establishment in Malaysia in 1989, Yokogawa Kontrol (Malaysia) has developed a solid global track record and extensive know-how of LNG processing plants, LNG carriers, FPSO vessels, and other types of offshore facilities. It has delivered numerous control systems to PETRONAS production facilities.  

In 2013, Yokogawa set up an organisation dedicated to the growing marine resource business as part of its efforts to expand its control business in this sector and offer the latest technology solutions to its customers.

Control order for power plant

Yokogawa Kontrol (Malaysia) has received an order from the CTCI Consortium -  consortium led by CTCI Corporation, the largest engineering firm in Taiwan and a supplier of engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services to a variety of industries - to supply control systems and field devices for the Kimanis combined cycle power plant - uses both gas turbines and steam turbines - which is being built for Kimanis Power Sdn. Bhd. in the Malaysian state of Sabah, in the northeast part of Borneo island.

The Kimanis power plant will have a total output of 300 MW (three 100 MW units). The first 100 MW units, now under construction, are scheduled to start operation in December 2013.
This order is for a comprehensive range of control and instrumentation including the CENTUM® VP integrated production control systems for the power plant's boilers and its boiler and turbine auxiliary facilities; the ProSafe®-RS safety instrumented system for safely shutting down the plant if any abnormal conditions occur; exhaust gas analyzers; and differential pressure/pressure transmitters. Yokogawa Kontrol (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. will be responsible for project execution, including engineering, installation, and commissioning services.

Yokogawa was able to win this order thanks to strengths such as its extensive track record in providing control systems for combined cycle power plants and the excellent engineering capabilities of Yokogawa Kontrol (Malaysia).

Malaysia has a growing economy. Along with the development of industrial complexes by the government and private sectors, power generation and transmission infrastructure is being expanded to meet the country’s rising demand for electricity. Encouraged by this order, Yokogawa will continue to expand its sales of industrial automation systems by targeting Malaysia’s growing power market.

DCS system in Malaysia

Distributed control technology increases system reliability and availability, helps achieve productivity and safety excellence

Invensys Operations Management has signed, US $12.4 million contract to upgrade and modernize a distributed control system (DCS) for Malaysia Liquefied Natural Gas Sdn. Bhd. (MLNG). The major upgrade will provide a continuously current DCS, sustain the productivity and safety of MLNG's liquid natural gas operations in Bintulu, Sarawak, (MY). The project is expected to be completed by 2014.

"We are proud to be selected for this large-scale complex DCS migration with superior technology, proven migration methodologies and deep project expertise," said Terence Chan, vice president and managing director, Invensys Operations Management, ASEAN, Japan and Taiwan. "This upgrade is key to help MLNG meet growing demand and its vision for world-class safety and productivity excellence."

MLNG has used Invensys Operations Management's Foxboro I/A Series DCS throughout its operations for many years and the current contract calls for upgrading all of MLNG's existing distributed control systems to newer Foxboro I/A Series CP270 models. The CP270 DCS provides twice the capacity and three times the performance of older controllers, improving cost effectiveness in demanding environments. This newer Foxboro series are fault tolerant and perform regulatory, logic, timing and sequential control, as well as data acquisition, alarm detection and notification. Providing the highest availability of any critical control system in the process industry, the I/A Series solution is engineered for non-stop operation, with fault tolerance residing at all levels of the system, from process controllers to redundant field networks and fieldbus modules.

"LNG trading volume is projected to significantly increase during the next 10 years as countries worldwide aggressively adopt it as a more environmentally friendly energy resource and as industrialising nations continue to demand reliable access to it," said Medan Abdullah, managing director, MLNG. "We need a scalable, new-generation DCS to help us to sustain our role as a major LNG player, as well as reduce costs and help us maintain the safety and integrity of our operations. This upgrade will extend the life of our plant control system, equip us with the necessary gateway for future technology enhancements and enable us to achieve safety and productivity excellence."

Along with the Foxboro I/A Series DCS, MLNG also uses Invensys' field instruments and advanced applications, such as the company's SimSci-Esscor® operator training simulator and Triconex® safety systems.

The Bintulu LNG Complex houses the MLNG, MLNG Dua and MLNG Tiga plants. It has a combined capacity of about 23 million tonnes per year, and together with ancillary facilities which include six LNG storage tanks and two loading jetties, and it is currently one of the world's largest LNG production facilities from a single location.

Communication Demo

Petronas Instrument Forum sees wireless demonstration

The HART® Communication Foundation demonstrated WirelessHART™ technology, the first interoperable wireless communication standard for the process industries, during the recent Instrument Forum organized by Petronas, Malaysia’s national petroleum company. The Forum provides a platform for the Petronas Instrumentation & Control fraternity to share best practices, lessons learned and technology applications within the group.

Industry specialists from HART Communication Foundation member companies, ABB, Emerson Process Management, Endress+Hauser, Pepperl+Fuchs, and Siemens, participated in the HART booth at the Forum. These manufacturers provided the gateways and devices used in live demonstrations of the WirelessHART standard that included process monitoring, device configuration, calibration and diagnostics, and secure commissioning.

Visitors to the stand learned about WirelessHART application solutions and how the technology can help lower operating costs, reduce downtime and move to a predictive maintenance strategy. Visitors saw firsthand the WirelessHART features that provide reliable communications in challenging industrial environments including coexistence with other wireless networks, self-organizing and self-healing mesh network, and the ability to add devices point-by-point.

Demonstrations showed how process variables from different types of WirelessHART devices from a variety of vendors are integrated in the same system using the same standard commands as for wired HART devices. Visitors learned how this technology provides a simple, reliable, cost-effective and secure way to deploy new points of measurement and control enabling users to quickly and easily gain the benefits of wireless technology while maintaining compatibility with existing HART devices, tools and systems.

HART Communication is the leading technology for smart process instruments with more than 30 million devices installed worldwide. WirelessHART technology is backward compatible with currently installed HART devices, is supported by existing HART tools, training and personnel, providing additional capabilities and ways to access asset management information in both existing and new monitoring and control applications.