Japan Solderless Terminals (JST) through its Malaysian subsidiary, JST Connectors (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, will develop a one million sq ft integrated facility in the Pelepas Free Zone.

The plant, to be built over 12.58ha, will be developed at an initial cost of US$100 million (RM373.66 million) and will increase to more than US$200 million over 10-year period.

The new plant is for production, engineering, R&D, training and sales and it will be the most advanced of its kind, the company said in a statement on Aug 5.

"It will be part of JST's long-term goal of being the global leader in electronic and electric connectors," it said.
JST said the new plant would be part of JST's long-term goal to be the global leader in electronic and electric connectors.

The lease agreement was signed on Aug 4. Port of Tanjung Pelepas was represented by its chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman while JST was represented by chairman Miyoko Nishimoto.

A JST spokesman said JST decided to locate in the Pelepas Free Zone partly because of the lower overall costs of business and logistics facilitation, especially with their Singapore and Indonesian operations.

It said the other factors were the extensive and effective distribution network available through PTP to reach out to the company's global market.

JST has annual global sales of more than US$1 billion and a global workforce of over 6,000.

It supplies to leading companies and MNCs in the electronics, telecommunications and automotive industry.
Mohd Sidik said the entry of JST was the start of an industry cluster for the electronics industry in the Pelepas Free Zone, which over time will have a significant impact on the local cargo volumes handled by the port.