The Star Online: Business

Boon Siew offers 1,100 jobs
Naza Kia unveils new Sorento
New CEO to oversee RM1.4bil expansion of Malaysia's largest container terminal operator

Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:49 PM PDT

GEORGE TOWN: Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd's new RM200mil plant at Batu Kawan Industrial Park that is five times larger than the old plant will open up 1,100 job vacancies.

International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said that over the past 50 years, Boon Siew Honda had played a key contributing role to the country's economy.

He said the sale of motorcycles had increased by 10.7% to 547,553 units in 2012 while production went up by 9% to 543,088 units from 498,076 units in 2011.

"Honda's share of the domestic market is a very impressive 46%," he said at the launching of the plant, which started operations last month.

Also present were Oriental Holding Bhd chairman Datuk Seri Loh Cheng Yean, Boon Siew Honda managing director Satoshi Okada, Honda Motor Co president Takanobu and Honda Motor Co managing officer Hiroshi Kobayahsi.

"New technologies will be introduced to achieve greater production efficiencies, including energy savings, reduction in manpower requirements and improved control over waste," Mustapa said.

He said the National Automotive Policy would promote the development of energy-efficient vehicles as a niche.

"We will attract investments in high value-added manufacturing using the latest technologies, particularly for the production of energy-efficient vehicles.

"We hope Boon Siew Honda will work with its principal to bring their involvement in this technology to a higher level and help us develop a foothold in the region," he added.

Meanwhile, Okada said the new plant occupied a 23.7ha site and had an annual production capacity of 350,000 units.

"The facility also deploys a highly-efficient production system with the use of advanced technologies such as solar photovoltaic, high-coating efficiency and an efficient electro-depositing coating line for volatile organic compounds.

"The new streamlined processes not only increase productivity but also contribute to greater energy savings and reduction of manpower and material wastage," he said.

Naza Kia unveils new Sorento

Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:41 PM PDT

PETALING JAYA: Naza Kia Malaysia expects to sell 100 new-generation Sorento sports utility vehicles (SUVs) per month.

The company will launch the vehicle in conjunction with its Kia Customer Day this weekend.

Chief operating officer Datuk Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar said the new Sorento, which will be available at all its 56 outlets nationwide, will help the company achieve its sales target of 15,000 units this year.

"This year has begun on a positive note for Naza Kia Malaysia with the sale of 1,854 units in January and February, which is 12% higher than the same period in 2012.

"With over 33 enhancements, the next-generation Sorento will be positioned as a premium SUV targeted at affluent customers aged between 35 and 50 years old," he said.

The new-generation Sorento was re-styled by Kia's design team to create larger areas of body colour surface at the front and rear.

At the front, the SUV features LED daytime running lights, vertical-axis fog lamps with static bending lights for better visibility in the dark and a new signature Kia Tiger Nose Grille with a geometrical lattice pattern.

The side-mirrors of the new Sorento feature stylish LED turn-signals while its chrome-plated door handles are equipped with pocket lights that light up when the driver approaches the car with the remote key.

At the rear, the vehicle comes with a redesigned tailgate, reshaped LED rear-combination lamps, a stylish body colour bumper, vertical rear fog lamps and a rear spoiler to accentuate the SUV's sporty image.

The new Sorento comes with sporty redesigned 18-inch alloy wheels. Safety-wise, the new Sorento features a high rigidity body shell, electronic stability control, hill assist control, anti-lock brakes and six airbags.

Available in snow pearl white, bright silver, glittering metal and mahogany brown, the on-the-road price of the next generation Sorento remains unchanged from the previous version at RM158,888 and comes with a five–year warranty with unlimited mileage.

New CEO to oversee RM1.4bil expansion of Malaysia's largest container terminal operator

Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:37 PM PDT

Wednesday March 13, 2013

PETALING JAYA: Newly appointed chief executive officer of Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) Glen Hilton will oversee a RM1.4bil expansion plan of the country's largest container terminal operator.

"The container port business is highly competitive as regional ports are also expanding their capacity and stepping up their level of services to customers. Hilton will deploy his wealth of experience in bringing operational best practices from a global perspective to PTP and oversee the successful commissioning of our expansion programme. This expansion will ensure that we enhance our value proposition to existing and new customers," chairman Datuk Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman said in a statement.

The expansion involves building two new berths, three blocks of containers yards, purchase of new cranes and electrifying existing rubber-tyred gantries.

The port operator said construction works on the new berths measuring 720m had already started and slated for completion in May 2014.

"The expansion will raise PTP's annual handling capacity by 25% to 10.5 million twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEUs) and increase the number of berths to 14 with total quay length of 5km. The expansion will complete Phase 2 of PTP's master plan.

PTP's new berths and new equipment will be able to handle the Maersk Line Triple-E vessels, a new generation container ships with 18,000 TEUs capacity. PTP is one of six ports (the others are Felixstowe, Bremerhaven, Rotterdam, Yantian, Shanghai and Ningbo) selected by Maersk Line for its "Daily Maersk" programme.

In 2012, PTP handled 7.7 million TEUs of containers, consolidating its position as the largest container terminal in Malaysia. It is targeting a volume growth of about 6% this year, bringing annual TEUs to above eight million.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Selasa, 12 Mac 2013