Optics Balzers has implemented its international growth strategy by deciding to initiate production in Malaysia of autumn 2016.
Optics Balzers’ CEO Alex Vogt explained that the strategic decision to develop a production site in Malaysia has been deliberated and defined over the last year. ‘Since 2015, we have been receiving more and more requests concerning large-scale projects, particularly from customers based in Asia,’ Vogt says. Subject to the respective order situation, Optics Balzers is planning to create approximately 200 new jobs in the state of Penang on the west coast of Malaysia.
Vogt said that the planned production site in Malaysia is the ideal addition to the headquarters in Balzers, Liechtenstein, and to the German plant in Jena. Malaysia’s good economic and industrial environment as well as the country’s simple administrative and organisational structure have been pivotal for a decision in favour of Malaysia.
According to Vogt, the new site is primarily going to serve as a production site: ‘This enables us to exploit the market opportunities immediately and helps us to purposefully expand our market shares in Asia with new customer projects and new products.’
The company’s focus is going to be on optical solutions for applications in attractive future markets. Vogt gave the example of computer-based applications to aid or enhance human perception of reality (‘augmented reality’) and the creation of visual worlds formerly not visible to the eye (‘virtual reality’). Another example of the diverse fields of application for Optics Balzers products are mini- or pico-projectors.
The product portfolio in Balzers and Jena remains unchanged as relocating production is not part of the international growth strategy. ‘Expanding to Asia specifically boosts the development of new products, skills and know-how in Jena and Balzers, where we mainly work on new products until they are ready for series production. This opens up new opportunities for the sites in Europa and facilitates continued positive development. Therefore, the need for new and highly qualified employees is going to keep increasing.’ Said Vogt.