SEBERANG PERAI, Feb 13 — Singapore Aerospace Manufacturing (SAM) is expecting the revenue from its Malaysian plants to reach RM1 billion per year by 2018.

SAM chairman Philip Yeo said the aircraft components manufacturer is expecting new projects coming on line to give its “made in Malaysia” products a boost.

“In 2014, SAM hopes to supply more than RM75 million worth of aerospace products that were made in Malaysia to customers worldwide,” Yeo said at the opening ceremony of the firm’s Aviatron (M) Sdn Bhd plant here.

About 80 per cent of SAM’s business in Malaysia will be focused on aerospace applications, he said.

SAM has invested RM400 million in Malaysia since 2008 and employs 700 people. It expects to employ 1500 people by 2018

“To-date, Aviatron has already delivered close to 550 beams to UTC Aerospace Systems,” Yeo said.

The Aviatron (M) Sdn Bhd facility in Bukit Minyak, Penang. — Picture by K.E. Ooi

Aviatron is now working on the Airbus 350 beam programme, with delivery scheduled to start in October. 

“With this, Aviatron will be the sole global supplier to both Airbus 350 and Boeing 787 aircraft,” he said.

To cope with the demand, SAM has already acquired an additional four acres of land next to its current plant.

“Phase Two will be coming up within the next three years,” he said, adding that the total investment for the Aviatron facility comes up to RM500 million.

Workers making aircraft beams at the Aviatron facility in Bukit Minyak, Penang.

Currently, Aviatron has a total 300 employees and will be hiring another 300.

Yeo said SAM is currently bidding on several aerospace projects for the lines of new generation aircraft, all of which to be manufactured in Malaysia. 

“These are exciting projects for products from newly launched aircraft such as the A320neo, B737MAX and the Embraer 2nd Generation aircraft that have long lives extending beyond 20 years and they will make Aviatron a key player in the global aerospace industry,” he added.