GELANG PATAH: Country Garden Pacificview Sdn Bhd (CGPV), the developer of Forest City, is set to invest about RM2.6 billion into building an industrial building system (IBS) factory, comprising six facilities, in the new township.
The IBS factory, once completed, will be the largest of its kind in the world.
CGPV executive director Datuk Md Othman Yusof said the first phase of the project would involve the construction of three facilities.
"We have already invested a total of RM470 million into building the first facility, which is equipped with the latest technology and modern machinery from Italy, Germany and China.
"This factory will produce 260,000 cubic metres of materials that will cover one million square metres of built area annually," said Othman.
He was speaking at the opening of the factory by state Tourism and Domestic Trade and Consumerism Executive Committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong.
Also present were Country Garden Holdings Ltd chief executive officer Mo Bin and CGPV chief executive officer Su Baiyuan.
Othman said that the establishment of the factory has also generated transfer of knowledge and created employment opportunities for the locals.
"The total IBS strength lies in its staff of 201, 90 per cent of whom are locals. I am very pleased to see that the spillover of our development are already being enjoyed by the local communities," said Othman.
Su meanwhile, said the company aims to develop the Forest City IBS factory into the most advanced in the world.
"By introducing well developed design and construction concepts from Singapore and by cooperating with EBAWE of Germany and Eurofins of Italy, Forest City is developing a characterised IBS production system.
"It is more than a pre-fabricated component production factory. Instead, it is an industry innovation hub with excellent design mode, smart factory, digital logistics and a full informative industry chain. The IBS factory is the core development component of Forest City," said Su.
Once completed within the next three to five years, the factory would have a total manufacturing area of 510,000 square metres, making it the largest IBS factory in the world.
Meanwhile, Tee said the state welcomes CGPV's investment in the IBS factory.
"The presence of the factory would change the landscape of the construction industry in Johor with the modernisation of the construction technology.
"Johor needs these high-impact and high technology projects and at the same time, reduce our reliance on unskilled labour while improving the number of skilled workers," said Tee.
He said, according to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), China's investments in the manufacturing sector in Johor has increased 2,376 per cent from RM28 million in 2015 to RM695.6 million in 2016.