Under a technology transfer agreement between a local business and a Chinese robotics company, Johor will serve as the manufacturing hub for cleaning robots driven by artificial intelligence (AI), Bernama reports.
Datuk B Ravintharan, Director of Indah Holding Venture (M) Sdn Bhd, said the company intends to manufacture the robots at its Senai factory for both export and domestic markets.
According to Ravintharan, the collaboration was reached after the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) introduced him to a Chinese robotics company looking for a local partner.
He stated that Indah Holding, which currently provides conventional cleaning services, has spent approximately RM850,000 on its factory, renovations, and production facilities.
The first robot, which costed around RM35,000, arrived by 27th July for testing, assembly, and production preparation.
“Our first customer has projected demand of up to 70,000 units a year. Based on that forecast, we are targeting annual sales of between RM18 million and RM20 million during the initial phase from 2026 to 2028.
“Within five years, we aim to increase annual sales to RM50 million by expanding into new markets and lowering production costs,” he told Bernama.
According to Ravintharan, the robots will be manufactured in Johor before being exported to the UAE, the US, and Europe. Within a year or two, the company intends to launch them in the domestic market, focusing on commercial users like data centres, factories, shopping centres, and airports.
In its early stages, he said, the project is anticipated to generate hundreds of jobs, especially for local engineers and technicians.
“We want to employ an entirely local workforce, especially Johoreans. We do not want to recruit only production operators. Instead, we want to train technicians and skilled workers capable of operating robotic technology,” he said.
In order to guarantee that small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) profit from the project’s supply chain, Ravintharan stated that the company also intends to procure plastic, metal, and electronic components from regional vendors.
Senai was chosen because of its strategic location within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), as well as its proximity to Senai International Airport, the North-South Motorway, and Tanjung Pelepas Port.
Meanwhile, Datuk Sivasuriyamoorthy Sundara Raja, Chairman of Indah Holdings, stated that the project supports the government’s push for increased local participation in high-technology manufacturing and is consistent with the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) and the Johor Economic Transformation Plan.
According to MIDA Johor Director Mohamad Reduan Mohd Zabri, the project reflects local companies’ growing participation in advanced manufacturing and supports efforts to establish Johor as a high-technology manufacturing hub.
“The project is also aligned with the Federal and Johor governments’ goal of positioning Johor as a leading high-technology manufacturing hub,” he said.
He stated that MIDA would continue to collaborate with the Johor government and relevant agencies to identify additional local companies that could join the JS-SEZ ecosystem.
He also stated that increased investment in the JS-SEZ would provide significant opportunities for local SMEs to participate in high-technology industries, supply chains, and supporting sectors.
