Joint Venture company Purem Aapico opens new plant in Malaysia

Esslingen (Germany) / Rawang (Malaysia), 10 October 2023 – Growth with Clean Mobility in Asia: under this headline, the top-management of the Joint Venture partners Purem by Eberspaecher and AAPICO Hitech Public Company Limited (AAPICO) celebrated the official opening of its first plant in Malaysia.

“This is an important milestone for our business activities in the ASEAN market”, summarized Martin Peters, Managing Partner of the Eberspaecher Group. “It demonstrates that our products and technologies for clean mobility are well sought and we are delighted to deliver these together with our joint Venture partner AAPICO.” He furthermore emphasized: “Just a year after the start of our joint venture activities, this opening is a proof point of its success and an important step to develop the local Malaysian market.”

Purem by Eberspaecher is a global leader in exhaust technologies. Its sustainable solutions meet global emission standards for clean and quiet mobility. Together with joint venture partner AAPICO, the German company now enters the growing markets in Malaysia and Thailand.

“This is our second auto part investment in Malaysia within this year. AAPICO is confident of the future of the car industry in Malaysia. I am proud to bring Purem by Eberspaecher, one of the largest and top exhaust makers in the world, to Malaysia”, said Yeap Swee Chuan, President & CEO of AAPICO Hitech PLC.

The new plant in Rawang covers 4,000 square meters for the production of exhaust gas aftertreatment systems. This includes so called hot ends with catalytic converters and manifolds as well as cold ends, that means mufflers and pipes. Featuring highly automatic state-of-the-art technology, about 100 employees will produce and deliver about 400,000 components yearly for four different car models directly to a Malaysian automotive manufacturer. In the future, further volumes with new local customers are planned as well as technical expansion of the production facility for coating of catalysts.

With the facility’s potential to expand up to 7,000 square meters and operate at full capacity, this venture will contribute to the growth and development of Malaysia’s auto parts industry with the creation of new employment, introduction of leading technologies and upskilling the workforce, while delivering sustainable world-class exhaust systems to OEM manufacturers.

Later this week the joint venture partners will officially open a second plant to serve the ASEAN market. The site in Rayong, Southeast of Bangkok, Thailand, will deliver exhaust systems for a pick-up truck of a leading US automotive manufacturer.

The joint venture Purem Aapico Co. Ltd. was founded in August 2022. Purem by Eberspaecher holds 51 %, while AAPICO 49 %. The aim of the partnership is to develop the local market and become a major exhaust technology system supplier for the region: Purem by Eberspaecher and AAPICO sign joint venture agreement. 

Global Media Contact: 
Anja Kaufer
Vice President Corporate Communications 
Eberspächer Group
Phone: +49 711 939-0250
press@eberspaecher.com

Media Contact AAPICO Hitech Public Company Limited:
Pocharee Busrathepkul
Senior Financial Controller and Head of Investor Relations
AAPICO Hitech PLC.
Phone: +66 2 613-1504
ir@aapico.com

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About Purem by Eberspaecher:
Purem by Eberspaecher is a subsidiary of the Esslingen-based Eberspaecher Group. To achieve clean and quiet mobility, more than 7,100 employees develop and produce exhaust and acoustic systems for passenger cars, CVs, and off-road vehicles. The technologies make a significant contribution to meeting the strictest emission standards and noise guidelines. Its customer base includes the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers. In 2022, the area within the group of companies generated revenue of around 5.7 billion euros. Net revenue adjusted for transitory items amounted to 1.9 billion euros.

About AAPICO Hitech PLC:
AAPICO Hitech Public Company Limited, founded by Yeap Swee Chuan, was established in 1996 and was listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 2002. The Company is comprised of 3 business pillars: the OEM Auto Parts Manufacturing Business, the Car Dealership Business, and the IoT Connectivity & Mobility Business. As of today, the Group comprises 48 subsidiaries and associate companies, of which 33 companies are operating in Thailand and 15 companies are located overseas. The Company’s main business initially was to design, produce, and install car assembly jigs and stamping dies; and to manufacture OEM automotive parts, including floor parts, cross members, pillars, brackets, clips, and fuel tanks for leading automobile assemblers in Thailand. The Company has since progressed by adding the production of chassis frame components, forging parts, machining parts, casting parts, plastic parts and plastic fuel tanks to its manufacturing portfolio. Revenue for 2022 was USD 800 million* with 5,400 employees. (*Remarks the exchange rate 1 USD = 35.5 THB)

About Eberspaecher:
With approximately 10,700 employees at 80 locations worldwide, the Eberspaecher Group is one of the automotive industry’s leading system developers and suppliers. The family business, headquartered in Esslingen am Neckar, stands for innovative solutions in exhaust technology, automotive electronics and thermal management for a broad range of vehicle types. In combustion or hybrid engines and in e-mobility, the components and systems from Eberspaecher ensure greater comfort, higher safety and a clean environment. Eberspaecher is paving the way for future technologies such as mobile and stationary fuel cell applications, synthetic fuels as well as the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier. In 2022, the Group generated revenue of around 6.4 billion euros. Net revenue adjusted for transitory items amounted to 2.7 billion euros.