KUALA LUMPUR: NCT Alliance Bhd has partnered with Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec) to develop a robotics manufacturing ecosystem in Selangor.
Under the collaboration signed by its subsidiary NCT World Sdn Bhd, NCT Smart Industrial Park (NSIP) will serve as an assembly and manufacturing base.
The move aims to attract local and foreign robotics and automation manufacturers, technology providers and investors to Selangor, in line with the state's ambition to become a regional hub for robotics and advanced manufacturing.
NCT Alliance will provide industrial infrastructure at NSIP, located in the Integrated Development Region in South Selangor, the company said in a statement.
The industrial park will offer factory facilities with flexible ownership and leasing arrangements, including outright purchases, rent-to-own options and leases, to help manufacturers reduce initial costs and accelerate operations.
Sidec will facilitate introductions to local and foreign robotics manufacturers and investors, while both parties will share industry insights and resources.
The proposed ecosystem will connect semiconductor chip design and robotics development with manufacturing.
Its existing semiconductor foundation comprises the Malaysia Semiconductor IC Design Parks in Puchong and Cyberjaya and the Advanced Semiconductor Academy Malaysia, which have collectively onboarded 20 companies and trained 850 engineers.
MRANTI Park, formerly known as Technology Park Malaysia, in Bukit Jalil is planned as the ecosystem's third base, with NSIP serving as the assembly and manufacturing hub.
NCT Alliance executive chairman and group managing director Datuk Seri Yap Ngan Choy said the collaboration would provide manufacturers with the infrastructure and flexibility to establish and expand their operations in Selangor.
"Beyond providing industrial space, NSIP is designed to support an ecosystem where technology companies, manufacturers and investors can establish operations, showcase their capabilities and expand efficiently from Selangor," he said.
As part of the collaboration, NCT and Sidec plan to organise Malaysia-China Robotics Day in January 2027, featuring 15 robotics and automation companies, including 10 from China and five from Malaysia.
The event will showcase technologies and facilitate investment and business-matching opportunities.
Both parties also plan to establish a permanent robotics exhibition hub at NSIP, allowing companies to showcase products and explore manufacturing opportunities in Selangor.
The collaboration has also drawn interest from advanced air mobility and industrial automation companies.
TCab Tech (M) Sdn Bhd, the Malaysian arm of China's electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft developer TCab Tech, is expected to display its five-seat E20 tilt-rotor aircraft at NSIP by November.
The company, which debuted the aircraft in Malaysia on Oct 9, is also in discussions to establish an operational base at NSIP.
Malaysian industrial automation company DF Automation & Robotics Sdn Bhd, which manufactures autonomous mobile robots and automated guided vehicles, is also exploring opportunities at the park.
Sidec chief executive officer Yong Kai Ping said the partnership could attract local and international companies seeking to establish a presence in Malaysia while creating investment and technology collaboration opportunities.
Separately, NCT Alliance is a limited partner in the RM100 million Ehsan Semiconductor Fund, co-founded by Sidec.
The fund invests in semiconductor technologies and related industries, including robotics, advanced air mobility and autonomous systems.
It aims to deploy its capital over five years, with NCT seeking to support promising technology companies and provide industrial facilities at NSIP for those expanding their manufacturing operations in Selangor.
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