Johnson & Johnson to shut down Kedah plant

Abbott had said then that the 500-strong facility was built to use the same process, equipment, materials and quality standards as its IOL manufacturing facilities in the Netherlands and Puerto Rico. The plant was designed to produce more than four million lenses a year, and the first batch was ready in the second half of 2016.

Formerly known as Abbott Manufacturing Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the company was renamed JJSV Manufacturing after the merger. A search on the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) website indicates that in its financial year ended Dec 31, 2015 (FY2015), the company posted a revenue of RM47.29 million and a profit of RM13.66 million. However, it slipped into the red in FY2016 with a loss of RM4.05 million.

KHTP, where the asset is located, was opened in 1996 and is managed and developed by Kulim Technology Park Corp Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Kedah.

According to its website, 4,400 acres have been developed, housing more than 37 multinational companies. A further 7,000 are earmarked for development. Other companies with factories in KHTP include Germany-based Osram, BASF and DB Schenker; the US-based Intel and Air Products and Chemicals, Inc and Canada’s First Solar.

Globally, J&J is also a pharmaceutical and consumer packaged goods manufacturer. In Malaysia, Johnson & Johnson Sdn Bhd operates a manufacturing facility in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, and it is understood that this factory manufactures baby products.

A search on the SSM website reveals that Johnson & Johnson Sdn Bhd was set up in Malaysia in 1960. Its nature of business is described as manufacturer and distributor of baby and healthcare products, and distributor of pharmaceutical and medical products. In its financial year ended Dec 31, 2017, the company posted a revenue of RM606.34 million and a net profit of RM30.14 million. As at Dec 31, it had an accumulated profit of RM333.7 million and total liabilities of RM134.15 million, of which RM130.82 million were current.