KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 2): Kuala Lumpur is set to host SEMICON Southeast Asia on May 8-10 at the new Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (MITEC), according to the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI).  

In a statement on its website yesterday, SEMI said the move from Penang to Kuala Lumpur will attract new participation from key electronics clusters within Malaysia’s key Central and Southern regions ─ and will provide greater access to the entire electronics manufacturing downstream supply chain.

It adviced professionals in the electronics industry to check their calendars and note the new location and date, whether exhibiting or attending SEMICON Southeast Asia 2018.

Organised by SEMI, the global not-for-profit association advancing the global electronics manufacturing supply chain, SEMICON Southeast Asia has a recent legacy in Malaysia. 

In 2016, the conference was the largest ever held at SPICE Arena in Penang, with approximately 6,700 visitors and over 200 exhibitors.

SEMI said this marked a 15% growth from 2016, making the conference the largest in three years.

It said the move to Kuala Lumpur, with the larger venue, will accommodate the expanding scope of the conference as well as the growing numbers of visitors and exhibitors.

SEMI said the growth of SEMICON Southeast Asia can be attributed to the rapid expansion of Malaysia’s Electrical & Electronics (E&E) market, which contributes 44% of the total manufacturing output and 26% of the total GDP of the region.

Additionally, it said the E&E sector creates over 2.1 million jobs throughout Southeast Asia – and is forecasted to generate approximately US$382 billion in exports in 2018.