SCHOTT Celebrates 50 Years of Cutting-Edge Glass Processing in Malaysia

This year, SCHOTT, the international pioneer in specialty glass, marks a significant milestone: 50 years of cutting-edge glass processing operations in Malaysia. Half a century of innovation, dedication, and growth—it's a remarkable journey worth celebrating. SCHOTT 50th Anniversary was held at at Eastern & Oriental Hotel Penang and graced by Dato' Hans Peter Brenner, Honorary Consul of Germany and representatives from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA).

SCHOTT Celebrates 50 Years of Cutting-Edge Glass Processing in Malaysia
SCHOTT Management Board Members, staff and customers gather together at the Grand Ballroom in Eastern & Oriental Hotel to celebrate the 50th anniversary of SCHOTT’s presence in Malaysia

From its humble beginnings, SCHOTT's Malaysian presence has blossomed into a vital hub for high-tech glass solutions. 

Mr. Ralf Derferner, SCHOTT AG Head of Global Sales for Advanced Optics welcoming everyone to the launch event of 50 Years SCHOTT in Malaysia. Among those present were Board Members from SCHOTT AG, representatives from MIDA Penang, members of the media, staff and customers

Its production plants in Penang and Kulim are two of SCHOTT’s leading facilities in Asia to provide high-end processing for global high-tech industries, including semiconductors, augmented reality, consumer electronics, medical, space, and other industrial applications. 

Mr. Peter Berberich, Site Manager of SCHOTT Penang, shared with attendees milestones that SCHOTT Malaysia has experienced since opening its doors 50 years ago. Among these are significant increases in the number of employees, and a substantial expansion of offerings for diverse high-tech industries, from AR gadgets and foldable devices, next-generation chips, space exploration to medical technology

The Penang plant was founded 50 years ago as the Germany-based company’s first high-tech glass processing hub in Asia, and the Kulim site was inaugurated in September 2024 to further build up production capacity. 

Mr. Ralf Derferner, SCHOTT AG Head of Global Sales for Advanced Optics

“In the 1970s, as the SCHOTT brand grew in global prestige and recognition, we wanted a site that could service markets within the Asian region. Due to its strategic location, we decided to set up our first production site in Asia here in Penang, and it has played a crucial role in serving customers not just in Southeast Asia, but also leading companies in Korea, China, Europe, and the US ever since. Since opening our doors in 1975, we have grown from strength to strength, with a tenfold increase in the number of employees and a substantial expansion of our offerings for diverse high-tech industries, from AR gadgets and foldable devices, next-generation chips, space exploration to medical technology,” said Mr. Peter Berberich, Site Manager of SCHOTT Penang.

Mr. Ralf Derferner, SCHOTT AG Head of Global Sales for Advanced Optics welcoming everyone to the launch event of 50 Years SCHOTT in Malaysia. Among those present were Board Members from SCHOTT AG, representatives from MIDA Penang, members of the media, staff and customers.

“Through the government’s support, our continued investment and the expansion of our facilities in Malaysia, we aspire to consistently build and develop local talents through knowledge and training, allowing a space for the younger generation to keep innovating and pushing the boundaries of specialty glass,” he added.

Standing, from Left to Right: Mr. Ralf Derferner, SCHOTT AG Head of Global Sales for Advanced Optics; Kai Olbricht, SCHOTT AG Head of Business Unit High-performance Materials; Mr. Andrzej Grzesiak, SCHOTT AG Head of Advanced Optics; Dr. Andrea Frenzel, SCHOTT AG Management Board Member; Dato’ Hans Peter Brenner, Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in Penang; Dr. Heinz Kaiser, SCHOTT AG Management Board Member

SCHOTT has positioned Malaysia at the core of the company’s success as it greatly contributes to serving global customers in high-tech industries today. In September 2024, SCHOTT expanded further with the opening of a new facility in Kulim, Kedah, to allow its continued development in Malaysia and to further contribute to shaping the future of technology, not only locally, but also globally.

"I am truly delighted to celebrate SCHOTT's 50th anniversary in Malaysia, a remarkable milestone that speaks to the power of enduring partnerships. For five decades, SCHOTT has been an integral part of our country's industrial fabric, bringing with them innovative technologies, expertise, and a commitment to creating meaningful jobs. What I find particularly inspiring is how their continued investment in Malaysia aligns with our own aspirations for the future, as outlined in the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030. It is a testament to the fact that, together, we can achieve great things and create a brighter future for our people. I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to the entire SCHOTT team and look forward to many more years of collaboration and success,” said Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid, CEO of MIDA. 

“Malaysia and Germany are major trading partners and have always supported each other, especially in the business and education industries. SCHOTT’s presence in Malaysia is a great example of how both countries have come together, combining resources and manpower to create products and services that shape the future of technology in the world. As time goes on, we hope to continue this incredible partnership with Malaysia, further strengthening our ties through teamwork and resilience,” said Dato' Hans Peter Brenner, Honorary Consul of Germany. 

To further demonstrate SCHOTT’s dedication towards enhancing the technology sector in Malaysia, the 50th anniversary event offered its attendees a sneak peek into the future through the setup of exhibits that allowed attendees to take a closer look at ongoing SCHOTT projects.  

From semiconductors to medical technology, SCHOTT Malaysia empowers innovations from industry leaders around the world, allowing the continuous development of future-oriented technologies. SCHOTT is actively exploring new innovations and building up manufacturing and processing capability in Malaysia, with a focus on two areas, namely augmented reality and semiconductors.

Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR) smart glasses can open up new possibilities such as live translation, navigation, as well as applications in medical practices, training, and manufacturing. This is made possible by waveguides that act as displays for the glasses. These waveguides possess the ability to augment natural vision with digital content. 

Seeing how SCHOTT produces optical glass and SCHOTT RealView® glass wafers with high refractive index, it enables the production of smart glasses with high image quality and a wide field of view, and are also lightweight and aesthetically pleasing, therefore increasing convenience. SCHOTT also offers reflective waveguides for AR and has built up capacity for mass production to enable the introduction of this growing technology to the consumer market.

Semiconductors

Specialty glass is transforming the rapidly growing semiconductor market, which is driven by AI and high-performing computing (HPC) applications, autonomous driving, and Big Data. To further advance Moore’s law, leading players, such as Samsung, Intel, and Absolics, have been developing and testing glass-based solutions as a promising alternative to replace conventional substrates. 

For over a decade, SCHOTT has provided the semiconductor industry with solutions based on specialty materials. For example, our glass panels that offer strong precision for glass core substrates (GCS). From front-end to back-end manufacturing, SCHOTT offers glass solutions that meet the highest requirements for performance, integration and energy efficiency - crucial for applications in AI, high-performance computing and autonomous systems. 

More than 140 years of material innovation

SCHOTT made its appearance in the technology industry over 140 years ago through its invention of specialty glass attributed to its founder, Otto Schott. Until then, the company invented major materials that have changed the world, e.g. borosilicate glass, the world’s “gold standard” for pharmaceutical packaging to date; the first black glass-ceramic for cooking (SCHOTT CERAN®); Guinness world record holding ultra-thin glass (SCHOTT UTG®); high-index lightweight glasses which made major improvements to high diopter eyeglasses by researcher icon Marga Faulstich; or ZERODUR® glass-ceramics for the world's largest optical and near-infrared  telescopes, including the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT).

SCHOTT is a 100% subsidiary of the Carl Zeiss Foundation, which was founded in 1889 by physicist and entrepreneur Ernst Abbe, with the support of Otto Schott, to promote the research of science and technology, and to create an open environment for scientific breakthroughs. Long-term thinking and responsible action act as guiding principles of the Carl Zeiss Foundation in order to accommodate generations of innovators and the sustainability of resources. 

SCHOTT’s commitment to decarbonizing its glass production through its ongoing technological breakthroughs, e.g., by building a fully electric melting tank in Germany, or successfully piloting large-scale glass production using 100% hydrogen. 

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