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Palco to expand ops in Asia-Pacific region [New Straits Time (Malaysia)]
[July 16, 2014]

Palco to expand ops in Asia-Pacific region [New Straits Time (Malaysia)]


(New Straits Time (Malaysia) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) GEORGE TOWN: American reverse logistics firm Palco Inc, which has committed an initial RM11 million to its first offshore facility in Penang, is looking to expand.

The Huntsville, Alabama-based company that set up its Penang office early this year after following a United States-based data software customer here, is now set to tap into its global customer base to beef up its Asia-Pacific operations here.



"Our aim is to introduce the new Asia-Pacific offering to our existing customer base as well as target customers in the region.

"We are participating in quotations that include support from our facility in Penang," said the company's president, Randolph K. Piechocki, yesterday.


Present were Palco's vice-president Phil C. Terry and the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority's logistics division director Kuan Eu Jin.

Palco Asia-Pacific Sdn Bhd, situated in the Batu Maung Free Commercial Zone on Penang island, began operations in March.

In Malaysia, the company provides testing, reconfiguration, repair and re-work services of printed circuit board assemblies, failure analysis and related services.

"Our customers include multinational telecommunication companies, computer manufacturers, data storage, web-hosting enterprises and many others.

"These customers have operations in China, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Mongolia, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Samoa and Tonga," he added.

Reverse logistics are the activities associated with a product or service after the point of sale, as well as supporting re-work services. It is distinguished from forward logistics which is associated with the activities in getting products to market.

Piechocki said when deciding on where to site the company's Asia- Pacific operations, Penang, Singapore and Thailand were the three options.

"Palco's business operations require skilled manpower in the field of electrical and electronics as we are involved in precision components, test modules and stringent quality standards.

"We depend heavily on air freight for the movement of mission- critical products between us and our customers, as they have to respond to their own market needs with speed.

"When we were searching for a suitable site in Asia, we were impressed with the Northern Corridor Economic Region's skilled manpower, excellent logistics facilities and connectivity and cost- competitiveness," he added.

In ramping up Palco's activities in the region, Piechocki said the company is in discussions with NCIA on its expansion needs and also on possible collaboration to boost Palco's human capital development efforts.

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