Inokom Corporation, which began operations in 1997 in Kulim, Kedah, has officially opened a new painting facility. The RM300 million investment in the new facility is one of the largest manufacturing investments by Sime, which acquired it in 2004 as a key unit under Sime Motors.
Referred to as PS3 (Paint Shop 3), it doubles Inokom’s total combined paint shop capacity to 100,000 painted vehicle bodies per year. This is an important upgrade as the paint shop is often a bottleneck in an assembly plant.
Mazda involvement
Development, installation, and commissioning of the facility were executed with technical guidance and knowledge transfer from Mazda’s technical support team (the Japanese automaker also assembles its vehicles at the plant).
Operating on a two-shift schedule with a 100% Malaysian workforce, the new facility can paint up to 50,000 vehicle bodies annually at a rate of 15 units per hour, alongside dedicated plastic parts painting capabilities.
Automation and flexibility
Most of PS3’s operations are automated, anchored by a fully automated pre-treatment and electrodeposition (PTED) line, advanced spray booths and an integrated conveyor system.
The facility is equipped with 32 painting and sealant robots, enabling consistent, high precision paint application across exterior and interior surfaces as well as plastic components.
The flexible infrastructure allows the facility to support multiple vehicle models and adjust production volumes to meet changing market requirements. Additionally, there is a Cartridge Bell System capable of changing colours in under 10 seconds across 27 colour variants.
Furthermore, the application process utilizes an energy-efficient 3-coat, 1-bake method, allowing 3 coating layers to be applied within a single baking cycle.
Integrated internal logistics
Logistics across the assembly complex are integrated using overhead transfer tunnels that move vehicle bodies directly between the Body Shop, PS3, and the Assembly Shop. This enclosed route eliminates manual transport handling and reduces contamination risks. The 1,053-metre automated conveyor network comprising electric monorail systems, roller beds, lifters, and turntables.
Consistent production growth
Inokom continues to solidify its footprint in the regional automotive landscape, scaling its assembly operations with substantial volume growth over the first half of the decade. Production volumes have increased markedly, climbing from 20,500 units in 2021 to over 31,800 units in 2025.
Some of the output has also been exported to regional ASEAN markets; over the same 4-year period, more than 24,500 vehicles of various brands have been exported from Inokom.
Over its history of more than 30 years, Inokom has been associated with many brands and today, it is contract assembler for passenger vehicles of 6 global brands – BMW, MINI, Porsche, Mazda, Hyundai and Chery. It is believed that there are also discussions with BYD to offer assembly services.
Inokom Corporation’s evolution into a multi-brand assembler and exporter
