Taiwan's Advantech aims to turn Malaysia into Southeast Asia hub

PENANG, Malaysia -- Taiwanese industrial computer maker Advantech is stepping up investment in manufacturing and other operations in Malaysia to create a regional hub for serving customers across Southeast Asia, a strategy it plans to replicate in Mexico and Turkey.

Advantech's computers and Internet of Things products are used in a wide range of industries, from semiconductor manufacturing to high-speed railway systems. With the rise of political tensions and supply chain disruptions in recent years, it has been expanding its production footprint globally and increased operational resources in regional hubs in response to clients diversifying their own operations.