When you buy a brand-new car in Malaysia, you expect a flawless, mirror-like paint finish that can handle our scorching heat and heavy tropical rainstorms. But have you ever wondered how major automotive brands paint tens of thousands of vehicles every year with pinpoint precision?
Inokom Corporation (a subsidiary of Sime Darby) just gave us an exclusive look into the future of local vehicle manufacturing with the launch of Paint Shop 3 (PS3) at its 200-acre assembly complex in Kulim, Kedah.
Officiated by Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, this RM300 million facility represents one of Sime’s largest manufacturing investments to date. Operated by a 100% Malaysian workforce, PS3 effectively doubles Inokom's total annual capacity to 100,000 painted vehicle bodies per year!
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Poppins:wght@400;500;600;700&display=swap'); .says-tldr-box#tldr-key-takeaways { font-family: 'Poppins', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, sans-serif; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #e2e8f0; border-left: 6px solid #30a0c3; border-radius: 12px; padding: 22px 26px; margin: 24px 0; box-shadow: 0 4px 14px rgba(48, 160, 195, 0.08); box-sizing: border-box; } .says-tldr-box#tldr-key-takeaways .says-tldr-header { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 10px; margin-bottom: 16px; } .says-tldr-box#tldr-key-takeaways .says-tldr-badge { background-color: #faa00c; color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Poppins', sans-serif; font-weight: 700; font-size: 11px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.8px; padding: 3px 8px; border-radius: 4px; } .says-tldr-box#tldr-key-takeaways .says-tldr-title { font-family: 'Poppins', sans-serif; font-weight: 700; font-size: 19px; color: #30a0c3; margin: 0; line-height: 1.2; } .says-tldr-box#tldr-key-takeaways .says-tldr-list { list-style: none; padding: 0; margin: 0; } .says-tldr-box#tldr-key-takeaways .says-tldr-item { position: relative; padding-left: 24px; margin-bottom: 12px; font-size: 14.5px; line-height: 1.6; color: #334155; } .says-tldr-box#tldr-key-takeaways .says-tldr-item:last-child { margin-bottom: 0; } .says-tldr-box#tldr-key-takeaways .says-tldr-item::before { content: "⚡"; position: absolute; left: 0; top: 1px; font-size: 14px; } .says-tldr-box#tldr-key-takeaways .says-tldr-item strong { color: #0f172a; font-weight: 700; } 20-SEC Key Takeaways RM300 Million Mega Investment: Inokom's new Paint Shop 3 (PS3) in Kulim, Kedah effectively doubles plant capacity to 100,000 vehicle bodies per year. 100% Malaysian Workforce: Constructed and run entirely by local talent with direct technical guidance from Mazda's engineering specialists. 32 High-Precision Robots: Automated spray and sealant line ensures millimeter-accurate paint coverage on exterior and interior components. 10-Second Color Swaps: Advanced Cartridge Bell System supports up to 27 color variants with near-zero line downtime. Green Manufacturing: Features zero-water dry scrubber filtration, cuts CO₂ emissions by 60%, and is waterborne paint ready.Here are 5 cool things we found inside this new mega facility:
Forget manual hand-spraying! Most of PS3's operations are automated, led by 32 specialized painting and sealant robots. They apply exact, uniform paint coats across car exteriors, interior contours, and plastic components with millimeter precision. This eliminates uneven patches and run-offs while keeping workers safe from harsh chemical fumes.
In older manufacturing plants, switching paint shades meant stopping production to flush out spray lines. PS3 fixes this with a high-tech Cartridge Bell System (CBS) that enables rapid color changes in under 10 seconds! Supporting up to 27 color variants, the line can seamlessly paint different car models back-to-back without breaking a sweat.
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Poppins:wght@400;500;600;700&display=swap'); .says-callout-box#callout-production-scale { font-family: 'Poppins', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, sans-serif; background-color: #f8fafc; border: 1px solid #e2e8f0; border-left: 6px solid #30a0c3; border-radius: 12px; padding: 20px 24px; margin: 24px 0; box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(48, 160, 195, 0.06); box-sizing: border-box; } .says-callout-box#callout-production-scale .says-callout-header { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; } .says-callout-box#callout-production-scale .says-callout-badge { background-color: #faa00c; color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Poppins', sans-serif; font-weight: 700; font-size: 11px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.8px; padding: 3px 8px; border-radius: 4px; } .says-callout-box#callout-production-scale .says-callout-title { font-family: 'Poppins', sans-serif; font-weight: 700; font-size: 16px; color: #30a0c3; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0; line-height: 1.3; } .says-callout-box#callout-production-scale .says-callout-text { font-size: 14.5px; line-height: 1.6; color: #334155; margin: 0; } .says-callout-box#callout-production-scale .says-callout-text strong { color: #0f172a; font-weight: 700; } OUTPUT POWEROperating on a two-shift rotation, PS3 can paint up to 15 vehicle bodies per hour, adding 50,000 units to Inokom’s yearly production! This brings total combined paint shop capacity at the Kulim complex to 100,000 vehicle bodies annually.
3. Vehicles Travel Through ‘Sky’ Tunnels & A 1,053m Monorail
To prevent dust contamination and ground traffic hazards, vehicle bodies move through the plant completely automatically. Cars travel between the Body Shop, PS3, and Assembly Shop via overhead transfer tunnels. Once inside, a 1,053-metre conveyor network featuring electric monorail systems, roller beds, and lifters keeps up to 15 cars moving smoothly every hour.
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Poppins:wght@400;500;600;700&display=swap'); .says-callout-box#callout-smart-architecture { font-family: 'Poppins', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, sans-serif; background-color: #f8fafc; border: 1px solid #e2e8f0; border-left: 6px solid #faa00c; border-radius: 12px; padding: 20px 24px; margin: 24px 0; box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(250, 160, 12, 0.08); box-sizing: border-box; } .says-callout-box#callout-smart-architecture .says-callout-header { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; } .says-callout-box#callout-smart-architecture .says-callout-badge { background-color: #30a0c3; color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Poppins', sans-serif; font-weight: 700; font-size: 11px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.8px; padding: 3px 8px; border-radius: 4px; } .says-callout-box#callout-smart-architecture .says-callout-title { font-family: 'Poppins', sans-serif; font-weight: 700; font-size: 16px; color: #faa00c; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0; line-height: 1.3; } .says-callout-box#callout-smart-architecture .says-callout-text { font-size: 14.5px; line-height: 1.6; color: #334155; margin: 0; } .says-callout-box#callout-smart-architecture .says-callout-text strong { color: #0f172a; font-weight: 700; } SMART ENERGY DESIGNHeat naturally rises! That’s why Inokom positioned the ground level for vehicle production and placed the high-heat curing ovens on the upper floor. This architectural choice keeps worker areas cooler and slashes factory cooling energy consumption.
4. Zero Water Spray Booths & 60% Less CO₂ Emissions
PS3 was engineered with serious green credentials. It uses a dry scrubber filtration system that completely eliminates water usage during spray booth operations. To top it off, a Regenerative Thermal Oxidiser (RTO) system recycles heat from drying ovens to cut CO₂ emissions by roughly 60%, and the facility is built ready for eco-friendly waterborne paints.
5. 100% Local Talent Powered By Mazda Technical Training
Despite all the sci-fi automation, people are still at the heart of the operation. The entire plant is operated by 100% Malaysian talent. To make this happen, local technicians underwent extensive technology transfer, training, and technical guidance in close collaboration with Mazda’s engineering support team!
Read: RM25 Million Boost for Kedah Plant! Stellantis Kickstarts Local CKD Assembly Lines for Leapmotor EVs