Proton announced the official launch of its new Regional Parts Centre (RPC) in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, enhancing its spare parts storage and distribution capabilities. This facility follows the launch of a similar centre in Sarawak last year. The new RPC, located in a commercial area of Inanam, significantly boosts the company’s ability to manage spare parts distribution, reducing lead times by 30%. This improvement is driven by increased output capacity from Proton Parts Centre Sdn Bhd (PPCSB) in West Malaysia and direct overseas shipments, addressing the growing demand in Sabah, Proton’s third-highest state for vehicle sales in Malaysia.
Spanning approximately 28,000 square feet, the Kota Kinabalu RPC is 2.5 times larger than its predecessor. It can accommodate up to six containers of parts simultaneously, compared to two previously, and is processing an average of 26 containers per month. This expanded capacity allows the centre to store up to three months’ worth of stock, reducing delivery times to dealerships and customers.
The expanded storage space at the RPC also facilitates improved order fulfilment through increased weekly airfreight and sea freight. The centre can now handle up to 28 containers per month from West Malaysia and overseas, up from the previous limit of 24 containers. This increase will significantly enhance Proton’s order fulfilment in Sabah, with the capacity to store up to three months’ worth of parts on-site.
Additionally, the introduction of a new warehouse management system (WMS) has boosted daily delivery capacity by 66%, from 180 lines in July to 300 lines, with a maximum capacity of 400 lines anticipated by September. The new facility also includes 8,500 bins for parts storage, an increase from the previous 5,000 bins. Consequently, the stock value is expected to rise 1.5 times to RM9 million by December 2024, up from RM5.8 million a year earlier.
Proton’s market share in Sabah has increased steadily from 10% in 2018 to 25.9% in 2023, and currently stands at 27.4% year-to-date for 2024. This growth is driven by the popularity of new X-series models and the Proton Saga. In 2023, sales in East Malaysia accounted for 15.8% of Proton’s total sales volume, with the Proton Saga leading the sales figures, followed by the Persona and X50 models.
