Coherent Corp. Launches Coherent Malaysia’s First Datacom R&D Center in Penang, Advancing Optical Transceiver Technology for Ai and Cloud Computing
PENANG- SAXONBURG, Pa., 29 JULY 2025 – Coherent Corp. (NYSE: COHR), a global leader in photonics, today announced the opening of its new Datacom Research and Development Center in Penang. This expansion underscores the company’s strategic commitment to serving its rapidly growing global markets.
The launching ceremony was attended by Government Officials such as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid; CEO of Invest Penang, Dato’ Loo Lee Lian; Chief People Officer, Coherent Corporation, Ms. Grace Lee and as well as other Coherent personnel.
Situated at Menara IJM Land, the Penang R&D Center joins the company’s expanding network in Malaysia, complementing its larger manufacturing sites in Ipoh, Perak and Perai, Penang, further maximising transceiver supply from Malaysian factories.
MIDA CEO Datuk Shamsul Ibrahim highlighted the strategic alignment between Coherent’s expansion and Malaysia’s semiconductor ambitions, “The National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS), introduced in 2024, lays out Malaysia’s plan to strengthen its position in the global semiconductor supply chain. One of the NSS’s core priorities is supporting high-value R&D and advanced technologies — exactly the kind of work Coherent is doing here in Penang. The strategy also aims to deepen Malaysia’s local capabilities in areas like chip packaging, photonics, and silicon technologies, creating the kind of ecosystem that benefits global innovators. As Coherent develops next-generation optical transceiver technologies at this new facility, it stands to gain from the strong pipeline of talent being built through the NSS. MIDA is committed to supporting Coherent’s journey not only in the past and present, but well into the future.”
“Coherent Malaysia takes pride in how strategically we are positioned to support the company’s overall growth. Our successful establishment over nearly 25 years has played a critical role in strengthening our global value chain through ongoing expansion plans, and we are confident that our footprint in Penang will spearhead innovation in advanced photonics technology,” said Jimmy Ling, Vice President and Managing Director of Coherent Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Wu, Vice President of Engineering, Asia R&D expressed, “Penang is an ideal location, thanks to its well-established high-tech industry and a strong pool of technical talent capable of supporting our R&D growth plans.”
The new center comes equipped with impressive capabilities that put it at the forefront of optical technology:
- Next-generation silicon photonics solutions for optical transceivers
- Advanced development facilities for 400G, 800G, and 1.6T optical transceiver modules
- Specialised testing environments for AI and cloud computing applications
This expansion strengthens Coherent’s ability to serve its global markets while creating valuable connections between its manufacturing sites in Ipoh, Perak and Perai, Penang and its R&D operations in Shanghai.
Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid, MIDA Chief Executive Officer
COHERENT MALAYSIA’S FIRST DATACOM R&D CENTER IN PENANG
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About MIDA
The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 21 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube channel.
About Coherent
Coherent is the global photonics leader. We harness photons to drive innovation. Industry leaders in the datacenter, communications, and industrial markets rely on Coherent’s world-leading technology to fuel their own innovation and growth.Founded in 1971 and operating in more than 20 countries, Coherent brings the industry’s broadest, deepest technology stack; unmatched supply chain resilience; and global scale to help its customers solve their toughest technology challenges. For more information, please visit us at coherent.com.
About Coherent Malaysia
Coherent Malaysia began operations through the incorporation of Finisar Malaysia in 2001, following the acquisition of a 640,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Chemor, Perak. The primary objective of this initial capital investment was to establish an assembly and test site outside the United States, focused on manufacturing optical components, transceivers, and wavelength management equipment. Today, the Ipoh and Perai sites, which are home to over 6,000 employees, are strategically positioned for future growth. They play a critical role in strengthening our global value chain through ongoing expansion plans. These include the design, development, and manufacturing of optoelectronic signal converters (800G), Coherent modules, and reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers (ROADMs). Since our inception, Coherent Malaysia’s total capital investment has reached MYR 1.2 billion. In June 2024, we expanded our manufacturing operations in Perai, while in 2023, we began establishing the Penang R&D Center to spearhead innovation in advanced photonics and precision technologies.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Mr. Mohd Mazlan Mokhtar
Director, Electrical and Electronics Division, MIDA
E: [email protected] DL: 0322676655
Amy Wilson
Manager, Corporate Communications
[email protected]
Jimmy Ling
Vice President and Managing Director
[email protected] | +60 16-553 3212
Maggie Shi
Engineering Director, Penang R&D
[email protected] | +60 11-127 05920
Zaiem Meah
HR Director
[email protected] | +60 16-400 9755
