Proton is proud to announce the official launch of its expanded regional parts centre (RPC) in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, following the successful debut of a similar facility in Sarawak last year. This new addition enhances Proton’s spare parts storage and distribution operations, significantly reducing lead times by 30%. The increased output capacity from PROTON Parts Centre Sdn Bhd (PPCSB) in West Malaysia, combined with direct shipments from overseas, ensures that the growing demand in Sabah—Proton’s third-highest state for vehicle sales in Malaysia—is met efficiently.
Located in the commercial area of Inanam, the upgraded RPC spans approximately 28,000 square feet, making it 2.5 times larger than its previous site. It now has the capacity to receive up to six containers of parts simultaneously, up from just two containers previously. Currently processing an average of 26 containers per month, the facility can now store up to three months’ worth of stock, allowing for faster delivery to dealerships and customers.
“With the surge in customer demand over the past few years, our previous warehouse facilities in Sabah were stretched beyond capacity. The opening of this new centre in Kota Kinabalu, alongside our facility in Kuching, will collectively serve as critical hubs for parts distribution across East Malaysia,” said Edmund Lim, Vice President of Sales and After Sales, Proton Edar. “The improved storage capacity provides a buffer for demand fluctuations, enabling us to increase throughput and quickly address the backlog of orders from dealers and customers in this region.”
The expanded RPCs in East Malaysia can now handle up to 28 containers from West Malaysia and overseas per month, an increase from the previous limit of 24 containers. With the increased capacity, Proton’s order fulfilment in Sabah is expected to see significant improvements, supported by the ability to store up to three months’ stock on-site.
Earlier this year, PPCSB introduced a new warehouse management system (WMS) across all its locations, boosting the daily delivery capacity at the new RPC by 66%, from 180 lines to 300 lines in July, with a target of reaching 400 lines by September. The additional space also allows for the allocation of 8,500 bins to store parts, up from 5,000 bins in previous facilities. As a result, the stock value is projected to rise by 1.5 times, reaching RM9 million by December 2024, compared to RM5.8 million a year earlier.
Proton’s market share in Sabah has grown steadily from 10% in 2018 to 25.9% in 2023 and has further increased to 27.4% year-to-date in 2024. This growth is driven by the popularity of the new X-series models and the enduring appeal of the Proton Saga. In 2023, sales in East Malaysia accounted for 15.8% of Proton’s total sales volume, with the top-selling models being the Proton Saga (13,700 units), Persona (4,264 units), and Proton X50 (2,955 units).
“Proton sales in East Malaysia have surged by 3.1 times, from 7,697 units in 2018 to 23,871 units in 2023. With 8,000 bookings already secured for the 2024 Proton X50 and the upcoming launch of the 2025 Proton X70, we anticipate further growth in this market by year-end. The expansion of our parts centre ensures that we can meet the increased demand for parts, supporting both new vehicle sales and our after-sales service,” added Edmund Lim.
