Rolling Wireless Expands Manufacturing Capacity and Strengthens Supply Chain Resilience with Flex in Malaysia
Rolling Wireless, the world’s N°1 supplier of cellular connectivity solutions for the automotive industry, today announced that it has expanded its 20-year relationship with advanced end-to-end manufacturer Flex (NASDAQ: FLEX) through the addition of a second manufacturing site, located in Penang, Malaysia. The production ramp-up target for the new site is set to mid-2025.
Rolling Wireless is a fabless company and its automotive 5G, V2X and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth modules have been manufactured by Flex since 2004. To-date, more than 60 million automotive-grade modules have been shipped from Flex’s International Automotive Task Force (IATF) 16949-certified facility in Suzhou, China to Rolling Wireless customers worldwide.
By adding Flex’s facility in Batu Kawan, Penang, as a second manufacturing site, Rolling Wireless will be able to meet increasing customer demands, enhance supply chain resilience, and cater to the geographic preferences of its global automotive customers.
“After evaluating multiple options for our second manufacturing site, we are excited to bolster our partnership with Flex and start production in Penang,” said Andreas Kohn, Chief Operating Officer of Rolling Wireless. “The Penang facility will play a crucial role in ensuring that we meet our global automotive customers’ needs and will strengthen our supply chain resilience.”
“The expansion of our 20-year partnership with Rolling Wireless is a testament to our shared commitment to bringing 5G and wireless infrastructure products to market that advance the next generation of mobility,” said Rob Campbell, President of Communications, Enterprise, and Cloud at Flex. “We look forward to quickly ramping manufacturing in Penang and building on our history of enabling Rolling Wireless to deliver products at global scale with resiliency.”
Penang site enables Rolling Wireless to bring additional value to customers
Flex’s Penang Batu Kawan facility, established in 2013, is equipped with radio frequency (RF) testing capabilities, supporting long-term evolution (LTE), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and near field communication (NFC) technologies. The site holds global certifications including ISO 9001, IATF 16949, ISO/IEC 17025, and ISO 14001.
The new production site featuring fully automated, no-touch production lines will play a key role in Rolling Wireless’ global manufacturing operations, with goals to:
- Support shipments based on customer volume and geographic needs
- Provide regional logistics support, including Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI) capabilities
- Facilitate seamless introduction of new products (NPI) with best practices from Flex’s Suzhou facility
- Coordinate with Rolling Wireless teams in China and Hong Kong for global production planning and materials management
About Rolling Wireless
Rolling Wireless is the world’s leading supplier of network access devices (NADs) to the automotive industry, with over 60 million automotive-grade cellular modules shipped to date.
Building on more than two decades of innovation and operational excellence, Rolling Wireless helps automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers create applications that enhance safety, delight drivers, and generate additional revenue. The company’s unique open-source software platform enables customers to build Linux-based telematics control units (TCUs) on a single module.
Rolling Wireless was established as an independent company in 2020. Headquartered in Luxembourg, the company employs more than 300 automotive experts worldwide.
www.rollingwireless.com
About Flex
Flex (Reg. No. 199002645H) is the manufacturing partner of choice that helps a diverse customer base design and build products that improve the world. Through the collective strength of a global workforce across 30 countries and responsible, sustainable operations, Flex delivers technology innovation, supply chain, and manufacturing solutions to diverse industries and end markets.
www.flex.com