For anyone looking to pick up a new BlackBerry in the near future, take a look under the battery; you just may see a new location listed there. RIM has recently announced that “several smartphones from the BlackBerry portfolio” will be manufactured in Malaysia; Penang to be more precise. While it’s said that these smartphones will be available globally, it’s safe to assume that this is to help work the Asian market as well.
The plant was opened on July 1st, so start checking where your BlackBerry was made! You may already be a proud owner of a Malaysian BlackBerry. Ah, gotta love that new BlackBerry smell! Press release and a sneak peek inside the manufacturing plant after the jump.
Source: Orenity
Research In Motion starts manufacturing BlackBerry smartphones in Malaysia
Research In Motion (RIM), the company behind the award winning BlackBerry solution, today announced that it will manufacture BlackBerry smartphones in Malaysia. Starting from 1st July 2011, several smartphones from the BlackBerry portfolio will be produced in Penang, Malaysia for use by customers around the world.
Dany Bolduc, Vice President of Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam commented: “To support the growing demand for BlackBerry smartphones in Asia and across the world, we are pleased to expand our manufacturing operations to Malaysia. We continuously strive to improve the way we serve our customers and partners, and fundamentally believe that producing BlackBerry smartphones in Malaysia will help achieve this goal.”
Datuk Jalilah Baba, Director General of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) said, “I am proud that Malaysia fits into RIM’s overall growth strategy for the region and warmly welcome the company’s decision to manufacture its products here. BlackBerry is synonymous with quality. RIM has made a wise decision to leverage the talented workforce that Malaysia has to offer. This also reflects RIM’s confidence in the business environment of Malaysia. ”
Reader comments
BlackBerry smartphones now being made in Malaysia
It doesn't matter where it was made guys bear in mind that most of your electronics at home are made in CHINA. The labor in Canada and US is too expensive that's why RIM decided to have their factory in Malaysia because it is a lot cheaper. From a business standpoint I totally understand why RIM did this
"To save labor cost"
the more factories the faster they can pump out BBs to us so WOOT on opening up a new one RIM!!
How about just Canada where the headquarters are located?! Good grief.
Malaysia... truly Asia!
one manufacturing company in Taiwan also produces Blackberry, Blackberry Bold Touch in particular, But Before taiwan and malaysia, RIM choose between Mexico and Philippines, and RIM chose Mexico.
Taiwan and Mexico blackberry production belongs to 1 company only
While Production in Malaysia belongs to another 1.
Blackberry Playbook 2 as I heard will be produce in Taiwan,
WTF are you guys talking about? Im a Malaysian and Im excited already to know that BB Wouldn be that costly anymore here.
Could the decision be based on cost? Although to say it was cost alone it would be inaccurate, as countries like China/Taiwan would offer lower labour costs as compared to Malaysia.
Way to go! Goodluck, RIM Malaysia!
I disagree with the notion that the reason Malaysia was chosen to produce parts of Blackberry Smartphones is because it is more "developed" than other mentioned countries. If development was an issue, RIM would have chosen Singapore.
I believe Malaysia was chosen because of its solid reputation in manufacturing (especially technology) and that their labor isn't too costly. And the fact that RIM's biggest market in Asia, Indonesia, is just down under, this makes Malaysia a strategic point, economically and geographically.
And to say that Malaysia is "way more developed" than Indonesia or the Phillipines, is an exaggeration.
Agree w/the geographic/economic aspects. Can't say I agree w/the Philippines being up to snuff (particularly in the tech manufacturing field), and can't speak to Indonesia at all.
That said, I had a GREAT run (nearly a decade's worth) of Dells that were manufactured in Malaysia. My last Dell (XPS line) was a POS that needed 2 mobo replacements, 2 power strip replacements, 1 HD replacement (which I eventually replaced again w/a self-bought Seagate). Made in China.
My Storm came in from Canada (I think), and it was well built (the old arguments of "Storm sucks" notwithstanding-- I liked mine). My first Tour also came from Canada, and crapped out, which was replaced by a Tour made in Mexico...which also crapped out. Crap design somewhere in that device as a whole. My 9650 is made in China and seems to be holding-up somewhat better (save for a dome key that's collapsed-- no feedback on the "e" key), but it's only been a year.
All in all, I'm OK w/Malaysia vs. China proper for this type of work.
Anyone for "Made in Japan"?
They should have brought the jobs to America. That would be a great selling point. Made in America. Create jingoistic commercials and they would sell well.
Oh well, I guess "They turk our jobs!"
I just want you to know that America is NOT the ONLY place on Earth to be successful at business. In fact, one reason why RIM is still in business "non-Western countries" like India and China. The fact is narrow minded selfish Americans may think you can survive by protecting only your side. But with 7 billion people on this Earth, your "jingoistic commercials" will work OUT SIDE of North America for sure.
I would rather see RIM succeed in Asia than in America because the future money flow will be to the East. What goes around comes around an most Americans can't take it well.
Most comments here are bulls*t.
It's just another place RIM will manufacture the BBs to supply enough devices on time and in sufficient amounts.
Next to that, those who claim RIM is moving away from the states or Canada, you might need to consider that they're just assembled in those countries. The parts are still from Taiwan and China.
Yups... you're right on... These are probably assembly line. Parts can be anywhere... and most importantly, design and architecture are still in Waterloo bro..
That sucks! Part of the reason I bought a BB in the first place is it was made in North America, Canada. If the Bold 9930 is made in Malaysia or anywhere other than Canada or the USA, I won't get another BB. Screw RIM. They are traitors like everyone else now.
What would you get instead? At least RIM manufactures some phones in North America, every other company I can think of sends all their orders to China but I could be wrong.
You might need to throw away almost everything you own to stay "USA & Canada made".
Rather hilarious and inappropriate comment. It's just another manufacturer - you will still get your loved Canada-made BB, don't worry.
Yeah. Go and get something else. Just make sure you're not found to be in possession (now or future) of a unit made elsewhere like Mexico, Turkey, Italy bla bla bla...
"Traitors like everyone else"?
You need professional help.
WOW.... is in Penang!
Tooo sad, the blackberry's was made in Mexico, now 2,000 people lost their job :(
Uhoh... That just means quality Control is gonnA get even worSe!!!!!!!!!
I was thinking the exact same thing.
Also, I just checked my Storm 1 and it says it was made in Hungary. So this isn't new that RIM has manufacturing partners outside of Waterloo.
OMG... you just found out? They have been rolling units from Hungary, Turkey, Italy and even Mexico.. so Malaysia is just probably another country on the list...
Some of the BEST quality Intel Chips over the years came out of Malaysia, I remember going through 5 or 6 trays of processors looking for a Malaysian one when over clocking.
They have a long standing tradition of quality electronics manufacturing and lots of skilled Engineers.
I'm hoping this is a preemptive measure if they are successful with opening the new channels in India adding some 6000 new locations to purchase BlackBerrys.
Plus it's plans for growth in other Asian markets, hopefully we will not see any supply chain problems as the new devices start rolling out and people can get excited about Blackberry's again
I would rather they be made in the USA. We have the best people here.
Too expensive.
Yupz, labor cost high in US, especially after currency rate conversion... all manufacturer would want lower production and operational cost and yet not compromise on quality.
China could be next.
agreed, labor is to expensive here but quality would be a million times better, you get what you pay for. remember when cars were developed and made in the us with us made materials, they were bulletproof! now they're just tin cans.
They're assembled in Canada literally a 15minute walk from my university in Waterloo. Plus, they hire thousands of people for coding, office work, engineering, etc., which are much more important jobs than putting a bunch of plastic and silicon together into a phone. I seriously doubt
btw, cars are a bad example, especially the gas guzzling, poorly engineered cars pre-oil crisis coming from the States. Besides, before the government set the North American car companies straight, the cars with the cheapest interiors and worse engineering came from Detroit, not Japan (even then, many Japanese cars are made in NA).
They have space in the basement of the corner grocery store of the neighborhood I live in to make 1 Bold 9900 and hand deliver it to my house. I wonder if RIM offers temporary facilities to perform minor operations :o)
Can they make apps or email for the playbook? If not then who cares
can they make them fast? I want my bold 9900 -_______-
yeeeehaaaawwww
Wow,I hope the blackberry dakota will faster release at asia,don't care where it's manufacturing , keep the product release more faster than usual
seems rim took a leaf out of AMD and Intels books to manufacture in malaysia, lets hope it speeds the release times for Malaysia .... official playbooks still arent out yet :S
Out already over the weekend, just that it's by Maxis.
I'm from malaysia and I'm proud for this news! I have to second ckhow that malaysia is a well-developed country and there must be a solid reason on why malaysia and not indonesia nor philipines.
+1 good news indeed ;-)
Good thing that Blackberry is patented, otherwise malaysia would claim it as theirs, just like how they have tried claiming other countries' cultures/foods/products as theirs. Like batik, sarong, laksa, etc.
+1 they claim everything, the philippines' national hero, even Sabah which is really a part of the philippines!
I second... :-)
I guess this is part of the reason 200 manufacturing jobs got slashed in Ottawa recently.
#1 RIM has many manufacturing partners around the world
#2 None of them are in Ottawa
Sorry, in Waterloo.
http://www.570news.com/radio/570news/article/243507--rim-begins-layoffs
RIM (Research in Motion) is based in Waterloo, Ontario. (July 2010) RIM continues layoffs
Jun 20, 2011 22:32:28 PM
5 RIM has started cutting jobs.
570 News has learned as many as 200 employees received layoff notices today.
Many of the jobs are believed to be in manufacturing.
The cutbacks come after RIM stock fell almost 20 percent on Friday. On Monday, it lost another six percent closing down $1.83 at $25.41 on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Its probably because Malaysia is way more developed.
Keep the build-quality "good" and I don't really care where you're making my device. Hopefully this will move products out a little more quickly now too. ;)
Good. Probably have phones out sooner and better built too (not that I have had problems with the latter)
If they are made as well as Panang Thai curry, it will be worth the wait. Good stuff.
Why Malaysia ? Why not Indonesia or the Philippines?
Malaysia is the most developed out of the 3 countries and would most likely have the best facilities to get this kind of job done.
Love the Philippines though, great vakay spot.
Indonesia = they would fall apart, quality check literally non-existent, black market "export" and corruption.
Philippines = I don't know why not, but I guess Malaysia just has a very solid experience regarding manufacturing of high-tech products.
does this mean they might eventually start getting the phones out faster than the extraordinary time that we have to wait for them now? One can dream.
I thought that machines put these phones together.
not bad... at least asian countries can get the bb as well, not waiting for an american release.
philippines is a good candidate as well...