JLand Group, the real estate and infrastructure arm of Malaysia-based Johor Corporation (JCorp) and Japan-based integrated trading and investment group Sumitomo Corporation, have teamed up to advance sustainable innovation in Johor’s Ibrahim Technopolis (IBTEC).

JLand said in a statement on Monday that the partnership represents an important step in Johor’s ambition to drive sustainable, innovation led growth within the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).

It reflects Malaysia’s growing role in enhancing regional competitiveness by combining innovation, resilient infrastructure, and investment collaboration.

With Sumitomo’s global expertise and networks, IBTEC’s is being developed as a trusted destination for multinational investors.

Anchored within the JS-SEZ, IBTEC is positioned to support companies seeking stability, resilience, and growth.

The collaboration will focus on three areas: industrial park development and investment flows; green infrastructure and utilities backbone; healthcare and social infrastructure ecosystems.

Leveraging Sumitomo’s track record in nine industrial parks across Asia and JCorp’s 34 industrial parks in Johor — home to more than 630 tenant companies and 230,000 employees — the partnership will make IBTEC a strategic base for advanced manufacturing and diversified supply chains.

They will be co-developing renewable energy systems, district cooling, and advanced water networks to create a sustainable platform that enhances IBTEC’s competitiveness as a future-ready industrial ecosystem.

They will also be exploring senior living communities, rehabilitation centers, and integrated wellness hubs —
adapting proven Japanese models to tap into the region’s growing demand for aged care and health tourism.

Sumitomo has also signed a separate memorandum of understanding (MOU) with JCorp, through its Patient Capital Division, to collaborate on future-ready infrastructure.

This includes renewable and low-carbon energy, enhanced water supply networks, district cooling, and other green utilities.

These initiatives will provide the enabling infrastructure for IBTEC and the JS-SEZ, embedding sustainability, innovation and resilience – creating the conditions for industries, communities, and investors to thrive.

“Our collaboration with Sumitomo is about building Johor’s backbone for growth. Renewable energy, water, and cooling are enablers of transformation, ensuring IBTEC and the JS-SEZ are competitive, resilient, and impactful,” said Ts. Mahadhir Aziz, Director of the Patient Capital Division, Johor Corporation.

Sr. Akmal Ahmad, Director of the Real Estate & Infrastructure Division at JCorp and Group Managing Director of JLG, added this collaboration with Sumitomo signals a new chapter for Johor.

“IBTEC is more than a development — it reflects our ambition to demonstrate how industry, infrastructure, and healthcare can converge to support future growth,

“With Sumitomo by our side, JLand will advance IBTEC as a hub shaped by world-class investors, sustainable infrastructure, and innovation,” he noted.

From Sumitomo’s perspective, Johor’s innovation agenda aligns with its long-term strategy of participating in resilient, high-growth markets across Asia.

“Southeast Asia continues to demonstrate resilient economic growth and rising demand for industrial and social infrastructure,

“Johor, with its strategic position in the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone, offers a compelling platform for Japanese and multinational investors,” said Satoshi Matsui, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Sumitomo Corporation Malaysia.

He noted by partnering with JLand as the firm’s principal local partner and JIG on enabling infrastructure, Sumitomo aims to combine Sumitomo’s global expertise with Johor’s strong fundamentals to create long-term, sustainable value for industries and communities alike.

The collaboration between JLand, JCorp, and Sumitomo Corporation also marks the next phase of Johor’s journey to promote sustainability and innovation through the JS-SEZ, with IBTEC serving as a key development that anchors this ambition, said the statement.

Supported by national agencies such as Invest Johor and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), IBTEC is set to serve as a trusted platform for investment and long-term growth, it added.

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