Sime Darby Property Bhd's strategic growth plans will be advanced by the 1,101-hectare Hamilton City industrial township in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, which will transform the company into a real estate development group by 2025.

Hamilton City is a full-fledged industrial township in Malaysia Vision Valley 2.0 (MVV 2.0), with a focus on medium to heavy manufacturing-based industries to drive direct investment.

Sime Darby Property launched the RM3.52 billion township today to demonstrate its commitment to the development of the new growth corridor in MVV 2.0.

MVV 2.0 is an integrated economic, spurred by four economic drivers – high-technology manufacturing; wellness tourism; skill-based education and research; and specialised services.

Sime Darby Property will be embarking on key projects that will become among the principal drivers of the development.

Speaking at the launch event, Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Hj. Aminuddin Harun said he is confident that Sime Darby Property's projects will be catalysts to the development of MVV 2.0.

Datuk Azmir Merican, Sime Darby Property group managing director, stated in a press release that Hamilton City's strategic location in Nilai positions the industrial township as an appealing option for businesses looking for efficient production or warehousing options outside of the Klang Valley.

Azmir said that Hamilton City features convenient access to the North-South Expressway (NSE) and NSE Central Link (ELITE), as well as the Nilai-Labu Expressway (NLE) which will be opening in the future.

He said these expressways will connect Hamilton City to major logistics hubs such as the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Port Klang, a signature of Sime Darby Property Industrial products located strategically in City of Elmina, Bandar Bukit Raja and Serenia City.

"We continue to grow the company's industrial and logistics development segment by leveraging on rising global e-commerce trends and the market's demand for better industrial warehousing products," he said.

According to Azmir, Hamilton City is now ready for the next phase, which will propel Negeri Sembilan toward becoming a sustainable city by 2045.

Sime Darby Property will build Hamilton City in four phases and it has allocated RM250 million for the development.

Phases 1, 2, and 4 will concentrate on medium and heavy industrial activities, whereas Phase 3 will be designed specifically for light industry, consisting of detached and semi-detached factories with a managed industrial park concept.

The development has commenced with the 514-acre Hamilton Industrial Park which

consists of five phases comprising industrial lots and ready built factories.

The total gross developement value of the Hamilton Industrial Park is RM835 million.

Azmir said the series of mixed-use developments will cater to various businesses, accelerating the development of thriving industry-led communities. It is also expected to create job opportunities for the 740,000 people who live in and around the township.

Sime Darby Property successfully recorded a 100 per cent take-up rate for the launch of the first product in the development, comprising industrial lots ranging in size from one to nine acres, in June this year, with 42 lots sold to local and international companies.

The industrial land plots and semi-d factories in both projects are seeing good demand due to expansion by some local manufacturers.