SINGAPORE, Nov. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Asia Plantation Capital Thailand hosted a record number of more than 300 Thailand-based plantation owners and stakeholders at its recent Thai Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in Bangkok on the 11th of October 2014.
Reporting a new high of US$53.5 million in revenue in the 2013 financial year, and exceeding US$6 million in repayments for the first time, updates were also given on the continued expansion and acquisition of plantations in Thailand, along with major expansion into Malaysia and other key Asian countries.
Other highlights included the introduction of new techniques and technologies designed to increase the production of Agarwood and Oud - as well as other end products from its bamboo, teak and agroforestry projects. This is a major part of the company's ongoing commitment to research and development across all its core plantation sectors.
The company also announced the formal establishment of its own Scientific Advisory Board, made up of leading scientific advisors and academics from the across the Asia Pacific region, all of whom have practical and proven experience in the sectors in which the company operates.
Thailand-based Scientific Advisory Board member, Associate Professor Dr Pakamas Chetpattananondh - from the Prince of Songkla University - updated the audience on the current developments within APC's research programmes. This included the inoculation and processing of Agarwood and Oud, along with the latest discoveries for potential uses. These have a direct impact on raising the value of Oud, with commensurate increases in the company's market price.
Also updated were the company's further developments on construction materials from new technologies based around bamboo; including the company's own reinforced concrete building systems and engineered construction boards. On a technical basis, these have both been shown to outperform other current systems in use, and are both eco-friendly and cost efficient.
The AGM saw representatives from associate companies (such as EcoTech Asia and Fragrance Du Bois) informing attendees of the ongoing opportunities that they envisage through their partnerships with Asia Plantation Capital.
EcoTech will be introducing environmentally friendly products to the market in the near future. These will include bamboo bicycles, bamboo flooring, engineered construction products, and even bamboo luggage. To showcase these systems, the company is already deploying the technologies in the construction of its own villas in Thailand's Royal Beach Resort in Hua Hin.
Brand Director for Fragrance Du Bois, Nicola Parker, pointed to the likelihood of a US$36 billion global fragrance market in 2018 (as reported by GIA - Global Industry Analysts), up from an expected US$33billion in 2015. This bodes extremely well in terms of the potential demand for Oud-based Fragrances.
On the back of this demand, the Fragrance Du Bois brand is now engaged in a programme of opening new boutiques and outlets in key markets around the world -- under its ownership, but in association with key strategic partners. Fragrance Du Bois has also engaged the services of international law firm K and L Gates, to advise the company on a possible AIM listing on the London Stock Exchange for the fast-growing sustainable luxury brand. K and L Gates is a leading IPO legal specialist, and has a particularly high level of experience with companies based in Asia.
With equal importance given to commercial activities, there were also updates on the ways in which APC has engaged the local communities in the plantation regions in which they operate. Working with both employees and their families, APC is making a significant investment in the development of societies and communities, ameliorating social and working conditions and enhancing infrastructure to create better futures for the APC family.
A poignant and heart-warming story was related as to how the entire Asia Plantation Capital family rallied around an employee whose home and all his family's possessions were destroyed last year by fire. His house was rebuilt (in record time) along with every possible possession replaced, thus he and his family very quickly had a place to call home once again.
"I am proud by what Asia Plantation Capital has achieved in the relatively short time we have been in business," said Barry Rawlinson, Chief Executive Officer - Asia Pacific. "Not only have we been able to give all our stakeholders a solid return on the plantation projects that we manage for them, but we have also stuck to our values, and fulfilled our mission of building up the communities that we are in."
He continued, "Our stakeholders, shareholders and the senior management team at the AGM were very pleased with our results. 2013 was an excellent year for the company, and we are very well set to continue our solid and stable growth. 2014 is already on track to surpass what we achieved last year."
"From what I have seen to date," he concluded, "We firmly believe that 2014 will be another great year for our group of companies, with many new exciting developments on the near horizon."
A video of the AGM can be watched here.
Notes for Editors:
For further information, please contact:-
Adrian Heng
Group Marketing Director
Email: adrian.heng@asiaplantationcapital.com
Office: +65-6222-3386
Mobile: +65-9750-7440
About Asia Plantation Capital
Quick facts:
Asia Plantation Capital (APC) is the owner and operator of a diverse range of commercial plantation and farming businesses across the Asia-Pacific region and around the world, and is part of the Asia Plantation Capital Group of associated companies. Its focus is on multicultural and diverse plantation projects geared to the domestic and commercial demands of the countries in which it operates. Working closely with, and supporting local communities, is an underlying core principle of the APC business, providing social and cultural support, as well as investment, to move these communities away from deforestation and illegal logging activities, previously seen as a main source of income in some regions of Asia. Established officially in 2008 (although operating privately since 2002) the group now has plantation and agricultural projects on four continents, with operational projects at various stages in Thailand, Malaysia, China, Laos, India, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Vietnam, North America and Europe.
Promoting the use of sustainable and certified wood is the best way of preventing deforestation, protecting biodiversity, and combatting poverty in the tropical rainforest regions. For the yachting sector (a major user of teak) which strives for excellence and which is already involved in environmental efforts, this is also a way of ensuring that no wood from illegal logging is used.
Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20141104/8521406534-a
Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20141104/8521406534-b
Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20141104/8521406534-c
