Singha Estate Acquires 1,790-rai ‘World Food Valley’ Industrial Estate

Singha Estate Public Company Limited (S), a leading Thai property investment and development company, signed a definitive agreement on May 6, 2021, to acquire from Boon Rawd Brewery Co., Ltd., 100 percent of the shares of Park Industry Co., Ltd., which owns the 1,790-rai World Food Valley industrial estate in Ang Thong province in Central Thailand. The share transfers are expected to take place in the third quarter of 2021.

 

The transaction’s total value is 2,421 million baht, comprised of 510 million baht for the entirety of Park Industry’s shares, priced at par value, and a commitment to invest a further 1,726 million baht in the development of the industrial estate, as well as other costs.

 

Mr. Chutinant Bhirombhakdi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Singha Estate PCL, said, “Acquiring an industrial estate that is closely linked to the three power plants in which we have also taken substantial stakes is another step forward in the fulfilment of our strategy to create powerful synergies between Singha Estate’s multiple business platforms.  It gives us great competitive strength as well as creates a highly resilient business.”

 

Mrs. Thitima Rungkwansiriroj, Chief Executive Officer, Singha Estate PCL, said, “The combination of an industrial estate business and a power generation business creates significant financial and operational benefits because industrial estates are one of the largest consumers of power.  The operations inside the industrial estate create demand for the power generated by our three power plants.  And, because this industrial estate is focused on food, there will be demand by food processors for the food-grade steam that our power plants also produce.  At the same time, the power plants boost our recurrent income and give us steady cash flow that reduces risks in cash flow fluctuation from sales of industrial estate land.”

She added, “Apart from being a great strategic fit, we see strong prospects in the industrial estate sector in Central Thailand.  The average occupancy rate of industrial estates in Thailand was approximately 80% at the end of last year, while the Central region enjoyed the highest occupancy rate at about 89%.”

 

Mrs. Thitima added, “This industrial estate is also at the heart of Thailand’s drive to be a ‘kitchen of the world’ and become one of the world’s top food producers.  The location is highly strategic for those operating in the food sector because it is in the middle of the country’s food and raw material supply chain for rice, dairy products, and poultry.  It also has access to abundant supplies of water because of its proximity to the Chao Phraya River.”

 

The Thai Government has been supporting the development of the food processing sector as part of its long-term policies.  According to Thailand’s Board of Investment, applications for investment privileges in the agriculture and food sectors were one of the fastest growing, and Thailand’s Central region accounted for around half of all Board of Investment applications in 2020.

 

The demand for land in industrial estates in Thailand is forecast to increase once COVID-19 related foreign travel restrictions are eased.

 

S held its Annual General Meeting of shareholders on Friday, April 23rd at which shareholders approved the company’s acquisition of a 30% shareholding in the three co-generation power plants located in the ‘World Food Valley’ industrial estate with a total investment of 1,392 million baht.  The first of the plants is an operational 123 megawatt (MW) combined cycle co-generation power plant.  The second and third plants, each with 140 MW capacity, are greenfield operations that are currently under construction and will enter into service in 2023.

 

In March 2021, Singha Estate said that it aims to triple annual revenues within three years to around 20,000 million baht and grow assets to 80,000 million baht.