ValueBuddies.com : Value Investing Forum - Singapore, Hong Kong, U.S.

Not so detail imho, continental alloy db&l was disposed but not mentioned. The Bombardier leasehold area in FY2013 is 9264 sqm, but when awarded it was 6490 sqm (not sure why, but it increases, so i shouldnt complain). $38M ubi avenue disposal not much info as well. Overall i think FY2012 AR provided more info than this AR (at least for me).

Is there any differences for those CPF investors with regards to the scrip dividends?

Good News:

http://www.jtc.gov.sg/News/Press-Release...1(PR).aspx

Bad News:

http://www.jtc.gov.sg/Sales-Rental/Gover...120713.pdf

Don't know what they are up to...

Vested
GG

GG

In business, there are always hits and misses. The Ubi win is good news; but I won't call the Mandai loss as bad news. What do you mean "don't know what they are up to..."

Hi,

I definitely agree with your comments - hit and miss is part and parcel of business.

Actually, I meant I don't know what these land tenders are meant for since Boustead Projects is not known to be actively participating in land tenders.

GG

(18-07-2013, 08:55 AM)egghead Wrote: [ -> ]GG

In business, there are always hits and misses. The Ubi win is good news; but I won't call the Mandai loss as bad news. What do you mean "don't know what they are up to..."

Hi Valuestalker,

Your long wait on Supply Chain City may well be over... Boustead Projects incorporated BP-SCC on 28 June 13... is SCC = to what you have been talking about in Feb 13?

GongGia

(06-02-2013, 12:19 PM)valuestalker Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-02-2013, 11:59 AM)greengiraffe Wrote: [ -> ]Something could well be brewing at Boustead even though the contract secured so far are the bread and butter type.

New orders won so far had been significantly lower than last year:
Total new orders (as per investor day - 12 Dec 12): $159
Last year total new orders: $396

BP new orders (as per 28 Jan 13): $ 88
BP last year orders: $ 246
Even lower than the recent bad year (FY11): $142

Competition is getting very very tough ya?
Recent Pratt & Whitney facility in SAP also not won by them.
Supply Chain City which I was hoping that they will get involved also no news.

http://esriaustralia.com.au/news-local/b...ce-nar-167

Boom year sees geospatial giants strengthen allegiance
By Olivia Blake18 Jul 2013

After a year of significant growth for spatial technology into new sectors such as financial services and law enforcement, two of the industry’s biggest proponents have renewed their industry partnership – to ensure more Australian organisations can realise the benefits of geographic analysis and insight.

The Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute (SSSI) has extended their National Titanium Sustaining Partnership with Esri Australia – the market leaders of Australia’s $2.1 billion Geographic Information System (GIS) technology – through to June 2014.

Esri Australia Managing Director Brett Bundock said the renewed partnership capped off a year of significant growth for the industry, which has seen the use of GIS technology in the wider business community broaden.

“There has been a paradigm shift in the way the world works with maps – and no longer do GIS capabilities rest solely inside dedicated GIS or IT departments,” said Mr Bundock.

“A growing appetite for spatial capabilities has seen more organisations integrate GIS technology into their core business systems – such as SAP, Microsoft Office and IBM Cognos.

“As such, we are welcoming a new wave of users to the spatial sector – who may not have any GIS knowledge or experience.

“It’s important we support this growing user base by raising their awareness of spatial capabilities – so they understand the value of GIS extends far beyond just ‘dots on a map’.

“To this end, our ongoing partnership with SSSI will see us deliver national education campaigns, executive briefings, media engagements and thought leadership presentations.”

SSSI President Gary McGuire said the coming year will allow the two organisations to continue to share data, expertise and insight that champions spatial technology.

“Esri Australia has the world’s leading GIS technology, while SSSI represents hundreds of Australia’s most highly regarded spatial professionals.

“This combined offering means we are in the best possible position to guide new entrants into the industry, as they explore the range of capabilities that are deliverable through spatial technology.”

Mr Bundock said beyond supporting new users, a key focus of the partnership would be embarking on further research opportunities that seek to throw a light on ‘where to next’ for the technology and industry.

“Just recently through our partnership, we released the 2013 GIS in Local Government Benchmark Study, which provided a clear insight into how spatial technology is being used by councils – both now and in the future,” Mr Bundock said.

“Research initiatives such as this are an important component of our relationship with SSSI and are key to ensuring we can provide members of the spatial community with the insight required to continue to drive our sector forward.”

- See more at: http://esriaustralia.com.au/news-local/b...nxakE.dpuf

http://esriaustralia.com.au/news-local/g...ud-nar-165

GIS giant launches Australian first into the Cloud
By Olivia Blake11 Jul 2013

A new Australian-developed intelligent mapping capability is set to change the way organisations consume and interact with Geographic Information System (GIS) technology.

The first-of-its-kind offering has been developed by GIS giant Esri Australia and leverages the world-leading ArcGIS platform and the Amazon Cloud.

The solution – which provides GIS capabilities to organisations on a month-by-month basis – has already drawn significant market interest, with successful deployments across the financial services, government and emergency services sectors.

Esri Australia’s Executive Manager Professional Services Jeff Robinson said apart from enabling existing users to cost-effectively scale up their operations, the solution provides a viable entry point for other organisations looking to explore Esri’s intelligent mapping capabilities.

“For these groups, the hosted GIS solution we’ve delivered removes the road blocks,” said Mr Robinson.

“Now, organisations such as smaller local government groups, engineering and construction consortiums and geographically dispersed agricultural enterprises can all easily deploy GIS capabilities – minus the regular infrastructure costs.”

Mr Robinson said the applications of the solution are broad ranging – from a simple web map relating to a specific topic or initiative; to an advanced enterprise-wide deployment.

“For a retailer, this could mean providing their analysts with a visualisation tool to monitor shoppers’ in-store behaviour; for an engineering firm it could serve as a core asset management system; or for a state government body, it could be a public information map for a major event,” said Mr Robinson.

“As the GIS solution is hosted on the Amazon Cloud, it can be scaled up and down instantly to meet demand – whether it’s one user or one million users accessing the system.”

Mr Robinson said the hosted GIS service approach was first trialled with Brisbane City Council (BCC) during the 2011 flood crisis, when Esri Australia built, deployed and hosted the iconic BCC Flood Map.

“At the height of the crisis, more than three million members of the public accessed the map,” said Mr Robinson.

“Esri Australia was responsible for managing the entire process – from initial development through to ensuring the application experienced zero down time – taking the pressure off BCC so they could focus their attention elsewhere.

“This hosted service approach to GIS proved incredibly valuable – so making the service available to all Australian organisations has been a priority for us.”

For more information on Esri Australia’s hosted GIS solutions, visit esriaustralia.com.au/hostedGIS

- See more at: http://esriaustralia.com.au/news-local/g...vbNBf.dpuf

[attachment=538]

Boustead Singapore's REIT plan
The venerable engineering company could be next to launch a property trust, following the likes of Singapore Press Holdings and Overseas Union Enterprise. Chairman and CEO Wong Fong Fui explains why he will succeed in our cover story this week.

http://www.scawards.com.sg/press_09_04_2...ofile.html

Boss who keeps a low profile

by Ven Sreenivasan, Apr 24 2009

The Boustead CEO believes that the ability to adapt to changing market conditions is the way to success, writes Ven Sreenivasan
When Wong Fong Fui was told he was co-winner as CEO of the Year in the $300 million to $1 billion market cap category at the 2009 Corporate Awards, his first reaction was one of amazement. 'Why me?' he asked. 'I never considered myself an outstanding CEO. In any case, I could not have achieved anything without my people, shareholders. They are the ones who should get recognition.'
It was typical FF Wong, a man who, despite his achievements and prominence - he is rated one of Singapore's richest businessmen by Forbes - does not take himself too seriously. 'FF Wong is not important,' he told BT. 'Why don't you write about Boustead and how it has become a 180-year-old world beater?'
Indeed, last year the company, which was set up by Englishman Edward Boustead as a trading outfit in 1828 on the banks of Singapore River, celebrated its 180th birthday. Technically, Boustead is Singapore's second-oldest company, after Guthrie GTS. But Guthrie vanished for several years in the mid-1980s when Malaysian tycoon Tan Koon Swan bought it and then absorbed it into the stable of Malaysian-listed Gamuda. Mr Tan's troubles during the Pan Electric debacle of the mid-1980s forced him to divest Guthrie later, and the company was reincarnated as Guthrie GTS.
Technicalities aside, Boustead remains the only Singapore-based company that can boast an unbroken lineage going back almost two centuries. But back to Mr Wong. The 65-year-old businessman bought the then Bousteadco Singapore in 1996 from Jack Chia-MPH. The deal raised eyebrows among business insiders who wondered whether the man known at the time as the turnaround artist was losing his touch.
The reason: Mr Wong paid $85 million for a company whose net worth at the time was just $27 million. And Bousteadco was earning $1 million on turnover of $60 million. It was not a characteristic investment by a businessman with a 40-year track record and one who helped set up a privately owned national airline in Myanmar - subsequently taken over by the state - and transformed mainboard-listed bread maker QAF into a pan-Asian brand. 'I recall some scathing newspaper write-ups about my decision to pay so much for so little,' Mr Wong laughed.
But he saw things differently.
'This was a company with a great history and pedigree,' he said. 'It was a raw gem that needed polishing.' He quickly set about transforming Bousteadco, building up its capabilities in design, engineering, resource management technology and specialist construction.
Boustead now has an order book of more than $500 million, net cash of $200 million and is looking to unveil 'record' earnings growth for a seventh straight year when it announces its results to end-March 2009. Last year, net profit rose 46 per cent to a record $51.5 million - surpassing analysts' expectations - as revenue rose 28 per cent to $438.3 million. Earnings for the nine months to end-December were $25 million. But for the final quarter, Boustead will recognise at least a $25 million gain from the $200 million sale of its 40 per cent-owned Starhub Green building.
Boustead's order book includes a $174 million water infrastructure project in Libya - its second project there. The company also has major contracts in Singapore, such as designing and building a $37 million aircraft engine maintenance and overhaul project, a $67 million semiconductor project and the $60 million Singapore Free Port project. One of its single biggest projects is the $300 million Al Marj township near the Libyan capital of Tripoli.
So what is the secret of Mr Wong's success?
The ability to adapt to changing market conditions. 'Never run your company to win approval and popularity from market watchers,' he said. 'At Boustead we plod along, unmoved by the opinions of analysts or fund managers.' He points out that Boustead has survived many crises and twists and turns of business cycles. 'In 1973 when Boustead Bhd broke away in Malaysia with all the valuable plantation assets, Bousteadco Singapore was left with virtually nothing but a number of small service businesses,' he said. 'When I bought it, it was a much diminished player, hardly noticed by the market. But we adapted to the new market conditions and capitalised on new opportunities.'
Currently, the company's customised real estate solutions unit accounts for a third of its revenue, while another third comes from energy engineering. About 20 per cent comes from geo-spatial engineering, while waste water engineering generates another 10 per cent.
Keeping to his mantra of constant change and adaptability, Mr Wong said Boustead will change some parts of its business model - yet again. 'The global marketplace has changed,' he said. 'We are in a crisis, yet a fast-changing environment. This is an environment where cash is king. Companies like ours, with cash and no borrowings, have certain advantages in a downturn that we did not enjoy during bullish times. Today, fund managers are in trouble. Reits are out of money. On the other hand, we are sitting pretty, with banks coming to us to ask if we would like to borrow money.'
In the current climate, with companies cash-strapped, Boustead may shift from its build-and-transfer model to build-and-leaseback, Mr Wong said. 'In the past we were merely builders. But now, in some markets, we may take positions if the potential yield is attractive.'
Going forward, Boustead's geo-spatial and oil and gas services units - especially in markets such as the Arabian Gulf and South America - are expected to see strong growth. Mr Wong is also on the lookout for acquisitions - including smaller listed companies - to help power Boustead's growth going forward. 'This is a market where we can cherry pick,'he said.
Despite the global recession, which he believes could last well into 2010, he is confident that Boustead's growth will remain intact if it adapts to changing economic and business conditions. 'The new economic realities have thrown up challenges and opportunities,' he said. 'We see a shift in economic wealth from the resource hungry West to the resource rich and populous East. We already have a strong presence in the latter markets. We also have the cash, technology and people to capitalise on the emerging opportunities.'

2nd oldest company in malaysia/singapore history.. waos... :O