Thursday 10 February 2011

UMW's new drive

UMW's new drive
By Zuraimi AbdullahPublished: 2011/02/10

UMW Holdings Bhd (4588)will consolidate and rationalise some of its core businesses to become leaner and meaner, its managing director Datuk Syed Hisham Syed Wazir said.

Consolidation is under way for its manufacturing and engineering and equipment divisions as UMW, among Malaysia's top five most admired companies according to the Asian Wall Street Journal, looks to leverage on its vast range of products and services.

The oil and gas (O&G) division may also be restructured, but Syed Hisham said UMW Oil & Gas Bhd's listing plan remains on the cards once it returns to profitability.

"We are looking at consolidating our businesses wherever possible so that UMW can become a strong and lean group. We should be able to leverage on the group's wide range of products and services in our international presence and also on the strength of each of our operations," Syed Hisham said in an interview to mark his first 100 days in Shah Alam, Selangor, recently.

"Right now, our operations are managed independently. Each SBU (strategic business unit) needs to help the others so that we can all reap maximum benefits. For example, we should be able to cross-sell our products and services effectively and achieve cost-savings through volume procurement of common items, etc," he added.

UMW's O&G division, which began in 2002, posted a net loss of RM48 million for the nine-month period ended September 30 last year.

This was due to the imposition of countervailing and anti-dumping duties by the US government on Chinese pipe importers.

The move had affected UMW group's major profit-contributing associate company, Wuxi Seamless Oil Pipe Co (WSP), Syed Hisham said.

However, WSP had secured new customers in world markets like Venezuela and should return to profit this year.

"Our O&G business segment has expanded rapidly since its establishment in 2002. I believe we need to take a good look at all our O&G businesses and see if we can restructure or rationalise some of our investments."

Syed Hisham said the group's jack-up rig Naga 2 was already working and will generate full-year revenue in 2011.

"We are now in negotiation stage with potential partners for the leasing of Naga 3 and we expect it to be in operation in the first quarter of 2011."

He added that its associate company in India, United Seamless Tubular Pte Ltd, had last August started commercial production of seamless pipes for the oil gas sector.

"This company will also be revenue-generating in 2011. The plant has a capacity of 300,000 metric tonnes per year," Syed Hisham said.

The year 2011 will also be a good year for its equipment business.


Read more: UMW's new drive http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/biyou-2/Article/index_html#ixzz1DVPJ9FfG

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