From undertaking sub-contracting works as an operator for limestone mines to becoming a key producer of high-grade iron ore concentrate – we’re going to take you though the ins and outs of SGX-listed Malaysian miner Southern Alliance Mining today.

The story takes us back to 2001, with the incorporation of Southern Alliance Mining’s subsidiary Honest Sam. Then, the firm was primarily involved in subcontracting works for limestone mines in the Malaysian states of Pahang and Perak.

Seven years later in 2008, the company obtained the right to become the mining operator of an open mine pit in Johor called the Chaah Mine.

The mine pit allows for the exploration, extraction and processing of iron ore that could be used by pipe coating companies in the oil and gas industry to prevent corrosion in sub-sea pipes.

Fast forward to today, Southern Alliance Mining not only offers iron ore for pipe coating. It also ventured into iron ore concentrates to diversify business risks, exporting them to markets such as China, before selling the rest to local steel mills in Malaysia.

It currently has approximately 60,000 tonnes of iron ore concentrates, not including pipe coating materials, and has produced and sold a total 6.3 million tonnes of iron ore products between 2008 and July 2021.

The firm recently also reported its earnings for the six months ended January. Revenue declined 23.8% on the year to about RM70.3 million amid weaker iron ore prices as well as slowing demand for China’s steel industry – so how concerned should we be about this?

But what is perhaps more exciting about Southern Alliance Mining is how it is positioning itself for the future.

For one thing, the firm had in April 2023 ventured into rare earth mining after inking two agreements to purchase stakes in iron absorption clay rare-earth mines in Malaysia. Again – what was the rationale behind the move, and how will the move bolster the firm from fluctuations in iron ore prices?

On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Lim Wei Hung, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Southern Alliance Mining.

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It’s all about food today as we bring you an inside look into what’s said to be the largest supermarket chain in Thailand. And this is a company that you might be very familiar with if you frequent the food halls at Bangkok’s malls.

With operations dating back to 1996, our guest for today is Central Food Retail Company, one of the business units under Thai multinational conglomerate Central Group.

The firm now runs supermarkets and F&B concepts in varying formats, namely: Tops Food Hall, Tops, Tops daily, Tops Online, Central Wine Cellar and Tops Eatery.

Besides that, the company also embarked on a joint venture with Japan’s drugstore chain Matsumoto Kiyoshi in 2015 to open Matsumoto Kiyoshi stores.

But why are we trying to get you hungry by speaking to Central Food Retail at this time of the day? Central Food Retail is an interesting company to talk about given how the firm announced an investment plan of 1.6 billion baht or close to S$63.2 million for 2024.

The investment was in line with the firm’s T-O-P-S strategy to position it as a Truly World-Class Omni-Channel Food Retail player, with an aim to achieve a total of 1,000 stores by 2027.

To this end, the firm is also doubling down on its investments in technology, having in December 2024 teamed up with Google Cloud to launch an AI-powered shopping assistant called ‘Tops Chef Bot’.

With the investments in place, Central Food Retail aims to achieve a compound annual growth rate of 8%. But what should we know about the firm’s progress in bridging its online to offline presence?

On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Stephane Coum, Chief Executive Officer of Food Group, Central Retail.

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It’s all about family businesses today as we speak to Hong Leong Asia, a part of Singapore-based conglomerate Hong Leong Group.

The firm’s beginnings can be traced back to the early 1900s, when Hong Leong Group’s founder the late Kwek Hong Png boarded a cargo vessel in Xiamen at the age of 16, with only an $8 ticket, a straw mat, a quilt for warmth.

While life was tough, the founder held hopes of making it big in Southeast Asia as he made the arduous journey over to Singapore. That’s where he worked at a hardware store for years before starting Hong Leong in 1941.

The firm was first set up as a general trading firm dealing in ropes, paints, ship and rubber estate supplies. Eventually, the business grew to become one of Singapore’s largest conglomerates, sprawling across industries from property, hotels, financial services and trade and industry.

At its subsidiary Hong Leong Asia, the company prides itself as a diversified Asian multinational with core businesses in the construction and transportation sectors and gross assets of over S$40 billion.

Its business can be classified into two broad categories, namely building materials and powertrain solutions.

Financially, the firm had in February reported a net profit of S$38.2 million for its second half ended December, up 12.2 per cent on the year. The company’s profitability was said to be boosted by strong performances in its powertrain solutions and building materials units, amid improved market conditions in Singapore and Malaysia. But how does the firm assess the road ahead given ongoing trade tensions around the world?

Meanwhile, the issue of governance in family businesses has also come into the spotlight recently – so how does Hong Leong Asia approach the topic of governance and succession planning to ensure that the legacy of its founder lives on?

On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Stephen Ho, Executive Director & CEO, Hong Leong Asia.

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