Page 3 - ar2012

1887
Founders James Sword and Herman
Muhlinghaus incorporated The Straits
Trading Company Limited (“Straits
Trading”) on 8 November 1887 with an
initial capital of $150,000 to smelt tin ore.
1889
The first office of Straits Trading was
opened in Gopeng, Ipoh.
1890
Straits Trading opened its first large
smelting plant at Pulau Brani, Singapore,
to replace its smelter in Perak. It moved
its head office from Kuala Lumpur to
Singapore, first in Raffles Place and later
in Collyer Quay.
1900
Strai ts Trading acqui red a si te in
Butterworth, Penang, to build a second
smelting plant which officially began
operations in 1902.
1912
Straits Trading became the largest tin
smelting company in the world, smelting
two-thirds ofMalaya’s tin, which accounted
for more than half the world’s supply.
Straits Trading started revolutionising
mining methods. These included the
horizontal and vertical gravel pump, and
the dredge, transforming the industry
drastically for 25 years until 1937.
Corporate Milestones
1887 – 2012
1960s
In the early 1960s, Straits Trading formed
its property division and built the first
Straits Trading Building in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia in 1961.
1965
Tan Sri (Dr) Tan Chin Tuan became
Chairman of Straits Trading and led it into
its golden era. The Company diversified
its investments and established a network
of worldwide businesses that laid the
foundation for a globalised future.
1972
Straits Trading finished construction of its
iconic 21-storey Straits Trading Building
on Battery Road, Singapore.
1982
Malaysia Smelting Corporation Berhad
(“MSC”), in which Straits Trading held a
58 per cent interest, took over the
smelting business.
MSC became an associated company of
Straits Trading upon its successful listing
on the Main Board of the Kuala Lumpur
Stock Exchange with paid up capital
of RM75 million. MSC achieved the
distinction of being the first tin smelter
in the world to be ISO 9002 accredited.
1997
Straits Trading began its hospitality
business when Rendezvous Hotels
International Private Limited took over
management of the Observation City
Hotel in Perth, Australia.
1998
Rendezvous Hotel at Bras Basah Road,
Singapore, was officially opened
together with the launch of the largest
outdoor billboard in Singapore.
2002
Straits Trading developed the Great
Eastern Centre andChina Square Central.
MSCexpanded into upstreamexploration
and tin mining through the acquisition of
a 75% interest in PT Koba Tin, Indonesia.
2004
MSC successfully acquired Rahman
Hydraulic Tin Sdn Bhd, the largest
and one of Malays ia’s oldest t in
mining companies.
2008
Tecity Group acquired a majority stake
in Straits Trading.
2010
The new S$60 million, 28-storey Straits
Trading Building on Battery Road,
Singapore was re-launched after two
years of redevelopment.
2011
MSC completed its secondary listing on
the Singapore Exchange on 27 January.
2012
Straits Trading celebrated its 125th
anniversary and announced three
important transactions that will transform
its hospitality business and investment
in WBL Corporation Limited into new
engines of growth.
The Straits Trading Company Limited ANNUAL REPORT 2012 01 /