Guthrie (company)

Last updated

Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad
Company type Public limited company
Industry Plantation, Property, Manufacturing & Others
Founded1821
Defunct2007
Successor Sime Darby
Headquarters Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Key people
Wan Mohd. Zahid Mohd Noordin, Chairman
Abd Wahab Maskan, Group Chief Executive
Number of employees
46,759
Parent Permodalan Nasional Berhad
Website http://www.simedarby.com

Guthrie Group Limited (Malay : Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad) was a Singaporean-Malaysian company that primarily dealt with plantations. It merged with three other plantation groups to form the world's largest plantation company with the name of Sime Darby Berhad.

Contents

Guthrie was founded in Singapore in 1821 by Alexander Guthrie as the first British trading company in Southeast Asia. Guthrie introduced rubber and oil palm in Malaysia in 1896 and 1924, respectively.

Early history

Alexander Guthrie was born in the parish of Menmuir in Angus, Scotland, in 1796, son of David Guthrie of Burnside and his wife Margaret Guthrie, née Guthrie. He went to Singapore in 1821 to set up a trading branch of Thomas Talbot Harrington and Company. Guthrie parted company with Harrington in 1823, and his company was renamed Guthrie and Company in 1833. He retired in 1847, handing the firm over to his nephew James Guthrie, and retired to London, where he died unmarried in 1865. James Guthrie was born in Tannadice in Angus in 1814, son of Alexander's brother David and his wife, Katharine Grant. James arrived in Singapore in 1829 and became a partner in 1837. In 1846, he married Susan Scott, a distant cousin, and had two daughters and a son before Susan's death in Singapore in 1853. James left Singapore in 1856 and returned to Britain. He retired from the firm in 1876 and died in 1900. Other partners included James' nephew by marriage, John James Greenshields, whose mother Margaret Lyall Scott was the sister of Susan Scott. Greenshields was born in Liverpool in 1823 and died there in 1873. Another was James Guthrie's brother-in-law Thomas Scott, born in Dun, Angus in 1832 and died in Angus in 1902, who became a partner in 1857 and senior partner in 1867. [1]

Acquisition by Malaysia

In 1981, the group became a wholly Malaysian-owned company after Ismail Mohamed Ali, Khalid Ibrahim, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Raja Mohar engineered a raid to take over the group at the London Stock Exchange. The takeover allowed Malaysia to return ownership of some 200,000 acres (800 km2) of agricultural land back to Malaysians. Khalid Ibrahim, CEO of Permodalan Nasional Berhad later became the CEO of the Guthrie, later known as Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd, from 1995 to 2003. [2]

Guthrie Group was made a public company in 1987 and was subsequently listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) in 1989 in what was then the largest public issue in Malaysia. [3]

As of 1993, Guthrie had about 110,398 hectares of land, with 19,500 hectares were for rubber plantations and 1,481 hectares reserved for development. Its land bank was the largest in Malaysia. [4]

Guthrie owned a corridor of estates in Selangor, named the "Guthrie Corridor", totaling 4,706 hectares. The corridor comprised four estates, from Bukit Jelutong in Shah Alam to Lagong in Rawang. [5] It also owned Haron Estate in Klang, and a piece of land in Gurun, Kedah. [6] [4]

In 1996, Guthrie began moving to property development as its new core business. Some of its estates became property land, with Bukit Jelutong becoming an integrated township and Lagong becoming a satellite city. Guthrie also planned to build a 30 km-long expressway along the corridor, which became the Guthrie Corridor Expressway. [5]

In 1997, Guthrie began installing central monitoring systems – an electronic alarm system linking each house with a police station – on its houses and commercial buildings, including the Guthrie Corridor. [7]

Merger with Sime Darby

With the government investment company Pemodalan Nasional Berhad being the largest single shareholder, the government merged Guthrie with Sime Darby and Golden Hope plantation to form a new entity named Synergy Drive, later renamed Sime Darby. All Guthrie shares were de-listed on 1 November 2007 and re-listed on 30 November 2007.

Later activities

The group's main activities are plantation and property management. The official trading name of Guthrie is Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad. Guthrie Group has plantation estates in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah, and northern Sumatra and West Kalimantan (Borneo) in Indonesia. The group is also engaged in real estate (with the formation of Guthrie Properties in 1994) and manufacturing.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyberjaya</span> Town in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia

Cyberjaya is a city with a science park as its core that forms a key part of the Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. It is located in Sepang District, Selangor. Cyberjaya is adjacent to and developed along with Putrajaya, Malaysia's government seat. This city aspires to be known as the Silicon Valley of Malaysia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bakun Dam</span> Dam in Kapit, Sarawak, Malaysia

The Bakun Dam is an embankment dam located in Belaga District, Kapit Division, Sarawak, Malaysia, on the Balui River, a tributary or source of the Rajang River and some sixty kilometres east of Belaga. As part of the project, the second-tallest concrete-faced rockfill dam in the world would be built. It would generate 2,400 megawatts (MW) of electricity once completed.

YTL Corporation is a Malaysian conglomerate.

Sime Darby Berhad is a Malaysian trading conglomerate. Its core businesses operate and serve in the industrial, motors and logistics sectors as well as the healthcare, and insurance segments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Hope</span>

Golden Hope Plantations Berhad (GHPB) was an estate and plantations company in Malaysia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K. R. Somasundram</span> Malaysian Indian (born 1930)

K R Somasundram is a Malaysian Indian. Born in Teluk Intan, Malaysia in 1930, he was the son of a grocer who gained prominence by heading the National Land Finance Co-Operative for the last two and a half decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guthrie Corridor Expressway</span> Expressway in Malaysia

Guthrie Corridor Expressway, GCE, Guthrie Corridor Expressway is an expressway in Klang Valley, Selangor, Malaysia. It connects Shah Alam to Rawang. GCE is approximately 25 km (16 mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taman Tun Dr Ismail</span> Township in Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Taman Tun Dr Ismail is a mid-sized township in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Situated on the border of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, it is within the vicinity of other townships including Bandar Utama Damansara, Damansara Utama, Mutiara Damansara. It also neighbours Bukit Kiara and Sri Hartamas and is within easy access of Bangsar and Damansara Heights. This township is in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) as its local authority. It is primarily a residential neighborhood with businesses ranging from retail shops, restaurants and offices. Menara Ken and Plaza VADS are the two high-rise office buildings in TTDI. The township was named after Tun Dr. Ismail bin Abdul Rahman, Malaysia's first ambassador to the United States and a Malaysian representative to the United Nations, before becoming Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister in 1970. Taman Tun Dr. Ismail is often abbreviated as "TTDI".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bukit Raja</span>

Bukit Raja can be referred a mukim in Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia, that contains several areas in northern Shah Alam which are western part of Section 7 of Shah Alam, Setia Alam (U13), Denai Alam, Bukit Subang, Alam Budiman, Puncak Perdana, Bukit Bandaraya (U11) and National Botanic Gardens Shah Alam. However, definition of Bukit Raja nowadays has shifted south away, which commonly refer to several areas in Klang, that consists of some former oil palm plantation owned by Sime Derby Plantations. The first development of Bukit Raja estate was an industrial area around Bandar Baru Klang and Federal Highway, subsequently Bukit Raja has expanded to the border of Setia Alam with new establishment of “Bandar Bukit Raja” housing project.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bukit Jelutong</span> Suburb of Shah Alam

Bukit Jelutong is an upscale suburb of Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. The suburb is a planned community, with an area of over 2,200 acres (8.9 km2) and developed by Guthrie Property Holding Berhad (GPHB), a subsidiary company of Sime Darby. Due to the suburb's upscale status, the residential units in Bukit Jelutong are mostly low-density bungalows and duplex houses, as well as some terraced houses. Bukit Jelutong has many parks and open grass areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RHB Bank</span> Malaysian bank

RHB Bank Berhad is a Malaysian bank based in Kuala Lumpur and founded in 1997. It is the fourth largest fully integrated financial services group in Malaysia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IJM Corporation</span>

IJM Corporation Berhad is one of Malaysia's leading conglomerates and is listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad. Its core business activities encompass construction, property development, manufacturing and quarrying and Infrastructure concessions. Headquartered in Selangor, Malaysia, IJM's regional aspirations have seen it establish a growing presence in neighbouring developing markets with operations presently spanning 10 countries, with primary focus in Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, United Arab Emirates, China, Indonesia and India.

Kulim (Malaysia) Berhad is a Malaysian company. Through its subsidiaries, it engages in oil palm plantation, investment holding, and property investment businesses in Malaysia. The company also manufactures rubber-based products, oleochemicals, and esters; produces oil palm clones by plant tissue culture technology; and distributes tropical fruits, as well as engaging in crude palm oil processing. The Corporate Office of Kulim (Malaysia) Berhad is located at Johor, Malaysia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denai Alam</span>

Denai Alam is a township located approximately 10 km north of the Shah Alam city centre alongside the Guthrie Corridor Expressway and is a part of Mukim Bukit Raja in Petaling District.

Lagong or Bukit Lagong is a small town and a forest reserve area in Selayang, Selangor, Malaysia, located between Kuang and Batu Caves.

Elmina Estate is an oil palm plantation in Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia. It is currently owned and operated by Sime Darby Berhad.

Perbadanan Nasional Berhad was set up in November 1969 as a wholly owned government company to carry out the resolutions at the Second Bumiputera Economic Congress. Among the major shareholders included were Malaysia's Ministry of Finance, Bank Negara Malaysia and Bank Bumiputera Malaysia Berhad. Pernas was put under a solid footing under the chairmanship of Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (1970–1974) who had been the Minister of Finance from 1976 to 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sime Darby Property</span> Malaysian real estate developer

Sime Darby Property Berhad 197301002148 (15631-P) is a Malaysian real estate developer with operations in Malaysia and the United Kingdom. Incorporated in 1973, as Sime Darby Property Sdn. Bhd., the Group was created through the integration of the property arms under the former Golden Hope Plantations Berhad, Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad, and Sime Darby Berhad. The property arm of Sime Darby traces back to United Estates Projects Berhad, a property development company established in 1964. In 1985, Sime Darby purchased a large stake in United Estates Projects Berhad and the company was renamed Sime UEP Properties Berhad. Sime UEP was used to develop former oil palm plantation lands belonging to Sime Darby.

Amir Hamzah bin Azizan is a Malaysian corporate figure who has served as the Minister of Finance II and Senator since December 2023. He served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) from March 2021 to his resignation and political appointments in December 2023. He is the eldest son of Azizan Zainul Abidin, the former Chairman, President and CEO of Petronas.

References

  1. ↑ "Guthrie and Company". Singapore Infopedia. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  2. ↑ "Fact boxes on Ijok (subscription required)". malaysiakini.com. 19 April 2007. Retrieved 20 April 2007.
  3. ↑ "September 1981 – The Dawn Raid". Hifzan Shafiee. Archived from the original on 27 July 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Kumpulan Guthrie to take on more diversified activities". Business Times (Singapore). 24 August 1994. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  5. 1 2 "Kumpulan Guthrie begins building its 'corridor'". The Straits Times. 11 November 1996. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  6. ↑ "K. Guthrie to dissolve units". The Straits Times. 20 June 1996. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  7. ↑ "Guthrie development to come with central alarm system". Business Times (Singapore). 4 July 1997. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.