From its plantations in Thailand, to its state of the art factory and laboratory in Johor, Malaysia, Asia Plantation Capital recently completed a single CITES approved shipment of 5,000 kilogrammes of Agarwood (Oud) woodchips and powder for final processing.
Rural economies in both Thailand and Malaysia are benefiting from the growing demand for Agarwood trees grown on sustainable plantations that produce Oud – the world’s most expensive (per kg) forestry end product - whether it be in the form of a raw essential oil, aromatic woodchips, powder, or exquisite hand carved collection pieces.
Asia Plantation Capital is acknowledged as being one of the world’s leading plantation and forestry management companies, with an ever-increasing reach and a passionate commitment to the research and development of patented technologies that have helped reintroduce the endangered Aquilaria tree (from which Oud is extracted and from which woodchips are produced), to its natural habitat.
In line with Asia Plantation Capital’s ethos of environmental responsibility, the company has been expanding across Asia in recent years, with sustainable Agarwood plantations under management in Thailand, Sri Lanka and Malaysia, as well as joint ventures in India, Laos, China and Myanmar. Asia Plantation Capital now offers the widest selection of Agarwood species and products to the international markets.
All Asia Plantation Capital’s Agarwood products can be certified as to source, as well as the date of planting, all relevant warranties, and the undertakings for replanting. Asia Plantation Capital is committed to planting at least one sapling for every tree harvested, making the cycle 100% sustainable.
“This first shipment to our new factory and distillation centre in Johor, Malaysia marks the start of a process that will see up to 25,000 kilogrammes per month passing through our Johor factory and distillation centre,” said Steve Watts, Asia Plantation Capital Berhad’s CEO.
“We chose Johor for our first such state of the art facility due to its location - giving us easy access by rail, road and sea to all the major export markets. It also allows us to centralise our current Asia-wide production in one purpose-built facility, and is perfectly situated near major Agarwood trading markets such as Singapore and China, where we also have a joint venture factory with China’s largest Agarwood manufacturer, the Hua Lin Group.”
“In Johor we have an excellent combination of the already proven systems that we developed in Thailand and China, overseen by key members of our management team from Dubai, headed up by Ahmed Awad,” Watts continued. “It’s fair to say that everybody now seems to know about Oud oil, due to its use in the international fragrance industry. Not everybody, however, realises that raw and enhanced perfumed woodchips make up the vast volume of the estimated nearly US$15 billion industry. We believe that very few companies in the market today focus on all end products that have such massive appeal and are in such high demand across all markets in the way that we do at Asia Plantation Capital.”
Asia Plantation Capital aims to secure its position as the premium sustainable and CITES certified products provider in the global market, and Ahmed and his team are already proving their commitment to this goal. They bring with them techniques to maximise quality and grow market share that have been handed down through generations in the Middle East – a reflection not only of the product value, but also its cultural and historical significance.
Modern science also plays its part, with proprietorial technology constantly being researched and developed by the company’s Scientific Advisory Board, which is comprised of the industry’s leading authorities from Thailand, China, the Middle East and, most recently, India.
“Add to this the joint venture with Hua Lin in China,” Watts continued, “and we have leading experts on Oud products from the two largest single markets on the planet. It’s a depth of knowledge and expertise that is, quite simply, unrivalled in the industry.”
Any detailed analysis of the industry will show that Agarwood (Oud) products that are available in the ‘High Streets’ around the world come from a variety of countries and species. They all have their own unique characteristics that appeal to different markets, but it’s already clear that the proprietary systems APC has developed over the last seven years are proving their worth, with variety being a key component of the company’s philosophy along with its refusal to compromise on quality.
“Many people believe that it’s simply a case of planting a tree and waiting for it to grow,” said Steve Watts in closing. “At Asia Plantation Capital, however, we know that the successful combination of science and nature creates the winning formula to ensure that we produce the right products, from various sources, that satisfy all the requirements of the discerning end buyers.”
Through Asia Plantation Capital’s partner brand, Fragrance Du Bois, oils from its Thailand plantations are now found in its fine fragrances in Paris, New York, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and London, as well as in Brunei, with plans already in place to expand into Germany, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia in the coming months. Other oils from Asia Plantation Capital – all sustainably produced – can also be found in well-known luxury brands around the world.
The 5,000 kgs currently being processed in Asia Plantation Capital’s new Johor factory is destined for export to retailers in the Gulf region, where the company also plans to build its second large-scale factory. The facility in the United Arab Emirates will enable end processing and production in the region, and will augment Asia Plantation Capital’s existing regional wholesale and retail business that was established in 2010.
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