Tianjin Eco-City Eco-Industrial Park welcomes first batch of investors

Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co., Ltd. (SSTEC) celebrates another milestone of its Eco-Industrial Park (EIP) today by signing on several Singapore investors to launch eco-manufacturing operations in Tianjin Eco-City. They will be the first investors in the EIP.

The first of its kind in China, the EIP will occupy approximately 130 hectares of land northern part of the Tianjin Eco-City and create a self-sustaining business community. Capitalising on the strategic positioning of the Eco-City, it will attract global clean technology and industries, and form green business clusters such as Clean Energy, Green Building, Green Transport, Clean Water, Waste Management and Environment Management. When fully completed, the Eco-Industrial Park is expected to create over 10,000 blue and white collar jobs which will attract new residents and generate economic spin-offs.

With an estimated total investment of RMB 4 billion when fully completed in five to six years, the EIP is expected to be the base for global eco-businesses in the Bohai Rim. The EIP will serve China’s growing needs for clean technologies and sustainable urban solutions. Using EIP as a base, companies can look forward to tapping on opportunities in eco-businesses in fast-growing Tianjin Binhai New Area (TBNA) and Northern China.

Strategically located next to the major highways that link the Eco-City to Tianjin Port, Tianjin Airport, Tianjin City and Beijing, the EIP will be the first of its kind eco-industrial park in China built completely in compliance to Eco-City’s green building evaluation standards, a system that draws the best standards from Singapore’s Green Mark standards and China’s Green Star standards.

The signing ceremony in Singapore was officiated by Mr. He Lifeng, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee, Director-General of TBNA Administrative Committee and Chairman of SSTEC, together with distinguished guests from the Singapore Ministry of National Development, Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco City Administrative Committee (ECAC), senior management of Keppel Group and SSTEC. Together, they expressed confidence for the investment potential of EIP and encouraged more Singapore and foreign investors to invest in Tianjin Eco-City.

“The Eco-Industrial Park will be the booming eco-manufacturing hub of the Tianjin Binhai New Area,” said Mr Goh Chye Boon, Chief Executive Officer of SSTEC. “Eco-City is a natural adoption ground for eco-technologies and solutions. Together with favourable policies and investment environment, the fast-growing Tianjin Binhai New Area is where eco-businesses serious in expanding their operations in China should look at. We are happy that these Singapore companies will be the first batch of investors in the industrial park to create jobs for the future residents of the Tianjin Eco-City,” he added.

SSTEC signed a Letter of Intent with Pan Asian Water Solutions Limited (PAWSL), a catalyst-listed company in the Singapore Stock Exchange. The company plans to site its China headquarters in Tianjin Eco City and consolidate its existing quality pipe and valve manufacturing operations in the EIP, with activities including a global logistics and warehousing hub, clean environment value-added processing of piping products and accessories, R&D centre for Duvalco valves, fittings and other products, brand building and marketing for Duvalco products, control centre for global trading activities and manufacturing of selective products that match Eco-city’s demands. PAWSL plans to invest an estimated RMB100 million in the EIP over a timeframe of 2 years.


Chief Executive Officer of PAWSL Mr Eddie Koh said, “The Eco-City offers one of the best business friendly environments we have seen so far, both the developer and the local authority had been proactive to make sure our interests are taken care of. Setting up a base here would enable us to expand into new areas of businesses and at the same time to further improve our value add to our existing customers. We believe that our shareholders’ interests would be safely protected here. In addition, the Eco-City’s environmental theme is in line with the Company’s direction. We are very excited to be among the pioneer investors here.”

The entry of these Singapore investors such as PAWSL came about with the proactive facilitation of International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, the lead agency promoting the overseas growth of Singapore-based enterprises and international trade.

Said Mr Tham Poh Cheong, Group Director for Infrastructure, Environment and Engineering, IE Singapore, “Singapore's response to the scarcity of natural resources has resulted in the sustainable city model that we are today. Singapore-based private sector companies have the necessary expertise to support similar development efforts in other markets. PAWSL is one such company with the capabilities to contribute to the success of the Tianjin Eco-City and IE Singapore is glad to have played a role in bringing about their partnership with the SSTEC."

In addition, SSTEC signed a Letter of Intent with PV World Pte Ltd (PVW), a Singapore-based manufacturer of wafer-based photovoltaic solar modules. PVW shall invest an estimated total investment of RMB500 million for a 240MWp solar module manufacturing facility sited within the EIP. The facility will be developed in three stages with first-stage production expected to commence in 2012.

Said Mr Loh Lean Chooi, Managing Director of PVW, “With the strong support from SSTEC and the well planned development of the Eco-City, we are confident our investment will have great potentials in the future.”

The cluster development of eco-industries for the Eco-City and generation of job opportunities shall act as an impetus for the development of residential, amenities and services in the Eco-City to cater to residents and workers in the Eco-City. It will also create demand for residential property especially affordable public housing in the Eco-City. These factors shall enhance Eco-City’s position as an eco-manufacturing hub for North China and serve as a showcase of Sino-Singapore collaboration.

The Letters of Intent are not expected to have material impact on the net tangible assets or earnings per share of Keppel Corporation Limited for the current financial year.


About Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City (SSTEC)

SSTEC is the master developer for the Tianjin Eco-City. It is a 50/50 joint venture between the Chinese Consortium led by Tianjin TEDA Investment Holding Co., Ltd (Tianjin TEDA) and the Singapore Consortium led by the Keppel Group.

The Tianjin Eco-City is a landmark bilateral project between China and Singapore with private-sector investment and development. Located in the Tianjin Binhai New Area (40 km away from Tianjin city centre), the 30-sq km Tianjin Eco-City is envisioned to create a harmonious and sustainable community that meets the needs of an urbanising China and will be a modern township where 350,000 residents can live, work and play.

When completed, the 4-sq km Start-Up Area will be home to 26,500 households, with the first batch of residents expected to move in around 2011.

For more information about Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City, please logon to the web site at www.tianjinecocity.gov.sg.


About Our Partners

Pan Asian Water Solutions Limited (PAWSL) is a one-stop provider of quality piping system solutions for infrastructure projects in the water industry, catering specifically to the water purification and wastewater treatment industry. Through close collaboration with strategic partners and customers, the company provides customized and cost-effective solutions for turnkey projects and water pipe network rehabilitation for utilities providers. With customers spanning 14 countries across Asia, the Middle East and other locations around the world and burgeoning growth of the water industry in recent years, PAWSL is well-poised to leverage on its premium brand name to expand regionally in countries, such as China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Brunei, Cambodia, etc.

PV World Pte Ltd (PVW) was set up in 2008 to produce high quality solar modules to serve the solar electricity (photovoltaic) industry in meeting the global demands for clean energy and helping to address concerns over global warming. PVW has plans to establish highly automated production lines to break away from the traditional manual or semi-automatic lines common in the industry today. This will not only reduce production costs, there will also be an increase in the yield and quality of products. By working closely with leading institutes like the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore and the Fraunhofer Institute of Germany, PVW is establishing itself as a leader in the solar module industry.

Contact Information:

In Singapore
Chua Ying Ying (Ms)
Acting for
SSTEC
Tel : (65) 6413 6295
Email: yingying.chua@kepcorp.com

In China
Liu Tong (Mr)
General Manager, Corporate Development
SSTEC
HP: (86) 1380 214 9848
Email: tong.liu@tianjineco-city.com

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