Publishing & Printing

In line with the new vision and strategic direction developed in 1999, Fraser and Neave, Limited ("F&NL" or the "Group") established its third core business through the acquisition of a strategic 20.1% stake in Times Publishing Limited in December 1999. The acquisition paved the way for F&NL to take advantage of a rare opportunity to participate in the exciting growth potential of a company that is well positioned in the knowledge economy. This was followed by a general offer that led to F&NL owning 87.5% of the shares of Times Publishing Limited in June 2000, making the latter a subsidiary of the Group. In March 2002, Times Publishing Limited was privatised and subsequently de-listed.

In addition to a well-established track record in publishing, printing, direct sales and distribution and retailing of books, magazines, recorded audio and video tapes, hi-fi accessories and storage devices, the provision of educational services and the organisation of conferences & exhibitions, the key assets of the Publishing & Printing division includes a strong balance sheet that provides the financial backing for its future expansion. The rich intellectual capital - encompassing multilingual resource materials for education, academic study, general & reference, as well as business listings - will continue to be a key driver of growth in today's information-driven, knowledge-based economy. Its highly recognised publishing imprints such as Times Editions (general & reference), Federal Publications (curriculum), Marshall Cavendish (partworks) and Cargonews Asia (business information) will strengthen the Group's strategy for content delivery in all formats - from print to electronic. These will be marketed via the Group's global network of offices in key cities in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Australia, Europe and the USA.

The Group's diverse publishing business is based on the Total Service Concept where the Publishing Group conceives and creates the products, the Printing Group prints them, and the Retail & Distribution Group markets them worldwide. Complementing them are the Educational Services operations that have been aggressively expanding into China to pave the way for expansion of the other activities of the Group in this market.

The Group will continue to forge new frontiers and dominate markets where it operates. Going global, promoting enterprise, nurturing innovations, building new capabilities and expanding the talent pool have always been the Group's key growth drivers. The Group will continue to strengthen its position as Singapore's leader in the publishing and printing arena.