PETALING JAYA: TDM Bhd is aiming to increase its plantation size by nearly 30,000ha to 70,000ha and also triple its hospital operations by 2018.

The group said in a statement that it aimed for planted oil palm land to total 70,000ha from the current planted area of 40,518ha.

“As our land in Terengganu is fully planted, Kalimantan is the next growth area to drive the group’s plantation business.

“We plan to plant at least 5,000ha of new oil palm trees every year in Kalimantan. Once our plantation there is fully planted and matured, we expect it to be the major income contributor to our plantation division,” said chief executive officer Badrul Hisham Mahari.

TDM is expected to make its maiden harvest from its first 400ha which was planted in 2009 in Kalimantan.

“This will follow with another 1,000ha in 2014. Yields from the new plantings will lead to increased revenue over the medium term,” he said, adding that of the group’s total planted land bank of 40,518ha, 75% of the planted trees were mature with an average age profile (prime old) ranging from 16 to 20 years.

For its healthcare division, the group aims to triple the operations of its hospitals by increasing the number of beds and hospitals, improving and expanding the services to meet the increasing demand, especially in the east coast region.

Presently, the group has 204 beds in all its four hospitals.

“The new Kuantan Medical Centre, which will open its doors to the public early next year, and the Kuala Terengganu Specialist Hospital, which is under construction, will have 150 beds and 130 beds respectively.

“Construction of the latter started in December last year and is expected to be completed by 2015. Since there will be space for ancillary facilities, we can equip both hospitals with up-to-date equipment and technologies as well as introduce new services,” he said.

The group also intends to upgrade the facilities of its other two hospitals – TDMC Hospital and Kelana Jaya Medical Centre, which will have a new facelift and a new building respectively.

source:the star online