Friday 11 May 2012

Construction Sector - KKB front-runner for AML manganese plant? OVERWEIGHT


- The Star reported today that KKB Engineering could emerge as one of the front-runners for the construction of the Asia Mineral’s Ltd (AML) ferro alloy manganese smelting plant at Samalaju Industrial Park in Bintulu division, Sarawak.

- The AML facility is one of the four pioneer energy-intensive plants that is being set up within the SCORE region. The smelter project is to be implemented in two phases. The first phase is targeted for commercial production in June/July 2013 – the second by end-2014. Phase I is envisaged to have a production capacity of 200,000 tonnes. This would subsequently be raised by another 100,000 tonnes under Phase 2.

- Thus far, the AML project site earthworks commenced early last year. From our channel checks, we gather that the construction award would be dished out within the next three months.

- From our channel checks, we gather that the construction package for the AML smelting plant forms part of some RM320mil worth of tenders that KKB has submitted as at March 31 2012.

- KKB’s other near-term job flows could come from: (i) the US$500mil construction of OM Materials Sdn Bhd’s manganese and ferrosilicon alloy smelting facilities (KKB is due to complete the RM70mil earthworks package for this plant within two months and has been pre-qualified for its construction works); (i) certain packages of Petronas Chemicals Group’s US$1.5bil Sabah ammonia urea project (SAMUR).

- We gather that KKB’s new fabrication facility along Jalan Bako is scheduled to be fully commissioned next month – boosting its capacity to  50,000 tonnes from 15,000 tonnes currently. 

- Thus far, KKB has invested some RM29mil in its new 28ha-fabrication facility – including the development of a 120m-long private jetty. Thus  far, three out of five of KKB”s workshops have been commissioned late last year – while the fourth and fifth workshops would be operational in June.

- More importantly, the increasing proliferation of energy-intensive investments within SCORE would add on to rising job prospects within Sarawak’s SCORE. Apart from building/infrastructure opportunities, we highlight four major jobs that would likely be rolled-out in 2012:- (i) 600MW Balingian coal-fired power plant (RM2.5bil); (ii) 500kV backbone transmission system (Bunut-Kuching) [RM3bil]; (iii) balance of works for the Kuching Sewerage project (~RM1.7bil); and (iv) New Samalaju port (RM1bil).

- Press Metal, Hock Seng Lee (HSL) and Sarawak Cable  remain as our top picks for leverage to Sarawak’s burgeoning SCORE region. Rounding up our BUYs within this space are KKB Engineering, Naim Holdings and Bintulu Port.   

Source: AmeSecurities

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