 Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad ("KLK"), a leading Malaysian plantation company, traces its origin back to 1906 when The Kuala Lumpur Rubber Company, Limited ("KLR") was set up in London to oversee some 600 hectares of rubber plantation, including some coffee, planted in Malaya, (now Malaysia). By 1960 through various acquisitions, the hectarage increased to 29,843 ha. covering Malaya, Indonesia and Nigeria. KLR's interests in Indonesia and Nigeria was disposed off in 1973 and 1976 respectively.
KLR in 1960 changed its name to Kuala Lumpur-Kepong Amalgamated Limited ("KLKA") and in 1973 under a scheme of reconstruction, KLKA went into liquidation with KLK taking over assets and liabilities of KLKA. The move to bring its domicile back to Malaysia was initiated by KLK's Founder Chairman, the late Tan Sri Dato' Seri Lee Loy Seng.
KLK Group has since then reorganised and expanded to over 160,000 hectares oil palm and rubber located in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Indonesia. The Group diversified into Sabah in 1983 and re-entered into Indonesia in 1994.
Plantations remain KLK's core business. However, in recognition of the need to cushion the effects of fluctuating commodity prices, the KLK Group had in the 1990s expanded successfully downstream into resource-based manufacturing including cocoa processing, the manufacture of fatty acids, glycerine and derivatives. With Malaysian joint-venture partners, KLK has vegetable oil operations in Pakistan and the People's Republic of China. Capitalising on the strategic location of its land bank in Peninsular Malaysia, KLK has also ventured into property development in 1990. Since 1996 through Crabtree & Evelyn, the Group is involved in the manufacturing and retailing of personal care products, toiletries, home fragrances and fine foods worldwide. |
