Over the years, Hong Leong Asia has evolved from being a leading integrated building materials supplier in Singapore into one of the major manufacturing and distribution players in Asia. The Group is well positioned with over 80 per cent of its manufacturing and distribution businesses in Southeast Asia and China, which is today the world’s fastest growing market.

Hong Leong Asia has under its Consumer Products, Diesel Engines, Industrial Packaging arms, three leading China-based manufacturing businesses, namely Henan Xinfei (one of China's top three largest refrigerators and freezers manufacturer), China Yuchai Group (China's largest independent diesel engines manufacturer), and Rex Packaging Industrial Division (manufacturer of industrial packaging products). GPac Technology, the Green Packaging arm of the Group, manufactures bio-degradable packaging products.

Guangxi Yuchai Machinery Company Limited, the operating company of China Yuchai International Limited, was awarded “The Chinese Brand of the Year 2008” by the World Brand Laboratory.

The Group, under its Building Materials Unit (BMU), owns Island Concrete (Private) Limited, one of the largest ready-mixed concrete suppliers in Singapore.

As part of the BMU’s expansion plans, additional stakeholding interest in Tasek Corporation Berhad was acquired in 2009 to strengthen Hong Leong Asia’s position as a major player of integrated building materials supplier.

Hong Leong Asia, through its New York Stock Exchange listed subsidiary, China Yuchai International Limited, has stakeholdings in Thakral Corporation Ltd (TCL) and HL Global Enterprises Limited (HLGE), both of which are Singapore listed companies. TCL is a China-focused electronics distribution company, while HLGE is primarily engaged in the business of investment holding, property development and hospitality.

The Group ventured into the e-business arena with City e-Solutions Ltd (CES), formerly known as CDL Hotels International Ltd. Listed in Hong Kong and traded in CLOB International in Singapore and the Amsterdam Stock Exchange, CES is the designated vehicle to spearhead e-business initiatives for the Hong Leong Group and its Singapore-based parent company, City Developments Limited (CDL).

The Group‘s London-listed subsidiary, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc (M&C), owns and operates a portfolio of over 120 hotels with more than 36,000 rooms in 18 countries*. M&C was included in the top 100 of "Britain's Most Admired Companies" - a ranking conducted by leading business magazine Management Today.

M&C hotels are marketed under two principal brands- "Millennium" & "Copthorne", with a third brand "Kingsgate" primarily operated in New Zealand. It also owns hotels managed by International hotel chains such as Hilton, Hyatt, JW Marriott and Nikko in New York, Taipei, and Hong Kong.

In May 2001, M&C and Maritim Hotels entered into an agreement to form a global strategic marketing alliance. Maritim Hotels has 49 hotels with 14,520 rooms in 7 countries.

In 2008, the Group opened a total of 7 new hotels, the Grand Millennium Beijing, Copthorne Hotel Qingdao and the Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen in China, both operating under franchise agreements, and four in the Middle East - Grand Millennium Dubai, Copthorne Hotel Dubai, Al Jahrah Copthorne Hotel and Resort and Kingsgate Abu Dhabi Hotel - operating under management contracts.

The Group has also announced the signing of an additional eight management contracts, with seven in the United Arab Emirates and one in Kuwait. The properties are due to be completed between 2009 and 2011, accounting for almost 2,300 additional rooms.

M&C's listed subsidiaries are the Auckland-listed Millennium & Copthorne Hotels New Zealand Limited, CDL Investments New Zealand Limited and Philippines-listed Grand Plaza Hotel Corporation.

Visit http://www.millenniumhotels.com/ for worldwide rates and promotions.

*The 125 hotels comprise 103 hotels that are open and a further 22 that are in the pipeline.