Asciano Group

From IntFX

See also: AIO for realtime information.

Asciano is an infrastructure owners, focusing primarily on transport infrastructure, including ports and rail assets, and associated operations and services. The Company’s business portfolios include the Pacific National and Patrick businesses. These segments own and operate four container terminals, bulk export facilities, rail operations, broad range of stevedoring equipment and associated services, and a number of strategic joint venture investments.

Patrick, through is ports, is engaged in provision of services to importers, exporters, and shipping lines involved in maritime trade. Patrick focuses on containerized, bulk and break-bulk trade and port facilities management within Australia, and stevedoring operations in New Zealand.

Pacific National operates freight rail and offers bulk haulage and inter-modal container services. It carries coal, grain and bulk industrial materials. It also provides express freight forwarding and the haulage of long distance prestige passenger trains.

The Company also has some joint venture businesses:

• Patrick Autocare (80% owned by Asciano), offers a integrated supply chain service to the automotive vehicle industry including processing, storage and distribution of motor vehicles

• Car Compounds of Australia (50% owned by Asciano), provides storage services and processing facilities to Nissan and Renault

• Australian Amalgamated Terminals (50% owned by Asciano), develops and operates multi user port facilities including specialised cargo handling

• Queensland Bulk Handling (50% owned by Asciano), is a export coal terminal in Southern Queensland and is situated on Fisherman Islands at the Port of Brisbane

[edit] History

Asciano was formed after restructuring of the Toll Group into two separate ASX listed companies – Toll and Asciano. The objective if restructuring was to maximise shareholder value by focusing on the core businesses. As a result of the restructuring Asciano gained ownership of transport infrastructure portfolio, including 100% of Pacific National and the Patrick container ports, and port operations and stevedoring businesses of Toll and Patrick Corporation. Asciano Limited got on the Australian Stock Exchange on June 06, 2007.

[edit] Strategy

The Company is focusing on optimisation of existing port operations by rolling out automated port facilities at major container terminals, improving customer services through receipt and delivery, fast cargo turnaround and availability.

Asciano plans to pursue both organic and acquisition led growth opportunities:

[edit] Financial and operational performance

The Company has so far not reported any financials since incorporation. Management of Asciano forecast to generate revenues in excess of $2.5 billion for the pro forma year ending June 30, 2007 benefiting from expected strong growth in global trade.