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Singamas profit dives 43pc on drop in demand

Container box maker expects improved business this year after drop in global supplies

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The selling prices of containers have increased this year.

Singamas Container, the world's second-largest container box manufacturer, saw its earnings sink 43 per cent to US$34.3 million last year after demand for containers plunged, although the company said a reduction in global container inventories should boost its business this year.

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The firm will also benefit from the closure of its factories and that of its bigger competitor, China International Marine Containers, for two months during the Lunar New Year.

The market was plagued by overly optimistic estimates on trade growth, said Teo Siong Seng, the chairman of Singamas.

Overcapacity from 2012 saw the inventory of containers hit 1 million teu in the second quarter of last year.

"We are more optimistic about the market this year as new orders have pushed up the container [average selling] price to US$2,300 from below US$2,000 last year," Teo said.

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The company's utilisation rate of its dry container factories has improved to 80 per cent from 55 per cent last year.

"The demand on containers would increase as exports from China is set to rise this year," said Eric Chan Tak-lok, an executive deputy general manager of corporate banking at China Citic Bank International.

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