Continental Holdings Corp (CHC, 欣陸投控) yesterday said it expects stable growth in the coming years, supported by a strong project backlog across its construction, property development and environmental engineering businesses.
The Taipei-based conglomerate said combined backlog across its three main segments reached NT$227.9 billion (US$7.16 billion) as of the end of last year, providing solid revenue visibility.
The company’s consolidated revenue rose 12 percent to NT$34.38 billion last year, while net profit increased 26.1 percent to NT$1.48 billion. Earnings per share reached NT$1.8, compared with NT$1.43 a year earlier. The board also approved a cash dividend of NT$1.05 per share.
Photo: Chen Yung-chi, Taipei Times
The construction arm, Continental Engineering Corp (大陸工程), delivered stable performance last year, while the group’s other two major subsidiaries — Continental Development Corp (大陸建設) and HDEC Corp (欣達環工) — continued to post solid growth, CHC chief executive officer Cindy Chang (張方欣) said at a briefing in Taipei.
The construction unit, which marked its 80th anniversary last year, secured additional contracts, bringing its backlog to NT$114.7 billion — about 4.9 times its annual revenue.
To improve efficiency and reduce reliance on labor, the firm has been advancing digital transformation by adopting design-for-manufacture-and-assembly methods and expanding off-site prefabrication.
The company has also strengthened the use of building information modeling tools for construction simulation, clash detection and carbon reduction, improving coordination among construction teams, designers and project owners, Chang said.
The group’s property development arm recorded a notable increase in revenue after completing two residential projects. Its backlog stood at NT$25.8 billion, equivalent to about 3.6 times annual revenue, she said.
The company plans to launch four residential projects this year in Taipei, Hsinchu and Taichung, with a combined sales value of NT$28.94 billion.
Units smaller than 50 ping (165m2) would account for about 83 percent of the offerings, reflecting prevailing housing demand for small apartments, the company said.
Urban renewal and redevelopment of unsafe and old buildings would remain its main land development strategy.
In addition to its existing presence in Taipei, New Taipei City, Taichung and Kaohsiung, the company is also closely monitoring areas around high-speed rail and metro stations in Hsinchu and Taoyuan for potential opportunities, Chang said.
The environmental engineering business reported a record backlog of NT$87.4 billion, driven mainly by water treatment projects for private companies in the Hsinchu Science Park (新竹科學園區), she said.
Several projects — including a water reclamation plant in Kaohsiung and a waste-to-energy facility in Tainan — are scheduled to begin operations this year, with nine projects expected to generate stable revenue and profit through 2030, Chang said.
Long-term prospects for the group remain favorable, she said, supported by Taiwan’s expansion and upgrading of rail infrastructure, rising demand for urban renewal driven by aging housing stock, and the growing trend toward a circular economy.
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