WHA plans entry in digital health

WHA plans entry in digital health

Firm continues core business in industrial estates

A truck passes WHA's Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate in Rayong.
A truck passes WHA's Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate in Rayong.

WHA Corporation Plc, Thailand's largest developer of built-to-suit logistics facilities, plans to catch the global trend in healthcare this year by diversifying into digital technology for health businesses, including telemedicine.

The company aims to develop healthcare infrastructure as well as startups in the health technology industry.

Jareeporn Jarukornsakul, WHA chairwoman and group chief executive, did not specify the exact date the new business would be established, saying only its emergence would take place "as soon as possible". This would represent the fifth core business of WHA.

"This new business unit is a global trend. We're confident it will grow in the future," Ms Jareeporn told the Bangkok Post.

WHA operates four businesses, covering logistics, industrial estate development, utility and power businesses, as well as a digital platform business.

The company has an improved investment outlook for 2021 and plans to boost its logistics business with five new warehouse projects occupying 400,000 square metres.

WHA set a revenue growth target of 30% this year, up from the 9.4 billion baht recorded in 2020 when it encountered a range of challenges from delayed land transfers due to travel restrictions during the pandemic to a depreciation of utility assets and a profit decline for its Checo-One power plant.

WHA recorded a net profit of 2.52 billion baht in 2020.

It has businesses in Thailand and overseas.

In Thailand, WHA continues to develop new industrial estates. These include WHA Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate 4, WHA Industrial Estate Rayong and WHA Saraburi Industrial Land 2, all of which are in the expansion phase.

Its 11th domestic industrial estate, the 1,280-rai WHA Rayong 36 located in the Eastern Economic Corridor, is now ready for sales.

In Vietnam, the company plans to accelerate development of two new industrial estates covering an area of 7,500 rai.

WHA recently signed a collaboration agreement with the local government of Thanh Hoa province in Vietnam to develop two industrial zones. They are the WHA Smart Technology Industrial Zone and the WHA Northern Industrial Zone in Thanh Hoa.

The firm also aims to expand its renewable energy portfolio, especially solar energy, with a target power generation capacity of 300 megawatts within three years, said Ms Jareeporn.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT