QL Resources Bhd is setting aside up to RM600 million as capital expenditure (capex) over three years as it pursues organic expansion and positions itself for potential acquisition opportunities.

The marine products manufacturer, which also undertakes poultry farming and oil palm plantation operations, is expected to earmark some RM200 million in the current financial year (FY) ending March 2011.

FY2012 and FY2013 may each see allocations of between RM150 million and RM200 million.

For the next 10 years, it will continue to do the things it knows best, that is will continue to do fish, livestock and oil palm businesses.

Aside from Malaysia, it operates in Indonesia and Vietnam. The capex would ?balloon? should acquisition opportunities came along.

40% of the RM600 million would be used to expand the group?s plantation business which involves downstream projects including the commercialisation of palm biomass as a source of renewable energy.

QL?s marine products and poultry farming units each will be allocated 30% from the planned budget.
The capex would be from its own funds or bank loans while it also could raise money via private placement of new shares besides bond issues.

Its marine products division involves deep-sea fishing and production of surimi or fish paste. With factories in Perak, Johor and Sabah, besides Indonesia ? QL also makes surimi-based products such as fish balls, besides fish and poultry feed.

Its poultry farming, which includes broiler, breeder and layer operations, are located in Kedah, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Sabah and Sarawak. Broilers are bred for meat, breeders and layers for their eggs for hatching and consumption, respectively.

QL, which also has poultry farms in Indonesia and Vietnam, owns 1,200 hectares (ha) of oil palm plantation in Sabah, apart from 20,000ha in Kalimantan where it plans to buy more oil palm tracts.

In Indonesia, QL was expected to spend about US$10 million (RM32.5 million) to set up a marine products factory on a 5ha to 10ha site near its Surabaya plant.