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Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Secures Co-Control in Asia-Pacific Pallet Leader

Abu Dhabi-based sovereign investor Mubadala Investment Company has completed its acquisition of a significant stake in Hong Kong-headquartered pallet-pooling specialist Loscam International, marking a notable shift in ownership and signalling confidence in Asia’s logistics infrastructure market. The deal gives Mubadala a 30 per cent shareholding, placing it alongside long-standing partner Trustar Capital, while FountainVest Partners and Sinotrans Limited each retain 20 per cent.

The transaction, originally announced on 26 June 2025 and formally closed on 22 October, involved the sale of a 25 per cent stake previously held via Sinotrans’s subsidiary. This divestment reduced Sinotrans’s economic interest in Loscam from 45 per cent to 20 per cent. Mubadala did not officially disclose the financial terms, though industry reporting estimates the transaction value at around US$567 million.

Loscam, founded in 1942, operates across 12-13 markets in the Asia-Pacific region including Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and Greater China. It offers pooling and returnable packaging solutions to major fast-moving consumer goods, retail and manufacturing clients.

In a statement, Mubadala’s Head of Asia, Mohamed Albadr, said the firm "is pleased to partner with Trustar Capital, FountainVest and Sinotrans to support Loscam’s next phase of growth. We see strong potential in Greater China and Southeast Asia, where pallet pooling remains under-penetrated." According to Sinotrans Vice President, Board Secretary and General Counsel Li Shichu, the transaction marks "a new stage in the development of Loscam. The internationalisation and diversification at shareholder level will entitle the company with a broader global perspective, advanced capital connections and enhanced innovative momentum.”

The deal represents Mubadala’s first co-control investment in the Asian industrial sector and reflects its strategic push into the logistics and supply-chain domain beyond its traditional energy and technology platforms. Analysts note that by partnering with an established platform such as Loscam, Mubadala gains exposure to the growing demand for circular logistics solutions in the region, driven by e-commerce growth, sustainability mandates and supply-chain optimisation.

Loscam’s business model—leasing wooden and plastic pallets, fresh-produce crates and other reusable transport packaging—addresses both cost and environmental pressures facing manufacturers and retailers. The global pallet market is estimated to have been worth approximately US$72 billion in 2024, with projections to reach over US$100 billion by the early 2030s.

Existing shareholders Trustar Capital and FountainVest bring significant regional experience. Trustar has been positioning Loscam for expansion across Asia-Pacific, while FountainVest, a Hong Kong-based private equity firm, has supported the company’s R&D and international growth efforts.

The ownership reshuffle at Loscam follows earlier strategic moves: in 2018 CITIC Capital and FountainVest bought a combined 55 per cent stake from China Merchants, representing a broader trend of private-equity backed consolidation in the pallet and logistics-pooling sector.

For Mubadala, the move underscores an alignment with its broader objective of diversifying its asset-base away from hydrocarbons. The firm’s portfolio now spans aerospace, semiconductors, renewables and logistics. By stepping into North Asia’s industrial logistics space, Mubadala is signalling interest in durable, infrastructure-adjacent investments with resilient demand drivers.

From Loscam’s perspective, the new shareholder configuration provides an opportunity for deeper capital, global networks and access to expanded technology platforms. With partner-investors aligned on international growth, the company may accelerate footprint expansion in under-penetrated markets, strengthen automation and data-analytics capabilities and enhance sustainable packaging innovation.

However, observers caution that growth in pallet pooling is contingent on regional manufacturing and logistics rollout, regulatory approval, and competition from global players with large networks. Loscam will need to maintain service-quality, manage asset-utilisation and deliver on sustainability metrics if it is to meet investor expectations in this evolving sector.
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