CONSTRUCTION

Mint homes in India

Mint Homes, the US-based real estate development and construction group, is investing in high-class housing, resorts, eco-tourism and integrated organic farms in Coimbatore, India. The company has started construction on 2.7 acres in Sowripalayam. Mint Homes will manage the complex for 10 years and then hand over management to the residents.

EXTRACTION

Citic pacific $4.57BN PROJECT

Citic Pacific plans a $4.57bn iron ore mining project in Australia to tap into rising demand for the raw material from steel mills in China. The project, at Cape Preston, 100 kilometres south-west of Karratha in western Australia’s Pilbara region, is expected to export 27.6 million tonnes of iron pellets and concentrates annually for at least 25 years. First production is expected in 2009.

MANUFACTURING

Nokia production in India

Finnish telecoms solutions provider Nokia has announced plans to spend $75m in 2008 on its industrial site in Sriperumbudur, India. Half of the site’s production is exported to the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Africa and Oceania.

Coal mining in bowen basin

Rio Tinto has announced a significant new investment in its coal production capacity in the Bowen Basin region of Queensland, Australia. The $991m investment in the extension of the Kestrel Mine will allow Rio Tinto to capture more of the growing demand for export coal. The extension, which is subject to government approvals, will extend the life of the mine and increase production to an average of 5.7 million tonnes of coal a year until 2031.

$2bn nikel laterite project

BHP Billiton has quietly advanced plans to start building a $2bn-plus nickel laterite project in Indonesia within three years. The Pearl project will be located in an unspecified part of eastern Indonesia. The company said the world-class development would comprise mines, a large processing plant and associated infrastructure. Given that laterite projects take three to four years to build, BHP is planning to start production in 2014 or 2015.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT CENTRE

UST global expands in Kerala

UST Global (formerly US Technology), a provider of IT services and business process outsourcing solutions, expanded its operations in Kerala by opening two campuses . One of the centres is situated in Bhavani Technopark, Trivandrum. Spread over an area of 36 acres, the Trivandrum campus represents one of the most ambitious information technology projects in Kerala state, with Phase 1 to create 5000 jobs by early 2009.

_{This investment news and data has been provided by OCO Global, a provider of strategic consulting services for economic development organisations in the area of FDI. Key services include management consultancy, investor targeting services, training and mentoring, and software development.}

_{www.ococonsulting.com}

STATS:

ASIA FDI (NUMBER OF PROJECTS):

_{Source: OCO Global}

ASIA FDI (CAPITAL INVESTMENT):

Source: OCO Global