Company History

Swire Pacific Ltd., a company listed in Hong Kong, is part of the Swire Group which has its beginnings in a modest Liverpool import-export company started in the early years of the 19th century. The following milestone years chart the significant developments which form the Swire Pacific group of today.

2000 - Present

2009

• Cathay Pacific Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cathay Pacific, signs a supplementary agreement with Airport Authority Hong Kong to defer completion of its new air cargo terminal to mid-2013.
• Swire Properties signs an agreement with Bank of China for a RMB 2 billion five-year term loan facility to finance construction of TaiKoo Hui in Guangzhou.
• Swire Pacific, Air China and CITIC Pacific re-align their shareholdings in Cathay Pacific, bringing Air China's shareholding in the airline to 29.99% and Swire Pacific's to 41.97%.
• Cathay Pacific Airways sells 20,700,958 shares, representing 12.45% of its shareholding, in Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Limited at HK$91.83 per share to Swire Pacific Limited.
• HAECO opens third hangar at Hong Kong International Airport.
• Swire Hotels opens The Upper House at Pacific Place, its first luxury hotel in Hong Kong.
• Swire Pacific is considering the possibility of a separate listing on the main board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong of the shares in Swire Properties. No application for such listing has been made and no formal proposal has been put to the Stock Exchange.
• HAECO opens a new composite repair facility and a tyre retreading facility at Jinjiang, Fujian Province.

2008

• Cathay Pacific's wholly owned subsidiary, Cathay Pacific Services Limited (CPSL), is awarded a 20-year franchise by the Airport Authority of Hong Kong to construct and operate a new air cargo terminal at Hong Kong International Airport.
• HAECO and TAECO sign an agreement with GE Pacific Private Limited and General Electric Company to purchase a majority shareholding in GE Engine Services (Xiamen) Company Limited (GEEX), owner of an engine overhaul facility in Xiamen. The HAECO shareholding will be 75.01% and the TAECO shareholding will be 10%. In addition, Cathay Pacific Airways Limited will take a 9.9% shareholding. The GEEX facility will be renamed Taikoo Engine Services (Xiamen) Limited (TEXL). Concurrently, TEXL and GE enter into a GE branded service arrangement for a period of 22 years under which TEXL will become the GE authorised and supported GE90 engine shop in Asia. The total transaction value including the facility cost and the branded service arrangement amounts to US$107.8m.
• TAECO signs an agreement with Airbus to develop the expertise required for the creation of a cabin completion centre in Mainland China for Airbus corporate and business jets.
• Far Eastern Landfill Technologies, a subsidiary of Swire SITA, launches its new Landfill Gas (LFG) treatment system that treats LFG at its North East New Territories Landfill and transmits the compressed gas via a 19-kilometre pipeline to the Towngas plant in Tai Po.
• Swire Properties forms a 50:50 joint venture Sino-Ocean Land Holdings Limited to develop a retail-led mixed-use project in the Chaoyang District of Beijing. Located near Jiang Tai, the project will have a gross floor area of over 1,890,000 square feet on a site of approximately 630,000 square feet. Swire Properties' total investment in the development is estimated to be approximately RMB2 billion.
• Swire Properties forms Swire Hotels, a new company that aims to create and manage small luxury hotels in Hong Kong, Mainland China and the United Kingdom.
• Swire Pacific Offshore forms a 50:50 joint venture with Athens-based Five Oceans Salvage Consultants Limited. The new company, Swire Ocean Salvage (Pte.) Limited, will provide salvage, wreck removal and emergency towage services to ship owning and insurance interests across the world.
• HAECO and TAECO form a joint venture partnership with UK-based aircraft tyre manufacturer Dunlop Aircraft Tyres. The new company, Dunlop Taikoo (Jinjiang) Aircraft Tyres Limited, will operate a new aircraft tyre re-treading facility to be operational in early 2009.

2007

• Swire Properties acquires Tai Sang Commercial Building in Wanchai for HK$1,360 million.
• Cathay Pacific takes delivery of the first of 23 new Boeing 777-300ER "Extended Range" aircraft. The new aircraft is fitted with Cathay Pacific's new three-class products and a brand new inflight entertainment system offering audio and video on demand in all three classes.
• HAECO breaks ground for the construction of its third aircraft maintenance hangar at Hong Kong International Airport.
• Swire Pacific Offshore acquires all the assets and business interests of the Salvin Far East group of companies, providing a platform for SPO to service the survey segment of the offshore oil and gas industry.
• Swire Pacific forms a joint venture with SkyWorks Capital LLC and Air China Development Corporation (Hong Kong) Limited, with each partner assuming one-third ownership. The new company, SkyWorks Capital Asia Limited, provides a range of financial advisory services to aviation industry participants throughout the Asia Pacific region.
• HAECO signs joint venture agreement with Air Arabia to set up HAECO Sharjah Aircraft Maintenance Company Limited in Sharjah. HAECO will look after all the maintenance requirements of the airline.
• Swire Properties partners with Gateway Capital to develop a 54,000 square metre site in Beijing's Sanlitun district into a low rise mixed commercial complex. Swire Properties holds 80% interest in the project's two retail portions and 100% stake in a boutique hotel.
• HAECO sets up a wholly-owned subsidiary, Singapore HAECO Pte Ltd. (SHAECO), to provide line maintenance services at Singapore Changi International Airport.

2006

• Swire Beverages acquires Xiamen Luquan Industries Group which was a partner in its Xiamen bottling facility.
• HAECO opens its second hangar at Hong Kong International Airport.
• Swire Properties signs conditional agreement with HKR International to purchase a 50% interest in the latter's Dazhongli Project in the Jin-an District of Shanghai.
• Swire Properties acquires Alias Hotels PLC in the U.K.
• HAECO and TAECO enter into a joint venture contract with Cathay Pacific Airways, Japan Airlines, Shaanxi Liaoyuan Hydraulic System Co., Xiamen Aviation Industries Co. and Xian Aircraft International Co. to establish a landing gear servicing facility at Xiamen Airport.
• Cathay Pacific acquires Dragonair as its wholly-owned subsidiary and establishes cross shareholding with Air China.
• Cathay Pacific takes delivery of its 100th aircraft.
• HAECO announces plans for a third hangar in Hong Kong. Its master franchise for line and base maintenance has been extended to 2036.
• Swire Beverages opens its plant in Huizhou, its largest on the Mainland.
• TAECO announces plans for its sixth hangar.
• Festival Walk becomes a wholly-owned development after Swire Properties acquires the CITIC Group's entire 50% interest in the project.

2005

• Swire Coca-Cola Hong Kong acquires Healthworks ready-to-drink beverage business in Hong Kong.
• Taikoo Motors Taiwan is appointed sole importer of Volkswagen's Commercial Vehicles in Taiwan.
• HAECO signs an agreement with the Airport Authority to build a second hangar at Hong Kong International Airport.
• Cathay Pacific launches daily freighter services to Shanghai.

2004

• Cathay Pacific acquires a 10% shareholding in Air China.
• AHK Air Hong Kong confirms options to buy two more Airbus 300-600 General Freighter aircraft for delivery in May and June 2006.
• Swire Properties acquires a 20% shareholding in Richly Leader Limited, following the latter's provisional agreement to purchase PCCW Tower in TaiKoo Place.
• Swire Guangdong Coca-Cola (Huizhou) Limited starts construction of a new bottling plant in the Huizhou Zhongkai Hi-tech Development Zone.
• Swire Properties completes construction of Three Pacific Place.
• HAECO increases its stake in TAECO to 54.55% by buying the remaining 5% stake held by SIA Engineering Company.
• Cathay Pacific launches a pioneering new non-stop service between Hong Kong and New York City.
• TAECO participates in the Boeing 747-400 Special Freighter conversion programme.
• Cathay Pacific orders eight regional aircraft, to be delivered between 2005 to 2007.
• TAECO starts work on fourth hangar.
• Swire Properties increases its stake in Taikoo Hui Guangzhou Cultural Plaza from 55% to 97%.
• Cathay Pacific will be launch customer for Boeing's new converted B747-400 Special Freighter from passenger aircraft.

2003

• TAECO's third hangar goes into operation.
• Hacis and the Airport Authority have formed a joint venture to operate the Air Cargo Consolidation Centre in the Futian Free Trade Zone in Shenzhen on the Mainland.
• Cathay Pacific operates its first flight to Beijing in 13 years.
• Taikoo Motors withdraws from the motors business in Hong Kong.
• Swire Pacific forms a 50/50 joint venture with China Eastern Airlines Co. Ltd. The new company, Shanghai Eastern Airlines Swire Investment Co., will focus on investment opportunities in airport management and related services in Mainland China.
• Air Hong Kong signs purchase agreement for six new Airbus Industrie A300-600F "General Freighter" aircraft to be delivered between the second half of 2004 and first quarter of 2005.
• Cathay Pacific sells an additional 10% of Air Hong Kong to DHL Worldwide Express. With this transaction, Air Hong Kong will be 60% owned by Cathay Pacific and 40% by DHL.

2002

• Cathay Pacific acquires the 25% interest held by Shun Tak Holdings in AHK Air Hong Kong for a cash consideration of HK$194 million, making the all cargo carrier a wholly-owned subsidiary of the airline.
• Swire Properties and Guangzhou Daily News have signed an agreement to develop Taikoo Hui Guangzhou Cultural Plaza, a mixed use complex, at an investment of RMB4 billion.
• Cathay Pacific announces the purchase of six aircraft to be delivered in 2003 and 2004.
• Swire Pacific sells its 49% interest in Schneider Swire Ltd.
• Cathay Pacific and DHL Worldwide Express (DHL) sign a joint venture agreement under which DHL acquires a 30% stake in Cathay Pacific's wholly-owned subsidiary, Air Hong Kong, an all cargo carrier. Relative to this agreement is the announcement that DHL will develop and operate the Express Cargo Terminal at Hong Kong International Airport.

2001

• Swire Properties (55%) signs a memorandum of understanding with Guangzhou Daily (45%) to develop a mixed-used complex in the Tianhe district of Guangzhou.
• Cathay Pacific announces orders for seven aircraft.
• Swire Pacific Offshore announces orders for six new offshore support vessels.
• Swire Pacific sells its entire interest in the Carlsberg Brewery joint venture.

2000

• Swire Pacific, through Swire Net Ventures, becomes one of the eight joint venture partners of Asia2B, a business-to-business e-commerce venture.
• Swire Properties acquires 981 King's Road, a site next to TaiKoo Place.
• Swire SITA Waste Services Ltd acquires a 15-year contract to develop and operate the Northwest New Territories Transfer Station at Yuen Long, and a 20-year contract to operate and mainten a new waste-to- energy incineration plant in Taiwan.
• Swire Properties receives government approval to build Hong Kong's first privately initiated elderly housing project.
• Hactl launches Superlink China Direct, a high speed trucking service to transfer air cargo between Hong Kong International Airport and Guangzhou's Baiyuan Airport.
• Hacis acquires 49% in Chu Kong Air-Sea Union Transportation Co. which will develop a marine cargo terminal and facilitate intermodal transport in the Pearl delta area.
• Nanjing BC Foods Co. Ltd. adds a new extension to its Coca-Cola bottling operation.

1990 - 1999

1999

• TAECO opens a second two-bay hangar in Xiamen.
• Shandong TAECO Aircraft Engineering opens its maintenance facilities.
• Beldare Limited acquires Volkswagen dealership in Taiwan.
• Taikoo Motors Offshore acquires the Kia dealership in Taiwan.
• Cathay Pacific acquires remaining 35% shareholding in Vogue from Furama Hotel Enterprises Ltd, making Vogue a 100% subsidiary of Cathay Pacific.

1998

• Taikoo Enterprises acquires Samsung Motors' distributorship in Mainland China.
• Cathay Pacific takes delivery of its first B777-300.
• Formation of Swire Pacific Cold Storage, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Swire Pacific, in Vietnam.
• Swire Resources secures the distributorship for Rockport shoes and apparel in China for another ten years, and acquires the exclusive distributorship for Nautica footwear and Nautica competition footwear for Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China.
• Taikoo Asian Motors acquires Hyundai motors distributorship in Hong Kong.
• ICI Swire Paints (Shanghai) opens its plant in Pudong, Shanghai.
• Swire Coca-Cola Beverages Hefei Ltd. , Swire Coca-Cola Beverages Xiamen Ltd. and Swire Guangdong Coca-Cola Ltd. open their plants, while Swire Coca-Cola Taiwan adds a second plant to its facility.
• Swire Properties buys at Aldrich Bay as a joint venture with Sun Hung Kai Properties (30%) and Island Communication Enterprises (20%).

1997

• Taikoo Motors Ltd acquires the distributorship of Volvo automobiles in Hong Kong and Mainland China except for West China.
• Swire BFI Waste Services Limited acquires a 30-year contract with the Hong Kong Government Environmental Protection Department to restore two landfill sites in Tseung Kwan O. Swire BFI also opens the Island West Transfer Station.
• Swire Beverages (Dongguan) Ltd., China's largest non-carbonated beverage plant, opens.
• Festival Walk opens for business. Swire Properties also teams up with Sun Hung Kai Properties to develop a steel mill site into an estate consisting of over 5,000 residential units. A 5.2 hectare plot is also acquired on Brickell Key in downtown Miami, to build an office and residential development.

1996

• Taikoo (Xiamen) Aero Engineering Company (TAECO) opens at Xiamen.
• HAECO is awarded a 20 year franchise to operate at Hong Kong International Airport.
• A Cathay Pacific new share placement increases CITIC Pacific's shareholding to 25% while Swire Pacific retains 43.9% as a core shareholding.
• Cathay Pacific takes delivery of its first A340s and B777s.
• Reebok Hong Kong Ltd gains distribution rights for the whole of China and Intermarket Agencies (Far East) Ltd. is appointed by Pentland as the exclusive distributor for Ellesse footwear and apparel, Speedo swimwear and Lacoste footwear for the China market.
• Formation from HATS of Hong Kong Airport Services (HAS), a 70:30 CPA/Dragonair joint venture to operate a ground-handling franchise at Hong Kong International Airport.
• Cathay Pacific buys the remaining 25% shareholding in CPCS from HK & Shanghai Hotels.
• Swire Properties Inc. (75%) forms a joint venture with Mandarin Oriental to develop a hotel in Miami.
• Hangzhou BC Foods and Swire Coca-Cola Beverages Zhengzhou opens their new Coca-Cola bottling facilities.

1995

• HAECO forms Hong Kong Aero Engine Services (HAESL) with Rolls-Royce.
• Hactl is awarded a franchise to operate the world's biggest cargo terminal with an annual capacity of 2.6 million tones.
• Cathay Pacific announces plans for a HK$3.5 billion headquarters at Hong Kong International Airport.
• Cathay Pacific and Dragonair take delivery of their first A330s.
• CPCS is awarded a 15 year contract to operate at Hong Kong International Airport.
• Carlsberg Hong Kong acquires 99% of Huizhou Brewing Co. Ltd.
• Xi'an BC Hans Foods Co. Ltd. opens its Coca-Cola plant.
• Hongkong United Dockyards' new US$40 million floating dock arrives in Hong Kong.
• Swire Production Testers (Pte), a joint venture between Swire Pacific Offshore and Production Testers International, is formed to provide innovative solutions for the development of marginal offshore oilfields.
• Swire Properties is an equal partner in a consortium of five major developers awarded the contract to develop phase 1 of the MTR site at Tung Chung, comprising over 3,700 apartments, a hotel, retail and office space.

1994

• Swire Pacific acquires the Taiwan Coca-Cola Bottling Company, and teams up with China Airlines to form China Pacific Catering Services.
• Crown Can forms can manufacturing joint ventures in China and Vietnam.
• Swire Bottlers and The Coca-Cola Company form Swire Beverages.
• Swire Pacific acquires 39.2% of Carlsberg Brewery (HK) Limited.
• ICI Swire Paints (China) Ltd's first plant comes into operation in Guangzhou.
• Cathay Pacific acquires a 75% stake in the all-freight airline, AHK Air Hong Kong.
• Swire Pacific acquires 25% of Shekou Containers Terminals.

1993

• Formation of Cathay Pacific Catering Services (CPCS), to include Swire Air Caterers Ltd. and Cathay Pacific's other flight kitchens.
• Swire Properties and CITIC Pacific form a 50/50 joint venture to develop Festival Walk.
• Swire BFI wins a 50-year landfill management contract in Hong Kong.

1992

• Swire Bottlers takes over production of Schweppes in Hong Kong.

1991

• Development of TaiKoo Place begins in Quarry Bay.

1990

• Cathay Pacific acquires 30% and Swire Pacific 13% of Dragonair.

1946 - 1989

1989

• ICI Swire Paints Ltd is formed in Hong Kong.

1987

• CITIC acquires a 12.5% shareholding in Cathay Pacific Airways.
• Swire BFI is formed as a 50:50 joint venture with Browning Ferris Industries.
• Reebok Hong Kong Limited is formed as a joint venture with Reebok International, to retail sports apparel and footwear.

1986

• Cathay Pacific is floated on the Hong Kong stock market.
• Swire Properties commences development of Pacific Place in Hong Kong.
• Cityplaza shopping centre is completed.

1984

• Formation of Hong Kong Air Cargo Industry Services (HACIS) by Hactl to provide complementary services to the air cargo industry.

1983

• Trading Division obtains the agency for Volvo in Taiwan and acquires the Marathon sportswear chain in Hong Kong.

1982

• Opening of Cityplaza 1.

1980

• Cathay Pacific flies to London.

1979

• Cathay Pacific acquires its first B747-200.

1978

• Swire Bottlers obtains the first of ten Coca-Cola franchises in the U.S.A.
• Swire Northern Offshore is renamed Swire Pacific Offshore (SPO).
• Taikoo Dockyard closes.

1977

• Continental Can Ltd (later Crown Can) is formed with the Continental Group.

1976

• Swire Properties acquires U.S.A. interests.
• Formation of Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl), in which Swire Pacific and Cathay Pacific jointly hold 30%.

1975

• Swire Pacific enters the offshore oil support industry with the joint venture company Swire Northern Offshore.
• Cathay Pacific introduces the Lockheed L1011 TriStar to its fleet.
• HAECO becomes a 51%-held Swire Group subsidiary.
• Development commences at Taikoo Shing.
• Cathay Pacific acquires a stake in Vogue Laundry.

1974

• Butterfield & Swire in Hong Kong is renamed John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Ltd.
• Taikoo Dockyard & Engineering Co. is renamed Swire Pacific Ltd.
• Cathay Pacific forms Securair with Hong Kong Security.

1973

• Cathay Pacific Airways introduces the Boeing 707 to the fleet.
• Taikoo Sugar Refinery closes.

1972

• Formation of Swire Properties Limited.
• Taikoo Dockyard amalgamates with the Hongkong & Whampoa Dock Co. to form Hongkong United Dockyards (HUD). Their tug fleets are combined as Hongkong Salvage & Towage.
• B&S acquires a shareholding in Modern Terminals Limited (MTL).

1967

• Cathay Pacific forms Air Caterers Ltd. With Hong Kong & Shanghai Hotels Ltd.

1965

• B&S acquires Hongkong Bottlers Federal, Coca-Cola's HK franchisee.
• HAECO is floated on the Hong Kong stock market.

1961

• Formation of Hongkong Air Terminal Services Ltd (HATS), a joint venture between B&S and Jardines.
• Cathay Pacific enters the jet age by adding the Convair 880M to its fleet.

1959

• Taikoo Dockyard & Engineering Co. is floated on the Hong Kong stock market.
• Cathay Pacific absorbs rival Hong Kong Airways, gaining northbound traffic rights to Japan and acquires its first turboprop aircraft, the Lockheed L188 Electra, and a new livery for its planes.

1953

• Closure of B&S China offices.

1950

• Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co. (HAECO) is formed as a joint venture between PAMAS and Jardine Air Maintenance.
• Taikoo Sugar Refinery reopens after post-war rebuilding.

1948

• B&S acquires a 45% shareholding in Cathay Pacific Airways.
• Orient Paint merges with the Duro Paint Manufacturing Co. in Hong Kong.

1947

• B&S establishes Pacific Air Maintenance Services in Hong Kong (PAMAS).

1946

• Cathay Pacific Airways is registered in Hong Kong by Roy Farrell and Sydney de Kantzow.

1816 - 1934

1934

• B&S establishes Orient Paint, Colour & Varnish Co. in Shanghai as a joint venture with Pinchin & Johnson.

1907

• Taikoo Dockyard opens.

1900

• Building of Taikoo Dockyard commences.

1883

• Taikoo Sugar Refinery goes into production.

1881

• Incorporation of Tai-koo Sugar Ltd.

1870

• B&S opens in Hong Kong.

1868

• JS&S Head Office transfers to London.

1867

• Shanghai office commences trading.
• B&S opens in Yokohama.

1866

• Butterfield & Swire (B&S) is established in Shanghai, in partnership with R.S. Butterfield.

1864

• JS&S opens a branch office in London.

1861

• JS&S begins to trade with China through agents Augustine Heard & Co.

1816

• John Swire (1793-1847) opens a trading house in Liverpool. UK.