The Business Times
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Singapore chemical logistics growth still promising despite Middle East war: Katoen Natie execs

Specialty chemical producers are scaling up their plants on Jurong Island, driving demand for warehouse storage

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Sharanya Pillai

Sharanya Pillai

Published Wed, Apr 1, 2026 · 07:00 AM
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    • Past crises were "an opportunity for us to grow and reinvent ourselves", said Katoen Natie's outgoing Singapore chief executive, Koen Cardon.
    • Past crises were "an opportunity for us to grow and reinvent ourselves", said Katoen Natie's outgoing Singapore chief executive, Koen Cardon. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

    [SINGAPORE] Demand for chemical logistics out of Singapore’s Jurong Island remains promising despite the volatility triggered by the Middle East war, top executives of Belgium’s Katoen Natie told The Business Times.

    The 172-year-old company is bullish on the Asian market, with Singapore as the “perfect hub” to link South-east Asia, India and China, said Koen Cardon, its outgoing chief executive for the city-state.

    He was speaking at the company’s Jurong Island premises on Tuesday (Mar 31), on the sidelines of unveiling a S$60 million investment to develop a 37,000 square metre warehouse.

    Jurong IslandChemical IndustriesplasticsLogistics

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