THE fourth listed industrial real estate investment trust (Reit) - MacarthurCook Industrial Reit - is extending its investments into offices

THE fourth listed industrial real estate investment trust (Reit) - MacarthurCook Industrial Reit - is extending its investments into offices and technology parks.

MI-Reit yesterday announced that it has agreed to buy Plot 4A, International Business Park from Eurochem Corporation (a member of Tolaram Group), for $91 million.

This is a 13-storey office park building with a basement car park located in Jurong East’s International Business Park.

MI-Reit’s first investment in offices or technology parks brings it a 20 per cent exposure to the sector.

According to Jones Lang LaSalle Research’s Asia-Pacific Property Digest for Q2 2007, business park rents grew 30 per cent in the quarter while capital values grew 8 per cent.

‘The strongest rental growth of all industrial sub-sectors will be in this sub-category, principally as a result of the tight office supply situation causing a spillover effect as Central Business District tenants relocate to suburban office parks such as the International Business Park,’ said Chris Calvert, CEO of MacarthurCook Investment Managers (Asia), which manages the Reit.

Under this sale and leaseback arrangement, Eurochem - a Singapore- based company in the petrochemical sector - will sign a head lease over the entire facility for 10 years, with an option to extend for another five years.

This will start from the date of completion, scheduled for December 2009.

Mr Calvert added that the acquisition will increase the size of the portfolio from the initial value of $316.2 million at the time of listing in April, to $407.2 million upon completion of the acquisition.

MI-Reit said the purchase will extend its average weighted lease expiry duration from 6.3 years to seven.

To be funded wholly by debt, other alternative funding sources will also be considered, said the manager.

MI-Reit’s gearing level will increase from its current 8.6 per cent to 29.1 per cent, assuming 100 per cent debt financing and that there are no other acquisitions between now and settlement of the property.

MI-Reit’s initial portfolio comprised 12 industrial assets across Singapore, the largest of which is UE Technology Park, which was acquired for $115 million.

At the date of listing, the initial properties in MI-Reit had a combined value of $316.2 million.

The Reit invests primarily in industrial real estate assets in Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and China.

Last month, the Reit reported a distributable income of $3.9 million for its first quarter ended June 30 - 2.9 per cent higher than the forecast $3.8 million.

Distribution per unit (DPU) also beat expectations, coming to 1.52 cents, which was 3 per cent higher than the forecast DPU of 1.47 cents.