Our History | SD Guthrie

1800s 1900s 2000s

1821

Alexander Guthrie, the youngest son of a Scottish farmer, arrived in Singapore to establish one of the first British trading houses on the island. Despite facing several challenges, including the major redevelopment of Singapore in the 1820s, he persevered and laid the foundations for what would later become a leading agency house, and eventually one of the pioneers in the plantation industry.

1824

In mid-February 1824, the new business of Messrs Guthrie & Clark was established in Singapore.

1833

James Guthrie, the nephew of Alexander Guthrie, who was brought to Singapore, renamed the business to Guthrie & Company following the resignation of his former partner, James Scott Clark.

1844

Daniel & Smith Harrison, together with Joseph Crosfield, formed a tea and coffee trading partnership in Liverpool, England, called Harrisons and Crosfield PLC. The group of companies under Harrisons & Crosfield would become part of Golden Hope Plantations in the 1990s.

1860

Harrisons & Crosfield became the third-largest tea trader in the world with annual sales of up to 2.75 million pounds (1.25 million kg).

1864

As sea travel shifted towards steam-powered vessels, Guthrie & Company’s leaders stepped in, spearheading the formation of the Tanjong Pagar Dock Company, that has over time evolved into today’s Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. The dock quickly rose to prominence as the greatest port in the Eastern Hemisphere.

1895

Harrisons & Crosfield established its first eastern branch, Lampard, Crosfield & Co, in Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), marking their entry into the plantation ownership business.

1896

Guthrie & Company helped put Malaya on the map as a major rubber producer, and within 30 years, they had also introduced oil palm to the region.

From Rubber to Residences: One Tree Hill’s Roots!

One Tree Hill was a vast rubber plantation owned by Guthrie & Company in the 1890s in Singapore. Now a residential area, it was home to a single towering jungle tree standing among the rubber trees.

The tall tree was one of the last remnants of Singapore’s original landscape. This lone survivor gave the area its name, One Tree Hill. The house in the picture was Alexander Guthrie's home in Singapore.

1903

Guthrie & Co. partnered with Scott & Co. to form Guthrie and Company Ltd., capitalised at RM1 million. Harrisons & Crosfield invested in rubber in Malaya by acquiring Pataling Company, which owns an estate in Selangor.

1905

Golden Hope Rubber Estate Ltd. successfully acquired Golden Hope Estate, located by the Langat River in Klang, Selangor, which consists of 900 acres of rubber, coffee, and coconuts.

1907

Harrisons & Crosfield PLC opened its first office in Kuala Lumpur under the name Crosfield, Lampard and Co. The company went on to acquire estates in Melaka, Selangor, and Perak, covering a total of 6,673 acres, and later expanded into Sumatra by acquiring the Begerpang Estate.

1909

Guthrie incorporated United Sua Betong Rubber Estates Limited that stretched across 13,000 acres. The trees planted were still three years from tapping, but Guthrie pushed forward and later expanded into Malacca, Ampar Tenang, and Tanah Merah, lifting Sua Betong's holdings to 33,650 acres.

1910

William Middleton Sime and Henry d’Esterre Darby established Sime, Darby & Co. in Melaka. They were joined by Malayan partners, most notably Tun Tan Cheng Lok and Lee Chim Tuan, to develop 200 acres of rubber estates in the region. Tun Tan Cheng Lok was a prominent local leader who later became one of the founders of the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA) and played a significant role in Malaysia’s journey towards independence.

1912

Guthrie & Company became a key agent for rubber estates across Malaya, Borneo, and Sumatra. By 1916, Sime, Darby & Co. had also become agents and secretaries for five plantations while also expanding into the timber and insurance industries.

The Mystery of Kellie’s Castle

Built in 1915 in Batu Gajah, Perak, Kellie’s Castle represents a love story brought to life by Scottish plantation owner William Kellie-Smith. It was a grand gesture symbolising his undying love and devotion to his wife. After his sudden death in 1926, construction halted, and his family returned to the United Kingdom, leaving the mansion unfinished. The estate was later sold to Harrisons & Crosfield, who chose not to complete the mansion. Today, it remains a distinctive and mysterious landmark, that still belongs to SD Guthrie. It has been leased to the Perak state government as a heritage site.

From Seed To Success

Malaysia’s palm oil journey began over a century ago. In 1917, a Frenchman named Henri Fauconnier brought oil palm seeds from his visits to Sumatra and planted them at the Tennamaram Estate in Batang Berjuntai, Selangor. Today, this estate is part of SD Guthrie. This first commercial oil palm planting laid the foundations for Malaysia’s rise as a global leader in the palm oil industry.

1920

Carey Island, acquired by Edward Valentine Carey in the early 1900s, was first developed for rubber, covering over 10,500 acres. Rubber planting later declined due to falling prices and the Stevenson Plan. As the business diversified, Harrisons & Crosfield expanded into timber in Borneo, while Guthrie & Co. pioneered oil palm planting and processing in Johor.

1924

Guthrie & Company purchased a small property in Kluang and named it 'Elaeis', after the Elaeis Guineensis they planted there. Yes, you guessed it, Elaeis Guineensis is the fancy name for the oil palm.

A Blast from the Past?

In 1941, the first bomb to drop on Singapore fell on the roof of Six Battery Road. This building was most unfortunately home to Messrs Guthrie & Company. Today, the site houses a 42-storey skyscraper called Six Battery Road. Battery Road lies in the heart of Singapore’s Central Business District, within the Raffles Place and Singapore River precinct, and is now home to major office towers where colonial-era buildings once stood.

1929

Guthrie & Company recognised the importance of research and continuous improvement even in the roaring 20s. Thus, the first research facility, Chemara Research Station was established in Johor, which was also one of the first R&D facilities in Malaysia’s agriculture sector, marking the beginning of a long and remarkable journey that continues today.

1930

Formation of Oil Palms of Malaya Limited. Sime Darby & Co. opened its first office in Kuala Lumpur, located along the present-day Jalan Tun H.S. Lee (formerly High Street).

1948 | 1949 | 1954

Formation of Harrisons & Crosfield Latex Ltd. in Malaya. Processing of latex began in the Pataling factory. The company diversified into oil palm.
DxP, short for Dura x Pisifera, is a hybrid oil palm produced by crossing the thick-shelled dura with the shell-less pisifera. In 1949, Chemara Research Station became Malaya’s first R&D centre to breed these innovative DxP palms, significantly improving yields and boosting oil palm’s viability as an agricultural crop.
Chemara Research Station set up a pisifera garden, enhancing DxP seed production and raising national yields by 33% with new planting materials.

1955

Creation of Harrisons & Crosfield's Palm Oil Research Station in Klanang Bahru estate, Banting by research officer Brian Gray.

1959

Harrisons & Crossfield PLC expanded its plantation operations by acquiring 18,000 acres of rubber, coconut, and tea plantations, along with 10,000 acres of reserve land on Carey Island.

1960

Kumpulan Guthrie Sdn Bhd was incorporated in Malaya to serve as the local agent for Guthrie Estates Agency Ltd to manage what had grown into rather vast holdings.

1964

Sime, Darby & Co. explored the new oil palm crop on its Merlimau Pegoh Estate, Melaka, and Tali Ayer Estate, Perak.

1965

1965 marked the milestone when Guthrie Corporation Limited was listed on the London Stock Exchange.

1976

A plan to reclaim Malaysian plantations from British control began in the mid-1970s. One of the first major steps was bringing Sime, Darby & Co. under Malaysian ownership. This was followed by a proposal to merge the three largest plantation companies owned by Harrisons & Crosfield.

1977

Guthrie Corporation Limited transferred its plantation interests from UK subsidiaries to Malaysian incorporated companies. It expanded into the Philippines, China, and Africa.

The amalgamation of the 'three sisters' – Golden Hope Rubber Estate Ltd, Pataling Company, and London Asiatic resulted in Harrisons Malaysian Estates Ltd. owning a total land bank of 179,000 acres, planted with rubber, oil palm, and coconut.

1978 | 1979

Sime Darby Berhad was incorporated in Malaysia and set up its head office in Jalan Conlay, Kuala Lumpur.
Sime Darby Berhad incorporated Consolidated Plantations Berhad, the Group's principal vehicle for further expansion in plantations.
Sime Darby Berhad established Consolidated Plantations Berhad as the main entity for continued expansion in plantations.

1980 | 1981

Sime Darby Berhad commenced trading on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange.
In a perfectly executed exercise on the London Stock Exchange, Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) gained majority control of Guthrie Corporation Limited through a swift and strategic manoeuvre that became known as the “Dawn Raid”. This was indeed a proud moment in Malaysian corporate history!
Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) gained majority control of Guthrie Corporation Limited on the London Stock Exchange through the historic Guthrie Dawn Raid. Led by PNB Chairman Tun Ismail Mohamed Ali and Chief Investment Officer Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, the bold takeover was completed in under four hours, returning Guthrie to Malaysian ownership.

1982

Tan Sri Rashdan Baba was appointed the first Executive Chairman of Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad, leading the consolidation of plantation assets and international networks. In the same period, PNB and Harrisons & Crosfield formed Harrisons Plantations Berhad to acquire Harrisons Malaysian Estates’ plantations.

Guthrie’s plantation interests and global marketing networks in Malaysia, the UK, and the US were subsequently transferred back to Malaysia.

1985

Golden Hope Plantations Berhad introduced the Zero-Burning Replanting Technique to replace the traditional slash-and-burn method of clearing land, which will eventually become the industry standard.

Kumpulan Guthrie acquired an initial stake in Highlands & Lowlands Berhad, and a further portion was transferred from Permodalan Nasional Berhad. With this combined shareholding, H&L Berhad became a subsidiary of Guthrie on 25 March 1985.

1989 | 1990

Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad is listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange.
To reflect its Malaysian identity, Harrisons Malaysian Estates Ltd. changed its name to Golden Hope Plantations Berhad, after its oldest constituent estate. Golden Hope Plantations Berhad introduced Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in all its plantations.

1992

Golden Hope Plantations Berhad was elected to the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Global 500 Roll of Honour for the commercialisation of the Zero-Burning Replanting Technique.

1994

Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad strategically positioned its core businesses into plantations, property development, manufacturing, and services. Under the leadership of Chief Executive Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, who was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad in 1994, the company began its property development activities in Bukit Jelutong, just outside Kuala Lumpur, which is now a flagship development owned by Sime Darby Property Berhad.

2000

Golden Hope Plantations Berhad made its debut into the pink guava puree manufacturing industry via a new plantation in the Sungei Wangi Estate, Perak.

2001

Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad acquired the Salim Group’s plantation interest in Indonesia, increasing its landbank by more than 260,000 hectares across Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi. Today, these operations are known as Minamas Plantation.

2004

Golden Hope Plantations Berhad became a pioneer member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad became the first plantation company in the world to be granted EUREGAP (European Retailers and Producers Good Agriculture Practices) certification for plantation management.

2007

The merger of Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad, Golden Hope Plantations Berhad, and Sime Darby Berhad formed the enlarged Sime Darby Group. All plantation activities and operations were consolidated under Sime Darby Plantation Sdn Bhd.

2008 | 2009

Sime Darby Plantation received its first RSPO certification by way of Sandakan Bay Strategic Operating Unit, one of the first in the world to do so.
Sime Darby Plantation launched its Mangrove Research Centre (MRC), the first centre for mangrove research in Malaysia. MRC is a platform for research on the mangrove ecosystem and coastal zone management.
Sime Darby Plantation’s scientists were among the first in the world to successfully sequence, assemble, and annotate the oil palm genome, marking a significant milestone in our journey to create oil palms of the future. What at breakthrough!

2010

Launch of the Sime Darby Innovation Centre Europe (ICE) in Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands, a state-of-the-art facility for testing prototype oil formulations in food applications and production at a pilot scale.

2011

Gender Policy was launched and Gender Committees were established throughout Sime Darby Plantation’s estates and mills to provide a safe work environment for women, while encouraging the development of female leadership and participation in the workforce.
Sime Darby Plantation planted the first palm seedling in Liberia and launched its first estate, Matambo Estate.

2012

Sime Darby Plantation became the world’s largest producer of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil.

2014

Sime Darby Plantation became the founding member of the High Carbon Stock (HCS) Science Study and committed to the Sustainable Palm Oil Manifesto, committing to no deforestation and higher sustainability standards for industry stakeholders.

2015

Sime Darby Plantation acquired New Britain Palm Oil Limited (NBPOL), adding another 135,000 hectares of land in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, bringing the total landbank to almost one million hectares.

2016

Sime Darby Plantation launched its Responsible Agriculture Charter (RAC). Sime Darby Plantation commenced its first commercial planting of GenomeSelect®, the new high yielding oil palm seedlings developed by the innovative Research & Development team.

2017

Sime Darby Plantation was listed on Bursa Malaysia on 30 November 2017 following its demerger from the holding company, Sime Darby Berhad.

In the same year, the scientific breakthrough of the oil palm genome in 2009 led to us becoming the first Malaysian recipient of an Edison Award (Bronze Medal) in the Energy and Sustainability category for GenomeSelect®

2018

Sime Darby Plantation achieved 100% Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification and became the largest producer of MSPO certified palm oil.

2019

We are committed to achieving 100% visibility across its supply chain through Crosscheck, an online traceability dashboard. The platform provides access to data on refineries and plantations, supplier profiles, and conservation risk information, supporting responsible sourcing and zero deforestation efforts.

2020

Publication of the genome map in the public domain to fuel the research of others in the Sime Darby Plantation sector. Sime Darby Plantation achieved 100% RSPO-certified mills. Sime Darby Plantation announced the sale of its 100% equity interest in its Liberia operations.

Sime Darby Plantation kicked-off Project Infinity, an ambitious initiative aimed at accelerating mechanisation, automation, and digitalisation. This project seeks to reimagine plantation operations and reduce reliance on manual labour – an issue that has plagued the entire industry since its inception.

2021

Sime Darby Plantation announced Project Infinity, to transform the laborious, manual and menial work in Sime Darby Plantation with mechanisation, automation and digitalisation. Sime Darby Plantation aligns its climate-related disclosures with The Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations.

2022

Sime Darby Plantation committed to achieving net-zero emissions across its entire value chain by 2050. Sime Darby Plantation announced Project OMEGA – a programme to transform all its mills in Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands into certified food safe facilities.

2023

Sime Darby Plantation became the world’s first palm oil company to receive full Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validation for its net-zero 2050 targets, while commercialising GenomeSelect®, a high-yield oil palm seed that boosts productivity without expanding land use.

Sime Darby Plantation kicked off 400-hectare Peatland Restoration in its operations in East Malaysia for reforestation, the first project of its kind opting to restore it into a functional peat ecosystem instead of replanting oil palm.

2024

We rebranded to SD Guthrie! Sime Darby Plantation rebranded as SD Guthrie, unveiled the “Beyond Zero” sustainability framework, and announced two new business verticals in renewable energy and industrial park development.

2025

We are leveraging our extensive landbank to drive sustainable development and create new revenue streams for our shareholders. As one of Malaysia's largest plantation companies, our strategically located land assets present unique opportunities to support the nation's economic and industrial growth.

Guided by Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles, we are collaborating with Malaysian state agencies and industry partners to transform select parcels of land into vibrant industrial parks. We are also investing in renewable energy through solar and biogas projects on our land. These developments are designed to meet the needs of high-growth sectors, foster innovation, and contribute to a greener, more inclusive economy.

Guthrie has been ranked No. 1 on the Sustainable Palm Oil Transparency Toolkit (SPOTT) ESG Transparency Index 2025. With 97.5% transparency score, we lead the global palm oil sector in ESG disclosure, setting a new benchmark for traceability, accountability, and responsible sourcing.