In a press release issued last week from its California headquarters, Dole Packaged Foods, a division of Dole Food, called the Hua Hin plant the first food operation in Thailand to receive SA8000 certification.

The certification covers both the cultivation of pineapple on the 1,214-hectare plantation and the processing plant, which employs more than 5,000 people. Products processed in the facility include canned pineapple, tropical fruit cocktail, papaya, guava, rambutan, pomelo, watermelon, lychee and mango.

The Hua Hin facility also boasts a medical clinic with more than 40,000 annual visits, educational programmes and housing, including three dormitories and family housing units.

"This certification is the latest example of Dole's commitment to ensure the company's operations, wherever located, protect both its workforce and the environment. We value the dedication and commitment of our employees and want to make certain they work in an environment that is safe and values their well-being," said Richard Dahl, president and chief operating officer of Dole Food.

Jewellery :Gems TV to launch IPO in Singapore

A Thai jewellery manufacturer is planning to raise 309 million Singaporean dollars (Bt7.23 billion) through a listing on the Singapore Exchange, Channel News Asia reported yesterday.

Gems TV is selling 285.8 million shares in its initial public offering (IPO) at $1.08 a share. Fourteen million shares will be set aside for retail investors.

Gems TV operates two facilities in Thailand. It sells its jewellery through television home shopping in the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States, as well as through the Internet. It is planning to expand into Japan and China.

"We're going to expand into the United States, but also Japan, which is the second-largest jewellery market in the world. China, as well. We've launched recently in Germany, as well, on October 1. So we are well on our way to expanding our models to other territories," said CEO Jason Chu.

Gems TV is 5-per-cent owned by The Hour Glass.

Following the IPO, shareholding will be reduced to 4 per cent of the enlarged share capital.

Logistics :DHL releases Thailand Export Outlook

DHL, a leading express and logistics company, yesterday unveiled the key findings of the Thailand Export Outlook, a comprehensive survey by DHL amied at providing customers and business partners with an informed view of economic trends over the next three years.

DHL Express Internatonal (Thailand) managing director Herbert Vongpusanachai said the recent survey reinforced the firm's role as a trade facilitatior by providing insight information that will help clients grow their business even better.

In particular, survey respondents said oil prices had the greatest impact across every targeted sector, followed by exchange rates. More than 70 per cent of the respondents stated that high oil prices had had a high negative impact on their business.