Listed fuel distributor and retailer Top Line Business Development Corp. (TOP) is deepening its supply chain control with plans to establish a wholly owned trading subsidiary in Singapore, sharpening its long-term vertical integration strategy.
The proposed Singapore-based entity will act as TOP’s international trading arm, directly engaging global fuel suppliers and optimizing procurement as the company scales up importation. By moving closer to pricing benchmarks and key counterparties, TOP aims to tighten cost structures and strengthen supply reliability across its growing network.
“This initiative is a strategic step toward optimizing our end-to-end supply chain,” said Atty. Constance Marie C. Lim, First Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. “By establishing a trading presence in Singapore, we enhance fuel supply reliability and structure our costs more efficiently. Over time, this is expected to translate to improved margins and more disciplined sourcing.”
The move follows the recent grant of a Certificate of Registration by the Bureau of Customs to Topline Logistics and Development Corp., authorizing it to undertake fuel importation activities, a critical building block in TOP’s vertical integration roadmap.
Singapore, Asia’s largest oil trading hub, serves as a gateway between Middle Eastern producers and fast-growing Southeast Asian markets. A foothold there positions TOP at the heart of regional trade flows and liquidity pools.
Based in Cebu, TOP operates across commercial fuel trading, depot operations, and retail fuel in the Visayas. Beyond TLDC, it also owns Light Fuels Corporation, underscoring its ambition to build an integrated, end-to-end fuel platform.
