TOP scales import via Singapore trading

Top Line Business Development Corp. (TOP) is expanding its footprint in fuel trading by setting up a wholly owned subsidiary in Singapore to improve supply reliability and optimize costs as it scales importation.

In a stock exchange report on Wednesday, the listed Cebu-based fuel retailer said the Singapore-based entity will serve as its international trading arm, allowing the company to directly engage global suppliers and streamline procurement.

“This initiative is a strategic step toward our long-term vertical integration strategy by optimizing our end-to-end supply chain,” TOP First Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Atty. Constance Marie C. Lim said.

“By establishing a trading presence in Singapore, we enhance our fuel supply reliability and efficiently structure our costs. Over time, this is expected to contribute to better margins and more efficient fuel sourcing across our network,” Lim added. 

TOP, through its logistics arm Topline Logistics and Development Corp., has secured a Bureau of Customs Certificate of Registration to conduct fuel importation.

Singapore, Asia’s largest oil trading hub, positions TOP closer to key market participants, trading platforms, and regional pricing benchmarks, strengthening its reach between Middle Eastern producers and Southeast Asian markets.

TOP recently completed the renovation and rebranding of eight fuel stations in Northern Cebu under its Light Fuels Express format, part of its broader cluster-based rollout across Cebu, Leyte, Siquijor, and Negros Oriental.

The upgraded Cluster 1 network, designed primarily for motorcycles and light vehicles, aims to serve high-demand areas including Medellin, Bogo, Daanbantayan, Tabogon, Sogod, Borbon, Catmon, and Carmen. 

The company expects these stations to generate up to 1 million liters in monthly sales, supporting its efforts to scale its retail network in high-growth provincial markets.

The Light Fuels Express format emphasizes operational efficiency while allowing flexibility to expand and accommodate evolving customer demand.