Careers

Introduction And History: A&B And What We Do

In Hawaii, the business community was once led by a small number of companies, each of which had historical ties to sugar. For the first half of the 20th century, these companies had a predominant influence on the local scene - socially, politically and economically. Today, in a Hawaii very different and far more diverse, only one of those companies continues to prosper and thrive - Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.

Our business operations and our role in Hawaii are different than they once were. We have evolved, and we continue to evolve. Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. is a diversified family of companies with its roots and headquarters in Hawaii, but with its operations stretching for thousands of miles, from Savannah, Georgia to Shanghai, China. A&B's businesses include the principal ocean transportation company operating between the West Coast and Hawaii, Guam, and the Mid-Pacific; the leading real estate development company in Hawaii, and the largest sugar plantation in Hawaii and the largest coffee plantation in the United States.

At A&B, we recognize the importance of balance and the interdependence of our businesses and people. From our beginnings, we knew, for example, that land could produce value only if there was water to irrigate it. Sugar had value only if there were ships to transport it to market. Over time, A&B evolved into a company that has three principle industries - agribusiness, shipping and real estate.

The connections between our businesses today are just as important as they were before. Our farming operations depend on Matson to bring supplies to Hawaii and carry finished products back. Matson's reliable service delivers products and services statewide, supporting Hawaii's business infrastructure and helping to make our real estate growth strategy possible. Our farming operations provide an effective utilization strategy for our vast landholdings and create a dramatic visual backdrop for our real estate development activity. Our subsidiaries enjoy complementary relationships that may not always be apparent to outside observers, but are very real, and very important.

To remain successful in an island economy for nearly 14 decades, balance is essential. Not only balance within A&B, but balance between A&B and the community. We have adopted a "smart growth" approach in our real estate operations to ensure that the community and the Company achieve their mutual objectives. The community benefits from intelligently planned developments and infrastructure improvements, and A&B generates value from its landholdings.

Equally important is collaboration in preservation of the environment. A&B and Matson are leaders in environmental stewardship, each having developed a reputation for proactive protection of the environment. We are also taking steps, in collaboration with environmental groups, toward active management of thousands of acres of conservation land. We recognize, and invest in, the value of a beautiful, clean and natural Hawaii.

Matson

Founded in 1882 and incorporated in 1901, Matson is one of the leading U.S. domestic ocean carriers. Matson pioneered the introduction of containerization in the Pacific through the design and use of new hardware as well as the innovative labor agreements that allowed containerization to be widely adopted. The Company is headquartered in Oakland and also has offices nationally, including Guam and Hawaii. We are at the forefront of the ship-related ecological issues, such as at-sea discharges, air emissions and ballast water treatment. For example, each ship carries a "green container," so that trash generated on the ship is recycled or turned into fuel at a generation plant.

A&B Properties

A&B Properties had its origin in a postwar effort by A&B to provide an opportunity for sugar plantation workers to own reasonably priced homes in a modern, planned community that would replace Maui's small, scattered plantation villages. Over time, the development of 14 residential increments became what today is Kahului, the social and economic center of Maui. Development of nearby land for commercial and light-industrial use followed. Years later came the planning and development that created the Wailea resort on the leeward side of Maui. Over the past few years, we have transformed the real estate business. After decades of focusing on development of company-owned lands, we began to develop lands that we didn't already own. For a company that owned 88,000 acres of land, this was a major philosophical shift that has had exceptional results.

Agribusiness

While much has changed over A&B's history, one thing remains the same - we are stewards of the unique and beautiful lands that our founders cultivated long ago. Today, A&B owns over 88,000 acres of land in Hawaii, 98 percent of which is currently zoned for agriculture-related or conservation uses. Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company produces food-grade sugar that is marketed as Sugar in the Raw™ as well as Maui Brand Sugar™. Our sugar plantation and coffee plantation, Kauai Coffee Company, Inc., contribute significantly to the economies of Maui and Kauai. We are also proud of our subsidiaries involved in trucking and equipment repair and maintenance - Kahului Trucking & Storage, Inc. and Kauai Commercial Company, Incorporated - and their contributions to the A&B family of companies.