Tin smelting started on this site in 1898 and continued for the next 100 years, producing the world-famous Grade A ‘ESCOY’ brand Straits Refined Tin. In 1908, a house was built by Mr. Lee Chin Ho next to the smelter and was named Birch House in honour of his friend and chairman of the then Eastern Smelting Company and one-time Resident of Perak, Sir Ernest Birch. Due to the declining availability of tin concentrates, a decision was made to close the smelting plan in 1998