Asia Outlook Issue 9

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hock lian seng have completed complex major projects in live traffic conditions with minimum impact

invesTMenT ProFiLe: MaLaysia 22

asia outlook takes an inside look at malaysia’s investment and business potential

oPus oFFsHore 40 opus offshore Pte ltd’s soft approach to marketing has paid great dividends in recent months

saesL 56 saesl currently service and repair some of the most widely used engines in the aviation industry wong Fong engineering

construction in singapore is nearing an all time high and wong fong are keen to capitalise on this

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asia ouTooK issue 09 aLso THis issue: HousTon eLecTric | assunTa HosPiTaL | wagner asia | goLdBeLL grouP

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W E L C O M E The Backbone of Asia Over the last 10 years, Asia has become one of the fastest growing areas for innovative engineering, construction and manufacturing.

With companies implementing new technologies and advances in their respective fields, Asia has seen the rise of globally recognised brands from their own backyard.

All of the companies we feature in this month’s issue have risen to prominence in Asia through continued perseverance and strategic investment.

Our front cover feature is with Hock Lian Seng, who have a disciplined focus and extensive experience in construction, combined with a deep understanding of Singapore’s infrastructure works. Deputy CEO David Chew Tuan Dong sees this as a unique selling point that the company can bring to the table of any project.

On page 40 we have an interview with Opus Offshore’s Operations Director Peter Burnett, who alongside the CEO and Technical Director, have built a modern mid-water drill ship company to service the global oil and gas industry.

The strategic use of a shipyard in China has enabled Opus to create world class vessels combining western design with eastern engineering.

On page 64 we speak with Eric Lew, Executive Director of Wong Fong Engineering, who with over 40 years of engineering excellence and experience, are dedicated to providing high-tech and innovative solutions to the seamless loading and transport logistics sectors.

In the front of the magazine, we delve into the world of start-up companies in Singapore, who come from all over the world to utilise Singapore’s strategic geographical location and efficient infrastructures, such as Internet connectivity and boasting one of the world’s busiest seaports.

Our investment profile this month takes a closer look at the economic opportunities in Malaysia, strategically located in the heart of Southeast Asia. The country offers a cost-competitive location for investors intending to set up business premises that target both regional and international markets.

“Once you say you’re going to settle Matt Bone for second, that’s what happens to you Editor, Outlook Publishing in life.” – John F. Kennedy

EDITORIAL

Editor: Matt Bone matthew.bone@outlookpublishing.com Sub-editor: Emily Jarvis emily.jarvis@outlookpublishing.com

PRODUCTION

Production Manager: Daniel George daniel.george@outlookpublishing.com MAGAZINE DESIGN: Optic Juice Ltd Art Editor: Martin Mitchell Designers: Alex Cole | Nick Bond | Katherine Robinson

BUSINESS

Sales Director: Nick Norris nick.norris@outlookpublishing.com Operations Director: James Mitchell james.mitchell@outlookpublishing.com Sales Managers: Ben Wigger ben.wigger@outlookpublishing.com Rahim Ali Rahim.ali@outlookpublishing.com Senior Project Managers: Arron Rampling arron.rampling@outlookpublishing.com Donovan Smith donovan.smith@outlookpublishing.com Project Managers: Tom Cullum tom.cullum@outlookpublishing.com Callum Philp callum.philp@outlookpublishing.com Dave Alexander dave.alexander@outlookpublishing.com

ACCOUNTS

Finance Manager: Suzanne Welsh suzanne.welsh@outlookpublishing.com Office Administrator: Donna Redpath donna.redpath@outlookpublishing.com IMAGES: www.thinkstockphotos.co.uk DIGITAL & IT: Hamit Saka HELPDESK: James LeMay

OUTLOOK PUBLISHING

Managing Director: Ben Weaver ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com Chairman: Mark Weaver

CONTACT Asia Outlook / UK 22 Wensum Street, Norwich, UK, NR3 1HY Sales: +44 (0) 1603 559 145 Editorial: +44 (0) 1603 559 152 Fax: +44 (0) 1603 559 553 Subscriptions Tel: +44 (0)1603 559 152 matthew.bone@outlookpublishing.com

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In this issue of Asia Outlook...

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All the latest top stories across the month from Asia

a Korean adventure

A Q&A with Shabana Shaikh on moving to SE Asia for work

Reaping the benefits of a burgeoning Market: southeast asia

Why is Southeast Asia fast-becoming a hub for relocating businesses and start-up companies?

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investMent profiLe Malaysia

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sHoWCasing LeaDing CoMpanies tell us your story and we’ll tell the world

Asia Outlook takes an inside look at Malaysia’s investment and business potential

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E N G I N E E R I N G

MANUFACTURING

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HoCk Lian seng 45 Years of construction success

HLS continues to grow their order book for 2014 and beyond

R E S O U R C E S

saesL servicing the best, by the best

SAESL currently service and repair some of the most widely used engines in the aviation industry

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Wong fong engineering the innovation Engineers of singapore

Construction in Singapore is nearing an all time high and Wong Fong are keen to capitalise on this

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opus offsHore Rig for success

Opus Offshore Pte Ltd’s soft approach to marketing has paid great dividends in recent months

Wagner asia Leading the Field

The Mongolian Chamber of Commerce rank Wagner Asia at number 16 in the top 20 companies of Mongolia

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goLDbeLL group convenience – Whenever, Wherever

Goldbell Engineering Group is a market leader in industrial vehicles in Singapore

Jaya Tiasa are constantly looking at new ways to expand business operations sustainably

Houston eLeCtriC the spark of singapore

Houston Electric has been supplying specialist electric products to various sectors for 21 years

H E A L T H C A R E

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JaYa tiasa branching out

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assunta HospitaL tender Loving care

Assunta Hospital offers a wide spectrum of services including digital diagnostic imaging through the use of medically advanced diagnostic tools

events

Asia Outlook highlights upcoming events on the continent

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Young UK Professionals Vote Hong Kong as Number One Overseas Relocation City ong Kong has been named as the top overseas relocation destination by young British professionals, in research carried out by one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory organisations. deVere Group, which has 80,000 clients in 100 countries globally and $10bn under advice and management, reports that in a recent poll 26 per cent of its UK-based clients under the age of 35 claimed that China’s Special Administrative Region would be their number one choice for relocation if they were to leave the UK. Hong Kong was followed by Dubai (23 per cent), New York (19 per cent), Cape Town (15 per cent) and Sydney (7 per cent). 10 per cent of those surveyed cited other destinations including Abu Dhabi, Barcelona, Tokyo and Geneva.

Of the 365 UK-based young professionals who were polled in this survey, 78 per cent said they have ‘seriously considered’, ‘are thinking about’, or ‘would be tempted’ to move overseas. deVere Group’s founder and chief executive, Nigel Green, remarks: “Relocating overseas is always a big step and so the benefits and rewards for doing so need to be clearly identifiable and substantial.

“Naturally, high achieving young professionals like those who participated in this survey, would be looking at global destinations that are perceived to offer the very best career and remuneration opportunities available; and preferably have a

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competitive tax rate in order to maximise their income whilst abroad.

“Bearing these important ‘pull’ factors in mind, it makes perfect sense that Hong Kong and Dubai topped the poll for British professionals under 35.”

“Perhaps the reason why Hong Kong ranked just slightly ahead of Dubai, by three percentage points, is due to it being arguably more familiar in business terms because of its former British colony status.”

He continues: “Besides the top five overseas relocation destinations all being major international business hubs and having comparatively lower personal taxation than the UK, they also share other characteristics.

“For instance, they all have large, established expatriate populations, English is the primary business language, infrastructure and communications are worldclass, and they are all well-served by airlines servicing UK airports.”

Mr Green concludes: “I would suggest that those key international business hubs that didn’t make the list need to be asking questions regarding what they should be doing to become more attractive to the very best young professional talent in the UK, the majority of whom are prepared to relocate overseas.”

T r a d e

China and Greece sign US$4.6 Billion Trade Investment Deals In mid-June, Greece and China signed over a dozen trade and investment deals with an approximated worth of $4.6 billion (€3.4 billion). The deals were agreed as Chinese Prime Minister Li Kequiang began a threeday official visit.

“Greece can become China’s gateway in Europe, and the start of a European trade corridor,” Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said at the joint conference with Li. Athens seeks to “bring China even closer to Europe,” Samaras said.

The deals included multi-billion dollar Chinese bank loans to build at least 10 Greek-owned ships in Chinese shipyards. Also, there have been agreements on the construction of solar energy parks in Greece, and trade deals involving marble, granite, wine and olive oil.

“Co-operation between Greece and China is always mutually beneficial,” Li said, adding that Beijing would also take an interested in new Greek bond issues expected later this year. “When the Greek government issues bonds, China will continue to be a long-term, responsible investor,” Li commented.

go to www.asiAoutlookmag.com/news for all of the latest news from asia

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Malaysia to Turn Oil-Palm Land into Airport City Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) plans to convert some of the oil-palm plantations surrounding Kuala Lumpur’s main air terminal into attractions such as theme parks, concert halls and golf courses in order to attract businesses and visitors.

A factory outlet venture with Mitsui Fudosan Co. (8801), Japan’s biggest developer, will open in the area next year, and new towns have sprung up near the airport that will help the zone dubbed “KLIA Aeropolis” grow, Chief Financial Officer Faizal Mansor said in an interview in early June. Malaysia Airport has about 22,000 acres (9,000 hectares) of land in Sepang,

where the international airport and a Formula One track are located.

“I don’t think any other airport in the world has got the kind of land bank that we have,” Faizal said. As the area gets more developed, “the airport then slowly becomes less and less a destination for passengers to take a flight, more and more a destination by itself.”

Malaysia competes with neighbours including Singapore and Thailand for tourism and foreign direct investment. The country opened the world’s largest terminal for low-cost carriers last month to tap rising air travel among Asian consumers. Sepang-based AirAsia Bhd. (AIRA), which has grown into the region’s biggest budget airline in the past decade, has contributed to a doubling in visitors to Malaysia in that period.

The country had 25.7 million visitors and collected 65.4 billion ringgit (US$20.4 billion) in tourism receipts last year, according to Tourism Malaysia.

The government targets 36 million tourists a year and 168 billion Malaysian Ringgit in receipts by 2020.

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Singapore 4th Most Expensive City in the World for Expats Singapore has climbed one place to become the fourth most expensive city in the world for expatriates, behind African cities Luanda (Angola) and N’Djamena (Chad) and Hong Kong, according to the latest cost of living survey by Mercer.

Four of the top 10 cities in this year’s ranking are in Asia. The most expensive city in the region, Hong Kong, jumped from sixth place to third, followed by Singapore. Tokyo - previously Asia’s most expensive city for expatriates - fell four places to seventh, while Shanghai came in 10th on the list, jumping four spots from last year.

“Rankings in many regions were affected by recent world events,

including economic and political upheavals, which resulted in currency fluctuations, cost inflation for goods and services, and volatility in accommodation prices,” said Mr Ed Hannibal, Partner and Global Leader for Mercer’s Mobility practice.

“While Luanda and N’Djamena are relatively inexpensive cities, they are quite costly for expatriates since imported goods come at a

premium. In addition, finding secure living accommodations that meet the standards of expatriates can be challenging and quite costly as well.”

The survey covers 211 cities across five continents and measures the comparative cost of more than 200 items in each location, including housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment.

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E x h i b i t i o n s More than 300 Exhibitors will Appear at Singapore Jewellery & Gem Fair fter a successful debut in 2013, the Singapore Jewellery & Gem Fair will be staged again from 23rd to 26th October at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre. As the largest fine jewellery event in the region, the four-day fair will sparkle with a stellar cast of international fine jewellery manufacturers and wholesalers displaying a stunning array of the most exquisite jewellery and finely crafted designs from the world over.

Last year, the Singapore Jewellery & Gem Fair featured 283 exhibitors from 28 countries and attracted a total of 8,739 visitors from over 70 countries and regions, making it the biggest-scale regional show of its kind. This year, more than 300 notable exhibitors from countries and regions such as Belgium, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, USA and Singapore have already confirmed their participation.

Supplying jewellery and gemstones to some of the world’s largest reputable international brands as well as jewellery chain stores, these exhibitors will present prized diamonds and pearls, precious stones and gems, rare and exquisite jewellery pieces, exceptional timepieces and other dazzling collectibles to visitors. The show will see esteemed jewellers and collectors sourcing for the most coveted jewellery and gemstones in the world.

UBM has chosen to host this fair in Singapore because of its aptitude to be the Asian city poised to have the highest number of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) by 2023 and the optimistic outlook of its jewellery market. According to JewelleryNetAsia, Asia’s prime B2B trade portal for professionals in jewellery and gem

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industries, jewellery sales in Singapore are expected to register an annual growth rate of 2 to 3 percent over the next three years to reach US$2.9 billion, or S$3.7 billion, in 2017.

The fair presents unparalleled opportunities for tapping into Asia’s rapidly growing jewellery market. For instance, Indonesia, one of the largest producers of white South Sea cultures pearls, is a significant contributor to the global pearl industry. Long positioned as the gemstone capital of the world, Thailand’s gemstone exports reached $757.02 million in 2013, a 23.82 percent increase over 2012’s $611.39 million.

“The Singapore Jewellery & Gem Fair prides itself as the most important fine jewellery fair in Southeast Asia.

It presents the definite marketplace environment for buyers to acquire the best that fine jewellery has to offer. UBM is committed to serve the world’s jewellery industry by presenting vast business, trading and investment opportunities at this fair, by leveraging on our vast experience in staging blockbuster jewellery exhibitions around the world,” said Paul Wan, Managing Director, UBM Media (Singapore) Pte Ltd, the event organiser.

T e c h n o l o g y

Xiaomi Smartphone Shipments Almost Quadruple in 2014 Xiaomi Smartphone shipments have almost quadrupled in the first half of this year, surpassing the total amount of the devices the company sold in 2013.

The company currently outsells Apple Inc. in China, shipping 26 million Smartphones in the first half of this year, almost four times the 7.03 million devices sold in the same period a year ago, Xiaomi spokesman Tony Wei said. Last year Xiaomi shipped 18.7 million units.

Sales in the first half of this year more than doubled to 33 billion yuan ($5.3 billion) from 13.3 billion yuan a year ago, Wei said. Xiaomi in April set a target to boost phone shipments to 100 million units in 2015 as the company pushes outside its home market of China and starts sales in 10 new markets including India, Brazil and Russia.

Xiaomi’s valuation hit $10 billion with a fundraising round last August, the closely held company said at the time.

In the first quarter of this year, Xiaomi was the third-largest Smartphone vendor in the China market, and the sixth-largest globally, according to estimates from researcher Canalys.

go to www.asiAoutlookmag.com/news for all of the latest news from asia

A u t o m o t i v e

E d u c at i o n

Nissan Unveils New All-Electric Car

China Calls for More Skilled Workers, Less Graduates China’s university graduates – on average around 7 million each year – are struggling to find jobs. In a call for more skilled workers, the country now has a new approach to fixing its problems in the education system.

By training young people in skills-based vocational institutions rather than having them attend high schools and universities, the country hope to tackle the specific skills shortages head on.

“The rise of the Chinese economy is accompanied with quality improvements of Chinese products and services,” said Premier Li Keqiang, speaking at a national vocational education confab in Beijing on June 23. “Imagine the scale and level of Chinese products and services if most of the 900-million-strong labour force can be trained to master medium- and high-level skills.”

China’s State Council aims to increase the number of students in vocational educational institutions from 29.34 million at present, to 38.3 million by 202. The total that year will be made up of 23.5 million studying at vocational high schools and 14.8 million in vocational colleges.

Some 600 universities could be converted into vocational colleges, adding to the 1,300 China already has, which graduated around 6 million students last year. While China already has the world’s largest number of vocational institutes (13,600 schools and colleges), they are underfunded, need upgraded facilities, and suffer faculty shortages, according

to Ge Daokui, the director responsible for vocational studies at the education ministry.

National education authorities intend to start fixing the problems by requiring that local governments ensure adequate education funds are budgeted for vocational institutes. New policies will also encourage the creation of private vocational academies by offering preferential loans as well as favourable tax policies, Bloomberg Businessweek reported.

Convincing parents to encourage their children to choose vocational training over academic studies will be tough. As is true in many other parts of the world, getting a university degree grants one higher social status. But by emphasising the high level support behind the latest policy shift, Beijing is trying to change attitudes towards skills-based education.

“Now the top leadership, including Premier Li Keqiang, are redefining modern vocational education,” said Liu Qiaoli, a researcher at the Beijingbased National Institute of Education Sciences, the research arm of the education ministry. “He connects it with improving people’s livelihoods and the country’s development, and he acknowledges the essential role of vocational education.”

In June, Nissan revealed its second all-electric vehicle in the Japanese car-market’s latest nudge towards the eco-friendly car sector, despite disappointing sales figures over the last year.

The company said its e-NV200 – a zero-emission commercial van – can drive 190 kilometres (120 miles) on a full charge, and doubles as an on-board power source to supply emergency lighting or power to an outside unit.

Nissan was the first company in the world to sell a mass-production electric passenger vehicle, the Nissan LEAF, in 2010.

The vehicle that was unveiled this week comes with either five or seven seats and goes on sale in some European countries before its October Japan launch. Prices start at 3.88 million yen ($37,900). However, retail prices could be lower after accounting for government subsidies on green-vehicle sales, Nissan said.

The new van can be fully recharged in eight hours or to 80 percent of its battery capacity in half an hour when using the quick-charge system.

Nissan stated that it hopes to log monthly sales of 200 units in Japan, which is a somewhat modest target after the LEAF sold just 115,000 units globally since its launch nearly four years ago.

Japan’s number two automaker also has plans to release a different electric vehicle for the Chinese market, however demand has been disappointing largely due to their short driving range, high prices and a lack of re-charging infrastructures in place across the country.

It is a well known fact that electric cars are fast becoming a reality as they increase in popularity around the world.

go to www.asiaoutlookmag.com/news for all of the latest news from asia

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N A E R O AK E R U T ADVEN with more and more uk graduates moving abroad to look for permanent work, asia outlook spoke with shabana shaikh, 27, who moved to south east asia two years ago to work as an english teacher and hasn’t looked back Writer Matt Bone

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could you tell us a little about yourself? i have been working in korea for just over 2 years now, both as a programme coordinator and english teacher at snet. i have a Bsc in Psychology with a focus in language acquisition. i also studied Japanese, german, and mandarin. i also worked in a north london school (mathematics department) with a programme run by the training and Development agency for schools.

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Why did you move to SE Asia?

honestly, i’ve been interested in a lot of asia from a young age. the main reasons for my move from england were the quality of life and my job satisfaction. i didn’t enjoy my work in england and i found it difficult to find teaching related work without a Pgce. there’s nothing specific i would’ve liked to do before moving, more travelling perhaps. i haven’t seen a lot of the uk, but i’ll get the chance to when i’m back for the holidays. after graduating, i moved to tokyo, Japan for about a year to work as an english instructor with a private chain of english conversation academies (eikawa). korea has a lot of benefits that i wasn’t getting in Japan. free housing, good vacation length and has, in accordance with korean labour law, full health insurance is provided with 50% covered by the school.

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what has been the biggest change you’ve experienced as a foreign national in asia? i think the sense of building a community; it’s very easy to make friends from all over the world now. we’re all in the same situation and i think that makes us more receptive to just striking up conversation with strangers. however, saying that, i think with the younger crowd there’s a little danger that this free and easy lifestyle provides them with a disposable income and little responsibility. i’ve seen a couple people that waste what i think is a lot of potential to really push themselves in their role.

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what are the biggest challenges you have faced moving to South Korea?

the language barrier is always going to be the biggest challenge, communicating simple things can turn into a big production, but people are very friendly and try their best to help you get by. i have yet to go to the doctor here, but luckily my dentist has an english coordinator, so that makes things a lot easier! getting a credit card was a bit of a chore, but in the end i managed to do so. i get a lot of assumptions made because i’m not caucasian, the reverse being true for some of my south african friends, but i use it as a teaching point in my classes.

How have you adapted to life in Asia?

i wouldn’t say that i have adapted too much, as it hasn’t been required. i learn a lot of languages so i speak enough Japanese and korean to get by in daily life. i don’t think i’ve adapted that much compared to just using skills i would have used had i stayed in england. honestly, there’s nothing that fazes me, even the food choices have become normal to me; chicken gizzard, silkworm larvae, and it’s quite nice when you get used to it. the korean working ethos is different to that of western countries. it is important to treat those who are in a higher position than you with the utmost respect. hierarchy is massively important. in korean culture, it is those who are at the top who have the first and the last say. working environments in korea are often more formal, and it’s important to dress appropriately.

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What issues have been affecting your role in Korea?

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the recent sewol ferry disaster has had a big impact on the education sector. the moe (ministry of education) has strongly suggested that all school excursions be cancelled for the next semester. it’s an overreaction in my opinion, as i think they should rather focus on the safety guidelines and regulations that allowed the incident to occur. i think a lot of people are ashamed and saddened by events, whereas i’m personally more angered. it was a preventable incident.

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What are some of the recent social trends you’ve witnessed?

honestly, i don’t really follow trends, but korea is heavily into couple fashion. if you have a boyfriend or girlfriend you get matching shoes, caps, outfits, anything. there’s a lot of advertising here based on looks, if popular celebrities endorse a brand, it’ll be a sought after product. e.g. after the PsY phenomenon he was advertising everything from beer to cell phone companies. But everything has a shelf life, there’s a high turnover with what’s in.

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How is it different teaching Koreans to english students?

they’re so creative in expressing what they mean, they use what little language ability they have in weird and wonderful ways. they’re also very respectful and little things like using two hands to accept and give items to teachers.

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Please tell me about your aims, goals and ambitions for 2014 and beyond?

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What advice do you have for people looking to make the move to Asia?

Do your research and look up your school, a lot of private schools have a bad reputation and don’t treat employees well. they break contracts; go back on their promises and worse. move to a place that has an expat community especially if you don’t know the language. learn the language where possible, it will make a huge difference to your life there.

for this year, i just want to make it past the ban on student excursions and can’t wait for our summer camp programme. Personally i’m looking forward to my vacations and looking more into school options. for my career, at my school there’s not a lot of space for progression without more studying. i think after my current contract ends i may go back to school out here or possibly in europe. i’d like to study korean full time and try and get it up to a level where i could move my career path to utilise it. if i decide to continue in education i could try for a lecturer profession after getting a masters.

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what is the secret to your success in moving and adapting to life out there? haha, there’s no secret. Just a crazy amount of gung-ho and jumping in the deep end. in the end, i don’t think it’s any different to me moving to wales, except maybe the weather.

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Asia Outlook takes a look into some of the reasons that make Singapore and Southeast Asia so appealing to both start-ups and globally recognised brands Writer Emily Jarvis

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any start-up hubs have begun sprouting up all over the world in places like New York, London, Berlin, Beijing and Singapore – just to name a few.

In particular, the choice to relocate to Southeast Asia is increasing and Singapore is quickly becoming a hub to grow a whole multitude of business in today’s economic climate.

Asia Outlook takes a look into some of the reasons that make Singapore and Southeast Asia so appealing to both start-ups and globally recognised brands.

Industry Giants Relocating to Singapore A growing number of Japanese companies have moved some of their

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headquarters or key functions to Singapore, viewing the city-state as a strategic location where they can oversee a new wave of investment in Southeast Asia.

Panasonic Corp. and Mitsui Chemicals Inc. moved some key functions from Japan to Singapore in 2012, whilst Hoya Surgical Optics Inc. not only established its headquarters in Singapore, but had Chief Executive Officer Hiroshi Suzuki transfer there to oversee the company’s global operations.

With the rise of Asia, companies have “increasingly relocated their senior decision makers to Singapore, to enable nimble decision making from the heart of Asia,” Singapore’s Economic Development Board stated. “We have seen more

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Southeast Asia companies undertaking their strategic functions out of Singapore, such as headquarters, strategic business development, research and development, supply chain control and talent development.”

According to a survey by the Japan External Trade Organisation released in 2012, 36% of the 213 Japanese companies in Singapore that responded to its survey said they are involved in regional headquarter functions, whilst another 27% said they were considering moving more of their headquarter functions to Singapore.

Observers say the trend accelerated after the devastating Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in 2011 and awakened Japanese companies to the need to diversify their operations to reduce future risks.

Toru Yoshikawa, associate professor of strategic management at Singapore Management University, says the trend reflects that Japanese companies are now turning their attention to the fast-growing markets of Southeast Asia now that China’s red-hot economy has begun to lose steam: “Whilst the growth of the Chinese market is slowing, on the contrary some Asian countries such as Indonesia or Myanmar are growing, and Singapore is an ideal hub to enter these neighbouring markets,” Yoshikawa said.

JETRO President Hidehiro Yokoo said at a forum in Singapore recently that Japanese foreign direct investment in Southeast Asia has exceeded Japanese investment in

China in recent years: “We can see the new trend of Japanese FDI to ASEAN,” he said, citing increased Japanese corporate interest in countries in regional emerging countries, more investment into the service industry, such as restaurants and retailing, and also into higher value-added manufacturing industries and growing interest from small and midsize enterprises to look for opportunities outside Japan.

Yoshikawa said Singapore offers some advantages that may be lacking back home: “Japanese companies want to globalise their operations by hiring staff with diverse cultural backgrounds, and while Japan may have highly competent engineers and

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WHY soutHeast asia?

managers, they don’t have much experience operating in multicultural environments, so singapore is an ideal location because they can hire english-speaking staff,” Yoshikawa said. the advantages often cited in singapore are its strategic geographical location, an efficient infrastructure such as internet connectivity, and one of the world’s busiest seaports. another factor is the government’s pro-business policies, such as competitive taxes. singapore has been slashing its corporate tax rate in recent years and at 17% has one of the lowest in asia. Japan’s corporate tax rate is 30%. additionally, the country has a flexible immigration policy that makes it easier for companies to recruit staff from all over the world, while a bilingual education policy has ensured a workforce that can speak not only english but also chinese and other local languages.

Japan’s small and midsize enterprises are also moving their headquarters from Japan to singapore. shunsuke sato, the chief executive officer of satisfaction guaranteed, a company that markets quality Japanese fashion brands online, decided to move sg’s headquarters from Japan to singapore in november last year because he finds the business environment here more vibrant and conducive for smaller companies like his. sato said he chose singapore because he prefers to hire workers of different nationalities who will have a more in-depth knowledge of local markets. there are also more business opportunities here because firms are less constrained

by Japanese-style senioritybased decision making and more open to offering partnerships or collaboration with smaller firms.

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MIGRATION OF VENTURE CAPITALISTS Venture capitalists (Vcs) are flocking to the region in droves. this migration is due in part to the combination of incentives established by southeast asia’s various governments to attract investors to the area - the best of which are in singapore - and the arrival of over one thousand early stage start-ups such as design firm iDeo and graphic designers nice ltd.

Just seven years ago, there were virtually zero seed or angel investors in singapore, and now there are a huge number. a study by the national university of singapore stated that approximately 3.5% of adults in singapore have invested informally in start-ups. the survey also looked at a sample of 165 local business angels, which is a fair amount for a region with a population of under 5 million. angel investors in singapore tend to be younger –the average demographic being 25-34 - compared to most other countries where the age tends to be older. while investments are made in all sectors, another difference is that singaporean business angels tend to invest more often in the retail and hospitality industries.

Business angel groups are more common in singapore than neighbouring countries, and various angel investor groups have formed in singapore during recent years. the government in singapore also has programs that allow them to co-invest in startups, along with various tax incentives for angel investors.

Big names like Bosch, semicon and realtek have already set up shop in the region this year, along with other likeminded major Japanese players. according to a news report, singapore accounted for almost 52% of all private equity investments in southeast asia between 2005 and 2010. together with the recent opening of its new regional headquarters in singapore, Bosch announced that it is investing €15 million to conduct research in organic photovoltaic technology. the s$92 million singapore headquarters building is also the greenest building for Bosch globally, with advanced environmentally friendly features. furthermore, the singapore government continue to regularly announce major early-stage venture capitalists arriving in the country and new plans for government matches to their funding. the list included some strong venture capitalist funds that have started in the last couple of years: monk’s hill Ventures, Jungle Ventures and golden gate Ventures. what’s even more impressive is that nearly 50 other venture capitalists applied to this programme, with the number on the rise year after year.

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TALENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD given the surge of Vc investment into the area, remarkable talent is coming from all over the world to take advantage of this opportunity. these are not low-end offshore development talent, but instead they are thousands of silicon Valley expats and start-up veterans choosing emerging market growth and the phenomenal lifestyle of southeast asia over the crowded silicon Valley bubble. the Valley is noisy with thousands of companies all claiming to be the next google or facebook and poaching your engineers on empty promises of stock options that may never be worth anything. in southeast asia, the weak startups are quickly weeded out, as it’s a small enough market that every investor knows which companies are serious and which are not. another perk is the lack of immigration issues, which often hinder u.s. companies. all of the countries in the region welcome first-class engineers with open arms.

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WORK HARD, PLAY HARD southeast asia offers an unbelievable lifestyle in which you can work 24/7 with the help of abundantly available wi-fi, immerse yourself in exceptional nightlife, and relax on the world’s most beautiful beaches. the culture of the area is one of relentless work. a start-up genome report even shows that singaporean start-ups work more hours than any other in the world. this ever-present work ethic helps push companies to raise their game and produce the best work possible.

But even these start-up teams don’t work all of the time. the region’s nightlife is a huge part of the area’s draw. all of its

LOWER INCOME TAX in countries like singapore where the personal income tax rate is one-fifth of that in silicon Valley and usually stands at less than five percent, it’s easy to get topnotch talent for a lot less cash compared to the Valley. singapore is the most expensive country in southeast asia, which shows just how vast the differences are across the whole region.

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major cities have a lively party scene that is unmatched by any other top city in the world. there is also an astounding amount of beautiful beaches nearby to visit for a nice recharge – most are just quick onehour flights away. for multi-taskers, there are thousands of remote white sandy beaches that offer wi-fi access, which allow for a more relaxing business backdrop. there is no denying that young, single and freshly educated engineers who are just a few years out of college make up the bulk of the talent at top start-ups, and this demographic will find no better place in the world to live during this stage of their lives.

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FASTER GROWING MARKETS, SMALLER COMPETITION when compared to the Bric (Brazil, russia, india and china) countries, southeast asia is larger than both Brazil and russia in size. the region is growing as fast as china and even faster than the other three Bric countries, with projected growth figures of 7.8% annually. while southeast asia is somewhat heterogeneous, india and many other large countries are as well. outsiders do not realise how similar southeast asia’s markets really are. thus, from a business perspective, i would argue

that in many ways, southeast asia is more homogeneous than india, which still has hundreds of languages, sects, religions and cultures grouped together. nevertheless, southeast asia is in its infancy of growth and development potential, showing a considerable number of similarities to china 15 years ago. those that came to china at that point in the country’s history are now nearly all millionaires (if not, billionaires), which bodes very well for singapore and the surrounding southeast asia countries.

F O R F U R T H E R I N F O R M AT I O N O N S I N G A P O R E’S S TA R T-U P S and invesTMenT oPPorTuniTies, visiT: w w w. i n v e s T M e n T n e T w o r K . s g a n d w w w. e d B . g o v. s g

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Malaysia Malaysia is in its most radical transformation as it battles to achieve the Vision 2020 Writer Emily Jarvis SOURCE: MIDA.gov.my

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SOURCE: MIDA.gov.my alaysia, strategically located in the heart of Southeast Asia, offers a cost-competitive location for investors intending to set up offshore operations for the manufacture of advanced technological products for regional and international markets.

Supported by a market-oriented economy and pro-business government policies, Malaysia offers investors a dynamic and vibrant business environment with the ideal prerequisites for growth and profits. Malaysia’s key strengths include well-developed infrastructure and a productive workforce. As a politically stable country with a well-developed legal system, Malaysia also provides attractive incentives for investors.

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WELL-DEVELOPED INFRASTRUCTURE infrastructure in malaysia is designed to serve the business community; it is one of the best in asia. the telecommunications network is served by digital and fibre optic technology, there are five international airports (all with air-cargo facilities) along with well-maintained highways and seven international seaports; making malaysia an ideal springboard to the asia-Pacific market. industries in malaysia are predominantly located in over 500 industrial estates and free Zones developed throughout the country. these zones are categorised as export processing zones, which cater to the requirements of export-oriented industries. there are also specialised parks that have been developed to cater to the needs of specific industries.

ADVANCING WITH TECHNOLOGY technological advancement has become an integral part of malaysia’s growth as an industrialised nation. with the help of technology, malaysia is steadfast in providing for the modern day requirements of investor companies based in the country. malaysia is one of the most technologically developed countries amongst industrialising nations in the asean region. the nation’s persistent drive to engage modern technologies proves to be a great advantage to manufacturers in malaysia. malaysia’s telecommunications network has seen impressive expansion and upgrading during the past decade following the successful privatisation of its

telecommunications Department. the latest digital and fibre optics technology is being used to provide high quality telecommunication services at competitive prices. malaysia is linked to the rest of the world through various fibre optics and satellite consortia such as flag, se-mawe, aPcn, china-us, Japanese-us, measat and intelsat. to support the increasing demand for bandwidth, medium and high-end technologies such as iDsl, iP, VPn and atm are being extensively deployed throughout the country.

NETWORK OF HIGHWAYS Peninsular malaysia’s network of wellmaintained highways is a boon to industries. these highways link major growth centres to seaports and airports throughout the peninsula and provide an efficient means of transportation for goods. to complement these highways, a kuala lumpur-Bangkok-kuala lumpur containerised service, known as the asean rail express (arx), has been initiated with the aim of expanding it to become the trans-asia rail link that will include singapore, Vietnam, cambodia, laos and myanmar before ending up in kunming, china.

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EFFICIENT SEAPORTS international trade, especially seaborne trade, has traditionally been the lifeblood of malaysia. today, more than 90% of the country’s trade is by sea via malaysia’s seven international ports namely Penang Port, Port klang, Johor Port, Port of tanjung Pelepas, kuantan Port and kemaman Port in Peninsular malaysia and Bintulu Port in sarawak. all these ports are equipped with modern facilities.

Port klang and the Port of tanjung Pelepas(PtP), are ranked among the top 20 container ports in the world.

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS malaysia’s central location in the asia Pacific region makes the country an ideal gateway to asia. air cargo facilities are well-developed in the six international airports - the kuala lumpur international airport (klia), Penang international airport, langkawi international airport and senai international airport in Peninsular malaysia, kota kinabalu international airport in sabah, and kuching international airport in sarawak. malaysia’s biggest airport, the klia, surrounded by four main cities of kuala lumpur, shah alam, seremban and melaka has a capacity of handling 40 million passengers and more than 1.2 million tonnes of cargo per year. cargo import and export procedures are fully automated at the klia to cut down delivery time.

HUMAN RESOURCES one of malaysia’s greatest assets is its human resources. the workforce is young, educated and productive, proving to be one of the best in the region. the government’s emphasis on human resource development ensures the continuous supply of manpower to meet the needs of the expanding manufacturing and services sectors.

Backed by the government’s continued support of human resource development in all sectors, the quality of malaysia’s workforce is one of the best in the region. literacy levels are high and school leavers entering the job market have at least 11 years of basic education. foreign companies in the manufacturing sector are allowed to employ expatriates where certain skills not available in malaysia. a company with foreign paid-up capital of us$2 million and above will be allowed up to 10 expatriate posts, including five key posts, that is, posts that are permanently filled by foreigners.

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EDUCATION A HIGH PRIORITY education and training are accorded high priority in national development under malaysia’s five-year development plans. the quality of malaysia’s workforce is one of the best in the region. the private sector has also set up educational institutions to supplement the government’s efforts to generate a larger pool of professionals and semiprofessionals. among these are institutions of higher learning set up by large corporations such as telekom malaysia Berhad, tenaga nasional Berhad and Petronas which provide degree-level courses. Various private colleges in malaysia offer degree programmes on a twinning basis with overseas institutions of higher learning, while foreign universities have set up branch campuses in the country. educational institutions in malaysia generate a large pool of professionals with degree and post-graduate qualifications.

HEAVEN FOR FOREIGN COMPANIES the conducive business environment in malaysia has made the country one of the world’s top investment destinations for offshore manufacturing operations. malaysia has to date attracted more than 5,000 foreign companies from more than 40 countries to establish their operations in the country. many of them have also expanded and diversified their operations, reflecting their confidence in malaysia as a site for their business ventures.

SUPPORTIVE GOVERNMENT POLICIES government policies that maintain a business environment with opportunities for growth and profits have made malaysia an attractive manufacturing and export base in the region. the private sector in malaysia has become partners with the public sector in achieving the nation’s development objectives. a major factor that has attracted investors to malaysia is the government’s commitment to maintain a business environment that provides companies with the opportunities for growth and profits. this commitment

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is seen in the government’s constant efforts to obtain feedback from the business community through channels of consultation such as regular government-private sector dialogues. these allow the various business communities to air their views and to contribute towards the formulation of government policies which concern them. additionally, since June 2003, foreign investors could hold 100% of the equity in all investments in new projects, as well as investments in expansion / diversification projects by existing companies irrespective of the level of exports and without excluding any product or activity.

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ATTRACTIVE TAX INCENTIVES the corporate tax rate is 25% and the maximum individual tax rate 26%. malaysia also offers a wide range of tax incentives for manufacturing projects under the Promotion of investments act 1986 and the income tax act 1967. the main incentives are the Pioneer status, investment tax allowance, reinvestment allowance, incentives for high technology industries and incentives for strategic Projects and incentives for the setting-up of international/ regional service-based operations.

MAKING TRANSFORMATION HAPPEN malaysia has progressed from an economy dependent on agriculture and primary commodities to a manufacturingbased, export-driven economy spurred on by high technology, knowledge-based and capital-intensive industries. to move the country forward, the government has crafted a framework comprising four pillars to drive the change. the new economic model (nem) to be achieved through an economic transformation Programme (etP) constitutes a key pillar which will propel malaysia to being an advanced nation with inclusiveness and sustainability in line with goals set forth in Vision 2020. the etP will be driven by

eight strategic reforms initiatives (sris) which will form the basis of the relevant policy measures. three other pillars have been launched in 2013. they are the1malaysia, the government transformation Programme (gtP) to strengthen public services in the national key results areas (nkras) and the 10th malaysia Plan 2011-2015; the economic blueprint that will set the tone of the whole country development over the next five years. it contains the new policy directions, strategies and programmes all targeted enabling malaysia to emerge as a developed high-income nation.

TOWARDS THE ECONOMY OF TOMORROW

for more information, visit: www.MIDA.gov.my

as a result of perceptive foresight, strategic planning and abundant resources, malaysia offers investors a wide spectrum of investment opportunities. the technologically-inclined economy of malaysia is proven through the country’s involvement in advanced electronics manufacturing, r&D, biotechnology, photonics, logistics, design, innovation and a highly automated manufacturing sector, to name a few. the government’s objective is also to make malaysia a hub for other value chain activities, such as r&D, design and development (D&D), procurement, logistics, distribution and marketing, business support services and shared services.

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L e a d i n g C o m p a n i e s sia outlook is a leading business to business publication that promotes and showcases the leading companies on the Continent. The digital and print publications are aimed at boardroom and hands on decision-makers in a wide range of industries, reaching over 175,000 business executives every month. With over 11,000 unique visitors to our website on a weekly basis asia outlook is the platform to promote your business success. each month we feature leading companies and business executives by profiling their operations in their own words. Covering all aspects from supply chain, investments and developments, best practice, innovation, growth plans and future project and products we aim to promote all that is good about industry, economy and business. producing business profiles across all sectors and regions of asia we give companies the opportunity to tell their story to our readers.

Read on for this month’s profiles!

Emily Jarvis Sub-Editor

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If you want to enjoy the exposure and coverage we can offer please feel free to contact me and we can discuss the opportunity at length. Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world.

emily.jarvis@outlookpublishing.com

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45 Years o f C o n s t r u c t i o n S u cc e s s

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Celebrating its 45th year of operation, Hock Lian Seng are proud to continue providing significant contributions to the thriving Singapore economy Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Ben Wigger

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ock Lian Seng (HLS) Group was established in Singapore in 1969

by Mr Chua Leong Hai, who gladly continues to retain his position as CEO today.

The company’s core focus has always been on the construction of infrastructure projects including roads, highways, bridges, land reclamation, wharves, airport taxiways, aircraft parking aprons and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations, tunnels, viaducts and depots. In December 2009, the company converted into a Public Limited Company, taking the name Hock Lian Seng Holdings Limited, and were successfully listed on the SGX Mainboard in the weeks that followed.

Celebrating its 45th year of operation, Hock Lian Seng are proud to continue providing significant contributions to the thriving Singapore economy. “We have contributed to the construction of every MRT line throughout Singapore since the early 1980s. We were involved in the North South Line, the East West Line, the North East Line, the Circle Line, the Downtown Line, and now the Thomson Line. We will be looking forward to contributing as one of the builders for the upcoming Eastern Region Line, the Jurong Region Line, the Cross Island Line and also the North-South Expressway,” explains Deputy CEO David Chew Tuan Dong, who is excited by what the future holds for HLS. HLS have a disciplined focus and extensive experience in their core business, and this deep understanding of Singapore infrastructure works is something Chew sees as a unique selling point that the company can bring to the table of any project: “We are very well established, well received and familiar with the local authorities’ requirements. We have extensive knowledge of the geo-technical conditions of the various parts of

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Highway International

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ighway International is one of the leading suppliers of heavy building materials to the construction industry in Singapore.

Our core business comprises of: Asphalt premix production Asphalt supply & paving services Supply & laying of road base aggregate Milling & profiling Supply of quarry products Streetprint decorative paving Semi rigid pavement R&D, mix design & testing

Singapore and have solid partnerships with our strong network of supportive suppliers and subcontractors.”

Securing New Projects

The company have secured two new projects this year as their order book continues to grow: The $105 million Changi Airport South End Reservoir taxiway and aircraft parking apron project, and the $221.8 million Maxwell MRT Station on the Thomson Line.

Among the other ongoing projects are works on the Marina Coastal Expressway and the construction of Gali Batutrain depot for the Downtown MRT Line, which has a target completion date at the mid2015. “The new order book for 2014 is indeed something to be pleased about, it currently stands in at in excess of S$300 million,” highlights Chew.

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We have extensive knowledge of the geo-technical conditions of the various parts of Singapore and have solid partnerships with our strong network of supportive suppliers”

Highway International leads the market in terms of quality, reliability and customer service. In order to further enhance its market position, Highway International invests in leading edge technology, continually upgrades its equipment and develops innovative products to meet the changing needs of the market.

As a one-stop round-the-clock asphalt provider and to help serve its customers even better, Highway commissioned a new asphalt plant in August 2013 with a production capacity of 320 tonnes per hour; coupled with hot storage silos of total capacity of 2,000 tonnes.

13 Sungei Kadut Street 4 Singapore 729064 Tel 6369 7888 Fax 63689909 Email sales@highway.com.sg

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PQ Builders Pte Ltd

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ith a track record dating back to 1984, PQ Builders Pte Ltd has a large list of projects references. We provide Productive and Quality Solution to our clients. We are awarded BCA Construction Productivity Award (Best Practices and Innovations) GOLD in BCA Award 2012. Our vision is to transform and propel the organization to become a group of successful companies and establish businesses in the Asia Region.

Supporting the impressive order book are a series of awards and merits won by the company in recent years. These include Merit for Best Managed Rail/Road Infrastructure in the Project Partner category, awarded by the Singapore Land Transport Authority in April 2014 for the Marina Bay Circle Line MRT Station and Tunnel project; and a 2012 Finalist for the Best Managed Rail/Road Infrastructure project for the Kim Chuan Depot.

Ongoing Projects

A number of projects taken on by HLS are complex and executed in “live traffic conditions” where the public’s daily commute continue humming along whilst construction works are progressing adjacent to or even “beneath it”, all co-existing and progressing without impacting each other, and Chew is pleased with the strength and dedication of his team on these projects: “Retaining the operation of a public space whilst continuing to work is a great skill, building on our reputation as a builder who can strike a balance between operational efficiency and construction excellence.”

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With a substantial volume of their works in infrastructure and construction projects, HLS continue to be a well established local infrastructure builder in Singapore and this has remained the company’s core business strategy throughout past years. “Singapore has a significant number of infrastructure works planned for the expansion of the train network and airport facilities,” cites Chew. In addition, since 2012, HLS have formally established a property development arm, developing two industrial projects (Ark@gambas and Ark@kb) and The Skywoods condominium consisting of 420 units.

Mr Kee Guan Chua, the Executive Director overseeing the property development arm noted: “We have started venturing into different building types, in turn strengthening our team in these new areas.”

When it comes to future possibilities, HLS are active in the tendering space for both infrastructure and property development projects in order to optimise their resources over the next five years. Further, Chew is expecting to see substantial growth as a result: “Currently, we are also looking at some overseas infrastructure works with a local partner. We would like to grow out

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PQ Engineering Pte Ltd specialize in providing energy monitoring & management equipment from Schneider, hydro abrasive blasting and corrosion repair & protection. We also supply green building material that improves installation productivity.

PQ Farben Pte Ltd was set up in 2004 with only Silicate Mineral Paint System as its product offering. With Singapore’s hot and humid climate conditions, we face problems with all aesthetic and protective coatings.

We had since then carry all types of coatings to meet all your needs on protective coatings including Radcon Formula # 7 & Radmyx waterproofing system, K-13 Thermal & Acoustic Insulation spray on system.

PQ Swiftvan Logistics Pte Ltd has been offering for the past 25 years as a onestop logistics solution for our clients with warehousing services.

ALVEODECK International Pte Ltd was recently included to promote light weight Bi-Axial Slab System.

It offers Architect Flexibility in design, greater column to column span, reduce usage of cement, increase productivity and environmentally friendly.

We look forward to expanding into the South-East Asia Region and beyond.

18 Enterprise Road Singapore 629824 Tel +65 6266 2218 Fax +65 6266 3238

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of singapore and have been looking into various opportunities cautiously to seek the best returns for our shareholders.”

“when the need arises, we are capable of supplying” as with any construction company, supply chain plays a vital part in the daily operations of various sites and projects. chew says that it is critical they maintain their long term relationship with their key suppliers and partners: “nothing is more important than an on-time supply of material/products. we have a mixture of suppliers who are local and some who have presence all over asia. some of the local suppliers have plants or warehouses in malaysia, as singapore is a very small country and land cost is high.” hls also profess to being able to directly supply raw materials themselves if the need arises. “when the need presents itself, we have the capabilities to revive our supply

business, especially if the intent is to service our projects for better delivery assurance. for example, at one point we went into importing sand and aggregate for our own project, but we also used this opportunity to supply to others as a separate business line,” emphasises chew.

Finding construction Professionals

Due to the sheer volume of infrastructure projects in the pipeline for singapore, demand continues to rise for construction professionals such as engineers and quantity surveyors, which has been a challenge for hls. “sourcing talent has been an issue that we are always striving to overcome.

Besides this, the construction industry in singapore has been experiencing a shortage of workers as the preferred subjects of study at university level do not favour construction-related qualifications,” chew continues: “People prefer sectors where they from left to right: mr lim Peng kiat, senior advisor mr David chew, assistant cEo mr kee guan chua, executive Director

Ley cHoon grouP ley choon group holdings limited is an established one-stop underground utilities infrastructure service provider based in singapore. our core businesses comprise of: i) Pipes and Roads Segment, consisting of underground utilities infrastructure construction and maintenance, sewer pipeline rehabilitation, road and airfield construction and maintenance ii) Construction Materials Segment, comprising asphalt premix production and construction waste recycling we are a a1 registered contractor (the highest grade) in the category of civil engineering (cw02). as one of only three asphalt premix plant operators in singapore, we own two asphalt premix plants, one of which is currently the largest in singapore in terms of production capacity, capable of producing up to 400 tons of asphalt premix per hour.

Tel (65) 6757 0900 Email admin@leychoon.com

www.leychoon.com

aLLiance concreTe

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lliance concrete singapore Pte ltd, a joint venture between asia cement (singapore) Pte ltd, sinhengchan concrete Pte ltd and supermix concrete Pte ltd (a subsidiary of lafarge malayan cement Berhad) was established in January 2006. our 8 strategically located batching plants are equipped with advanced technology and modern manufacturing facilities. along with a truck fleet of about 200 trucks with 9 cubic metre capacities, we are capable of a total production capacity of approximately 1,200m³ per hour. as one of their key partners, alliance concrete singapore has worked closely with hock lian seng to complete several mega projects particularly the Downtown line contract 901 as well as their own development, ark@gambas.

Tel +(65) 6368 8211 Email general@allianceconcrete.com.sg

www.allianceconcrete.com.sg

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don’t have the weather to contend with amongst other things such as long hours, night work and temporary container offices which are not as comfortable and convenient as regular office buildings.” in order to combat this, hls have been working hand in hand with universities and construction authorities to ensure there are sufficient scholarships and sponsorships and are generally active within the young community. “we have partnered with the Bca in order to reach undergrads in the engineering sector and work with a range of technical institutes where

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construction-related apprenticeships are concerned,” chew comments. additionally, in their effort to improve the perception of the construction and infrastructure industries, hls are reinforcing the ideals that this is a rewarding and productive area to work in: “we are doing our part to work jointly with the relevant local authorities and educational institutes to offer internships for their students trained in the built environment industry. as for the universities engagement programme, we continue to support engineering interns to work with us for their vacation training and are also

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sponsoring university undergraduates in their studies at the universities. we currently have 2 graduate scholars working on our projects.” chew believes that the company’s small efforts to support the building authorities in order to improve the “image” of this industry will be greatly beneficial for the sector’s future.

collaboration with Foreign contractors with the number of mega infrastructure projects planned, some of which are increasingly complex in nature, many major foreign contractors have been

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attracted to Singapore. HLS have gone into joint ventures with some and have frequently been approached by others to bid for projects together, which Chew sees as a largely positive situation for the company: “These foreign players have made the tendering process more competitive but because of the limited local human resources, these joint ventures can also be seen as good opportunities - if the right partnership can be struck - to collaborate and complement each other in terms of technical expertise, human resources or local knowledge.”

HLS are intent on transferring each new lesson learned from working on each project, alongside continually improving the quality of their products, which Chew hopes will further build HLS’ reputation as a builder who “offers advance technical expertise, executes projects timely with excellent results and a developer who value-adds, delivers functional, aesthetically pleasing forms and spaces that improve the lives of the occupants and community.”

With very dedicated and loyal people who have been contributing to the growth of the company throughout the years, HLS expect their hard work and perseverance to elevate the company to greater heights “…combined with being at the right place and at the right time, of course,” Chew concludes.

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pus Offshore was formed in early 2011 as a result of Vern Westerhout and David Smallwood’s desire to build modern mid-water drill ships to service the substantial market in mid-deep water. A strategic alliance was formed with Shanghai Shipyard to jointly develop the design, finalise costing and agree construction schedules. Opus Offshore provided the equipment specifications. In September of 2011, contracts were signed for the construction of two vessels along with options for two more.

The company is headquartered in Singapore and has a large project office within the Shanghai Shipyard complex. Both offices employ a multinational staff, all with many years of experience in the offshore drilling construction and operations business.

Eastern Build, Western design Peter Burnett, Operations Manager of Opus Offshore, has seen the company grow substantially since its beginning in 2011. “The company is built on a solid foundation of vastly experienced managers who have worked in the industry for many years, but because we are currently building our vessels in China, there is a degree of wariness from the international drilling community about standards of manufacturing and processes being applied during production. For us, this is just a hurdle that we can quickly overcome and we will prove just how reliable these vessels will be.”

The Tiger Class vessels currently under construction will have a high specification 8 point mooring system and not the more complex DP systems that established oilfield construction companies in Korea & Singapore are building. Although this is a shift from the popular DP

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David Smallwood, Vice President, Technical

FraNkLiN OFFSHOrE grOUp

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he Franklin Offshore Group is a leading integrated provider of quality rigging and mooring equipment and services primarily to the offshore oil and gas industry.

Headquartered in Singapore, operations are strategically located worldwide to provide its customers with the fastest, most efficient and most economical service possible.

The Group’s geographical footprint, which also includes Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Azerbaijan, Qatar, the United States of America and the Netherlands, enables it to provide specific regional infrastructure and personnel support, forming an integrated Franklin Offshore global network.

configuration, Burnett is confident that now that the mooring system technology has advanced and will be up to the rigours of deep water drilling and activities: “Our vessels currently being constructed in the shipyard in China have been designed and project managed by our team of 65 engineers and inspectors. They have been putting western build techniques into practice and working them into a new design of rig. The Tiger Class vessels will be big enough to meet operational standards but small enough to offer versatility and different applications when required,” clarifies Burnett.

The Group has an experienced and dedicated workforce and a corporate culture that is solidly based on the principles of professionalism, innovation and service. It manufactures excellent products and provides a full spectrum of valueadded services. Such products or services developed by the Group are branded with the “FRANKLIN” name.

The company is built on a solid foundation of vastly experienced managers who have worked in the industry for many years”

Franklin Offshore has been supporting OPUS Tiger Drillships since the very beginning in providing mooring system analysis, design and engineering services and subsequently in supplying the mooring equipment package including anchors, chasers, anchor wires and installation services.

Supported by well-trained and competent professionals, Franklin Offshore believes that its unique blend of capabilities, skills and extensive experience are unparalleled in the industry.

Marketing the Brand When you start up a company in a highly competitive market, such as offshore drilling, there are two approaches you can take to getting your name known: aggressive and

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Tel +65 6264 3451 Email general@franklin.com.sg

www.franklin.com.sg

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soft. Both have their own merits and their own drawbacks. Aggressive marketing can take competitors by surprise and garner instant business across multiple mediums, but cost a lot of money upfront, whereas a soft approach can win customers over a longer period of time and be generally more cost effective but slower to gain profit. Opus Offshore went for the softer marketing campaign in order to allow them sufficient time to have their vessels ready for operations and because the company felt that they wanted a friendlier, more approachable feel for the company. “We wanted to work on a softer marketing campaign for the company for three reasons: Firstly, we needed time to ensure our vessels met specifications and were ready for operations. Secondly, we felt that marketing ourselves as the cost effective but equally qualified alternative to big companies was a key strategy and one that would work well. Finally, we wanted to use tried and tested marketing to propel the company forward. This was achieved via industry research and recording consumer feedback from ad campaigns,” explains Burnett.

a Tender invitation

A soft approach to marketing has paid great dividends for Opus in recent months, as they have been invited by several globally recognised brands to tender for a variety of projects across Asia, Africa and Europe. These invitations are a sure fire sign that Opus is moving in the right direction and building up a strong reputation in the market. One key reason Burnett believes has really helped put the Opus name on the board is due to the cost efficient and highly competitive nature of the company.

By building their own drilling ships in China and not having to purchase them from elsewhere, Opus can tender for a project at a much lower price and still remain well within operating budgets. “As we are currently building all 4 of our drilling vessels in China, the costs involved are generally lower, which means we can bid for a contract at a lower cost. However, our build quality has not been affected. We have ensured the vessels are of internationally defined quality and will pass any and all inspections and certifications required,” reasons Burnett.

Vern Westerhout, CEO

Peter Burnett, Operations Manager

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akEr SOLUTiONS drilling Technologies Aker Solutions is a global supplier of drilling equipment and solutions for the high-efficiency drilling market.

With industry-leading performance and safety records for more than 40 years, our state-of-the-art products, systems and services make us a preferred partner.

Aker Solutions delivers a wide range of drilling products, including top drives, handling equipment for blow-out preventers and drill pipe, compensators and tensioners, drill floor equipment, drilling risers, hydraulic power units, mud pumps and drilling simulators. Our strength is engineering and integration of complete drilling packages. Lifecycle services are an essential part of our offerings.

We have a strong global presence through our regional hubs in Asia, Europe, North America, Brazil, the Middle East and the Caspian region. Project, sales and service organizations are located close to the markets and customers, typically oil companies, rig owners and construction yards.

akersolutions.com/drillingequipment

Aker Solutions is a global provider of products, systems and services to the oil and gas industry. Our engineering, design and technology bring discoveries into production and maximize recovery from each petroleum field.

We deliver drilling equipment, systems and lifecycle services for onshore and offshore drilling units. Today, more than 500 floaters, jackups and fixed installations operate in the market with our equipment. Seventy of those are complete topside drilling package deliveries.

We offer drilling lifecycle services to all drilling equipment and system customers around the world. Present in Brazil, Norway, Singapore, South Korea and the US, we are strategically located close to our customers.

akersolutions.com/drillingequipment

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Supplying Our Shipyard

Opus Offshore’s Chinese shipyard has become a hub of activity over the last 12 months. Building the Tiger Class vessels has become a turnkey project for the company.

With the ships requiring a variety of machinery and equipment, suppliers have been sought out from near and far. Opus has utilised both local and international companies to help bring in the required materials on time and on budget. “Two of the most important aspects to look for when we purchase products from our suppliers is quality and deliverability.

Cost does play a part but when you want the best quality items and need them to be available for a tender, prices will always rise. We have identified the best suppliers globally to work with and are currently working with local companies to facilitate other supply requisites,” cites Burnett.

Harris CapRock

H We have ensured the vessels are of internationally defined quality and will pass any and all inspections and certifications required”

arris CapRock Communications is a premier global provider of managed satellite and terrestrial communications solutions specifically for remote and harsh environments including the energy, government and maritime markets.

Harris CapRock owns and operates a robust global infrastructure that includes teleports on six continents, five 24/7 customer support centers, local presence in 23 countries and more than 275 global field service personnel supporting customer locations across North America, Central and South America, Europe, West Africa and Asia Pacific.

Tel +65 6603 9090 Email HCCAPACSales@harris.com

www.harriscaprock.com

Opus Tiger Drillship Specs REGULATORY COMPLIANCE IMO MODU 2009, SOLAS 2001, MARPOL 1973/78, ILO 92/133, all with latest amendments CLASSIFICATION : ABS A1 Drillship, AMS, BWE, HELIDK, CRC, UWILD COMPLETION 2014

DECK UNTED L TAL MO TONNES SW S E D E P 0 LINE. S2X8 CRANE ONNES WHIP T C/W 15 ENGTH L BOOM

43m

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2x

ELECTRIC DR STEER PRO IVEN P THRUSTER AZIMUTH S SPEED 9.5 / TRANSIT KNOTS

5,000ft

TIONALLY CONVERSA MAXIMUM OORED M

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Connections made simple.

Finally, a global communications provider that makes it easier to connect all the right people in the right places.

Choosing communications solutions and services from Harris CapRock gives you simple access to the best satellite, wireless and terrestrial technologies. But more than that, our reliable, high-performance communication services keep you connected, giving you the means to improve the daily operations of your exploration and production assets, to enhance the HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) impact of your business and to improve crew morale by keeping your remote workers connected.

That’s what’s possible when you choose the world’s leader in voice, video and data services for your remote oil and gas operations. No matter where on Earth your operations take you, we’ll make the connections, we’ll make them powerful and we’ll make them simple.

At Harris CapRock, that’s our commitment to you.

harriscaprock.com

© 2014 Harris CapRock Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

RELIABILIT Y NEVER REACHED SO FAR ™

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Premier Sea & Land Pte. Ltd

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remier Sea and Land Pte. Ltd has been active in the oil and gas industry in South East Asia since 1993. With a sales office, a warehouse and service facility in Singapore, the primary business of the company is oil field equipment sales, service and rental.

In July 2011, MTQ Corporation acquired Premier Sea and Land Pte Ltd and PEMAC Pte Ltd thus combining the API Accredited facilities of MTQ Engineering with the current facilities of Premier allowing Premier to offer complete manufacturing, repair and refurbishment services to the oil industry.

Through our association with Opus Offshore, Premier have supplied the Drillstring, Handling Tools, Fishing Tools, Drillstring Valves and Various Drilling Tools to the Opus Tiger Drill Ship project.

Tel (+65) 6543 1433 Email info@mtqpremier.com.sg

www.mtqpremier.com.sg

Future Success

We are very well positioned to work on the tenders that we are currently bidding for without worrying about what the competition is doing.

Global companies may look to work with us due to our vessels offering very unique capabilities”

With the vessel Tiger 1 nearing completion and being invited to participate in several key tenders, the future for Opus Offshore is looking very bright indeed. In a market that is dominated by a few large companies, Opus face strong competition to compete in the industry, but Burnett is not fazed by this: “We are very well positioned to work on the tenders that we are currently bidding for without worrying about what the competition is doing. Global companies may look to work with us as our vessels offer very unique capabilities. We have vast, industry relevant expertise and knowledge in all aspects of our business, from the CEO down to our engineers and ship builders and we implement this in all our projects.” www.opusoffshore.com

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Emerson Process Management

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merson Process Management, an Emerson business, is a leader in helping businesses automate their production, processing and distribution in the chemical, oil and gas, refining, pulp and paper, power, water and wastewater treatment, mining and metals, food and beverage, life sciences and other industries. The company combines superior products and technology with industry-specific engineering, consulting, project management and maintenance services. Its brands include PlantWeb™, Syncade™, DeltaV™, Fisher®, Bettis™, Micro Motion®, Rosemount®, Daniel™, Ovation™ and AMS Suite.

Tel +86 21 2892 9000 Email China.info@AP.EmersonProcess.com

www.emersonprocess.com

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Wagner Asia are a leading Caterpillar Dealer in Sales and Service Capability Performance in the CIS and Mongolia region Writer Matt Bone & Steve Potter Project Manager Eddie Clinton

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agner Asia Equipment LLC are the official dealer for Caterpillar Inc in Mongolia. Since its establishment in 1996, with 100% Wagner investment, Wagner Asia Equipment LLC sells and rents quality Caterpillar machines (CAT) used in mining, construction, road and railroad construction, infrastructure, agricultural, energy and other industrial applications in Mongolia.

For the last eight years in row, Wagner Asia has been the leading Caterpillar Dealer in terms of sales and service capability in the CIS and Mongolia region. Wagner Asia is currently sitting at number 16 in the top 20 companies of Mongolia, by the metrics published by the of Government of Mongolia and Mongolian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which recognise the company’s contribution to the national economy, business development

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as well as its activities in the area of social responsibility. Wagner Asia is the undisputable market leader in its sector, and its performance is characterised by best business practice, the introduction of new technologies and products and services in Mongolia.

Steve Potter, Executive Director of Wagner Asia, acknowledges that the last 2 years have been very challenging for the company, given that the markets for their products and services are very much linked to the health of the Mongolian economy. He expects that this situation will continue through 2014 but that the underlying fundamentals for the country, and therefore for Wagner Asia, remain positive.

A Product for All Seasons

With Wagner Asia Group being made up of 5 separate companies, the business can offer a wide range of products and solutions for the

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potentially large resources market in Mongolia. Wagner Asia Group consists of five companies: Wagner Asia Equipment LLC, Wagner Asia Industrial LLC, Wagner Asia Technology LLC, Wagner Asia Leasing LLC and Wagner Asia Automotive LLC. Each one of them offers the market something different including: Land Rover and Ford Motor company products, equipment leasing, sales, parts and repair services for MANITOWOC, JAC, Navistar SEM, AGCO and Terex, construction equipment as well the world famous Caterpillar brand.

“We are proud to offer such a wide and diverse range of mining and infrastructure machinery that can really add value and efficiency to any project,” remarks Potter. As well as offering some of the biggest names in the equipment business, Wagner Asia backs this up with the most highly developed network of support facilities in the country.

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Logistical Challenges Mongolia is sandwiched between two of the world’s powerhouses. Although Russia takes some Mongolian exports, it is the import of fuel (gasoline and diesel) that makes Mongolia so dependent on its northern neighbour.

China on the other hand takes almost 90% of Mongolian exports, especially key commodities such as coal, copper and iron ore. Infrastructure is currently the biggest obstacle for Mongolia, in order to be able to fully exploit its vast mineral resources. The road network is in its infancy and the country is only serviced by one railroad, which given its history, was built to the wider gauge Russian standard and not the normal narrow gauge used by China.

Economics dictate that a Chinese gauge rail line to China is critical to the success of Mongolian commodity exports, but geopolitical considerations have delayed this decision and in the current commodity price downturn, this has had a materially negative impact on Mongolian exports, especially its coal exports, which are a vital source of foreign currency. The time for talking through this issue and building a narrow gauge railway is long overdue. In the short term, the coal mining sector is operating well below target and this has hurt business for Wagner Asia.

Wagner Asia operates a truly global supply chain as the equipment they buy comes in from all over the world including the USA, Japan, Russia, China and India�

Global Brand, Global Service

Wagner Asia operates a truly global supply chain, as the equipment they buy comes in from all over the world including the USA, Japan, Russia, China and India. The product support division (servicing and repair) of the group draws its main support for Caterpillar parts from their Asian distribution centre located in Singapore, with stock orders shipped to Tianjin, China and then by railroad to Ulaanbaatar.

Despite the fact that both Caterpillar and Wagner Asia operate some of

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the most sophisticated logistics systems in the industry, lead times can be as long as 90 days given long distances, border crossings and weather issues that must be faced. This requires both robust long term planning and the need to hold very large inventories in Mongolia. This is essential to support the mining fleets now operating in the country that require 24/7 coverage if they are to meet the necessary operating hours that mining companies demand. To further improve support to the large export mines that are located in the Gobi desert region of southern Mongolia, Wagner Asia has recently commissioned a 5,000m2 parts distribution center. The southern distribution centre is phase 1 of a larger service complex that the company intends to build to support the growing mining fleets operating in the Gobi.

Investment Potential

Following the signing of the Oyu Tolgoi - a very large integrated copper and gold mine located in the Gobi Desert - an investment agreement was reached between the Government of Mongolia and the global mining giant Rio Tinto in late 2009. Mongolia witnessed a surge in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), especially in mining, which resulted in it becoming the fastest growing economy in the world in 2011 when GDP reached 17.3% growth.

However a series of ill-conceived legislation introduced by the government in 2012 saw FDI plummet by over 65% and GDP growth fall to a little over 7% by mid-2014. These figures need to be put in context because for any country in the west, growth of 7.5% would be considered excellent, but one must recall that the total Mongolian economy is only around $11 billion which is tiny; about the same size as the US city of Fargo, North Dakota. While the government has taken steps to try and address the problems created by earlier legislation, most Mongolian experts believe that the key to to improved FDI flows will be the signing of the phase 2 investment plan for Oyu Tolgoi.

So although Mongolia remains a country of significant potential, luring back much

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needed foreign investors is proving difficult for the cashstrapped country.

Wagner Asia is a family-run business headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Potter works hard to operate the Mongolian part of the business using the same strong family values that have been instilled over the last 60 plus years by the founder Joe Wagner and his son, Bruce, the current President. The family has always taken a long term view with regard to Mongolia, but the recent rollercoaster ride has been extremely challenging and has resulted in the company shedding assets, holding back on planned capital expenditures and sadly having to downsize on people, mostly Mongolians, in terms of local training and development.

Despite the recent tribulations, Potter remains cautiously optimistic that Mongolia can recover from its current situation but time is running out, as witnessed by the exodus of investors and the downsizing of many companies from across the business spectrum. “As I said earlier, the owners didn’t come to Mongolia to make a quick buck; they came here with a long term view and a goal of helping Mongolia develop as a robust modern economy. But that said, the business is here to make money, and we are determined to do that and to do it in the right way, the pragmatic way, the Wagner Asia way.�

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Singapore Aero Engine Services Private Limited are Asia’s market leader in aviation engine service and repair Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Tom Cullum

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ingapore Aero Engine Services Private Limited (SAESL) is a Trent Centre of Excellence, specialising in the repair and overhaul of the flourishing RollsRoyce Trent aero engine family. The company first began operations in 2001 in Singapore, and have since serviced and repaired over 2000 engines to date, from a variety of customers including Air Transat, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. SAESL combines the knowledge of parent company Rolls-Royce - the quintessential engine maker - with the experience of Singapore Airlines Engineering Company (SIAEC).

Simon Morris, General Manager of SAESL, believes that having the experience, industry knowledge and the stature of both parent companies, gives the company a solid platform to make the company the dominant force in engine servicing: “The knowledge and expertise from both Rolls Royce and SIAEC gives us flexibility to manage our engine load. We continue to grow our qualified and experienced Field Service Support Team, providing 24/7 assistance to all our customers. Additionally, we offer advanced component repair capabilities and have been recognised by the Rolls-Royce Centre of Excellence for compressor blade repair, amongst other high technology repair processes.”

Handled with Care Dealing with some of the world’s biggest and most recognisable airlines is no easy feat and SAESL ensure that they are ready and equipped to deal with several different engines types. The current series of engines that the

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company can work on are overhaul work for Trent 500 (Airbus A340), Trent 700 (Airbus A330), Trent 800 (Boeing 777) and Trent 900 (Airbus A380) engines. “We currently work on the most widely used engines in the aviation industry including the newer Trent 900, which is the driving force behind the world’s biggest passenger plane, the A380. SAESL has also been selected to be the lead facility for the Trent XWB engine (Airbus A350 XWB), the fastest selling Trent engine ever, with more than 1,600 already on order.

This is a massive boost for us, truly showcasing our market leader status,” announces Morris.

SAESL has grown quickly since it began operation, investing in the construction of their own test bed, which was completed last year and will be calibrated to test our different engine types throughout the next 18 months. This will give SAESL greater independence and help them to facilitate quick turnaround times for customers. This will in turn reduce client waiting time for engine repairs.

“Our new engine test facility will be one of the few test facilities in the world calibrated to test the Trent XWB and this is a testament to the level that SAESL is now working at,” remarks Morris.

The Finest Facility

SAESL boast an impressive 30,000 square metre facility in the beating heart of Singapore’s Aerospace Industry sector. It consists of two buildings which house the main overhaul line with its state-of-theart gantry system. The engine disassembly and assembly lines are on the ground floor. This is where customer engines arrive and are stripped to a modular level. Also housed in the main building is the modular re-work area. This is where modules are taken to once they have been removed from the engines. They

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MHE-Demag

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HE-Demag is South East Asia’s leading provider of material handling solutions including a comprehensive range of industrial cranes and hoists, warehousing equipment such as warehouse trucks and dock levellers, as well as equipment for safe working at heights and automated car-parking systems.

Established in 1972 as a 50:50 joint venture of Demag Cranes & Components GmbH and Jebsen & Jessen (SEA) Pte Ltd, MHE-Demag operates within a close-knit regional network in South East Asia, supported by over 40 sales and service offices and eight manufacturing facilities in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.

To date, the Group has built over 21,000 industrial cranes, 10,000 loading bays for warehouses and more than 1,000 building maintenance systems in South East Asia and beyond.

Tel +65 6305 3500 Email info_mhe@mhe-demag.com

www.mhe-demag.com

AM AEROSPACE SUPPLIES

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stablished in 1987, AM Aerospace has over two decades of experience in the aerospace industry and is fully compliant with ISO 9001:2008 and AS9120:2009 standards.

AM Aerospace sell factory new parts with traceabilities and our price competitive products are delivered through our professional team who manage customer demand, low-cost sourcing strategy, long-term supply agreements.

AM Aerospace provide consignment services, including DLF & LTA, to our clients and partners, which minimises wastage and increases productivity.

“For every type of customer, we find solutions based on full understanding of their needs and quality requirements” Tel +65 6338 0301 Email amaerospace@am-aero.com

www.am-aero.com

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Progressive Surface

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AESL uses Progressive Surface® waterjet cleaning, automated blade peening, grit blasting, and robotic shot peen systems to perform engine overhaul and component repair. SAESL has purchased nearly a dozen Progressive machines, along with Progressive closedloop process controllers, since 2001.

SAESL continues to choose Progressive because of its proven track record, process-specific system engineering, world-class machinery, and lifetime support. Progressive partner Transtherm Technologies provides local service.

Progressive Surface is a global leader in the design and manufacture of automated machinery and closed-loop process controls for thermal spray coating, shot peening, abrasive grit blasting, and waterjet stripping applications.

John Rishton, CEO

Tel +1 (616) 957-0871 Email sales@progressivesurface.com

www.progressivesurface.com are then disassembled into component parts to be thoroughly inspected and subsequently re-assembled.

The second building making up the facility is a S$60 million investment that took SAESL’s overhaul capacity up to 250 engines a year. “The engine capacity enhancement was a big step for us. It allowed us to increase our portfolio of services on offer and our engine repair turnover. It is integrated with the original building via a bridge to allow easy transport of parts between the two areas,” Morris explains.

The majority of this facility is occupied by the repair and rework function, where parts are sent to be refurbished before they are placed back into an engine. One of the foremost areas of the facility is the Centre of Excellence for compressor blades repair, the most advanced Trent engine compressor blade repair centre in the world.

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OMNIA SALES INC.

S The engine capacity enhancement was a big step for us, as it allowed us to increase our portfolio of services on offer and engine repair turnover”

ince 1970, Omnia Sales Inc. has developed into a full service United States Procurement office with expertise in a variety of materials for overseas companies.

We work diligently on your behalf to locate and procure goods for repair, maintenance and manufacturing around the world.

For over 10 years, Omnia has partnered with SAESL to support the Rolls Royce Trent Engine Program with non-Rolls Royce spares, hardware, electronics, tooling and chemicals.

As an ISO /FAA Certified company, we offer a competitive price with superior service that will fulfill the most demanding requirements.

Tel (+1) 818-843-1620 Email will@omniasalesinc.com

www.omniasalesinc.com

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Progressive SurfaceÂŽdesigns and manufactures state-of-the-art automated grit blast, thermal spray, waterjet cleaning, and shot peening systems. Progressive and its international partners provide lifetime support to 1,300+ machines in 33+ countries.

progressivesurface.com PS-half pg ad 2014-Asia Outlook-final.indd 1

sales@progressivesurface.com • +1.616.957.0871 7/18/14 10:04 AM

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On-The-Wing repairs

One of the most important parts of an aeroplane is its engine, and when a problem occurs with the engine, it can also be the most costly. Having to remove an engine and replace it with a spare can force a plane to be grounded for several days. SAESL are currently working on developing a comprehensive On-Wing Care service.

These repairs are just as detailed and intensive as if the engine had been brought into the facility, but instead are done either on the tarmac at an airport, or in the carrier’s hanger.

These repairs can drastically reduce the time a plane is grounded and SAESL have seen more and more business flow their way in terms of engine on-wing repairs. “Although we rely heavily on engines coming into the workshop to be repaired, we are now seeing a rising trend of carriers wanting repairs and servicing to take place while the engine is still

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Although we rely heavily on engines coming into the workshop to be repaired, we are now seeing a rising trend of carriers wanting repairs and servicing to take place while the engine is still attached to the wing”

attached to the wing. Of course, we have moved with this trend and now our dedicated, highly skilled engineers can work on the engine while still attached, greatly reducing standing time for the carrier,” cites Morris.

powering the Future SAESL will soon be offering a service and repair capacity for Trent’s new 787 engines, the driving force behind the Boeing Dreamliner fleet.

Currently, there is no other company in Southeast Asia that offers the service and repair capacity for these engines. This will open up a whole new revenue stream for the company as the Dreamliner is touted to become the plane of the future for commercial passenger travel, which many carriers are looking to buy into.

With engines on the new aeroplanes becoming more and more sophisticated and greener, SAESL have been investing further

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Simon Morris, General Manager

funds to advance the facility to incorporate these new engine designs. “We have been seeing a trend with carriers looking to have greener, more fuel efficient engines, such as the XWB on their planes. We seem to repair the older engines more frequently, so I think investing in engine training for our engineers and new equipment will ensure that SEASL remains the number one choice for repair in Asia,” proclaims Morris.

Morris pays tribute to the working ethos of the company’s employees and believes that Singapore is the Asian hub for skilled workers and technically minded people: “We have been blessed with an abundance of highly skilled workers, who really bring innovation and new approaches to the industry.

They really are one of the main reasons that SEASL has been so successful over the last few years.”

With a reputation for service excellence and a strongly established customer base, SAESL are well positioned in the Asia-Pacific region for continued growth through the reliable and effective repair, maintenance and overhaul of Rolls-Royce Trent engines. SAESL truly are committed to their mission of “Servicing the Best, by the Best”.

HYDRO THE NO 1 IN AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT AND ENGINE TOOLING HYDRO Group HYDRO Systems Singapore LLP 5 Yishun Ind St 1 #07-01 Northspring BizHub Singapore 768161 Phone: +65 6774 9376 E-Mail: info.singapore@hydro.aero

www.hydro.aero

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Wong Fong Engineering is the undisputed leader for smart engineering solutions in Singapore Writer Matt Bone Project Manager James Mitchell

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ith over 40 years of engineering excellence and experience, Wong Fong Engineering is dedicated to providing high-tech and innovative solutions for seamless loading and transport logistics. Wong Fong also offer an effective waste management process, quality and friendly mobility aids, as well as strengthened and empowered defence systems. With a range of cutting-edge technology, Wong Fong Engineering is the undisputed leader for smart engineering solutions in Singapore, China and Malaysia.

Eric Lew, Executive Director of Wong Fong Engineering, describes the company as being “leaders of industry” in Singapore, as opposed to industry leaders, as he explains: “We are leaders of industry in Singapore and Malaysia, not industry leaders. We feel that our business ethos allows us to show the industry how to do business, instead of just being at the top of the market ladder. We consider ourselves to be teachers to other companies in the industry.”

The Singapore Boom Construction of infrastructure in Singapore is nearing an all time high, in terms of projects undertaken per annum. Wong Fong have seen the number of projects and tenders being offered to them double over the last 12 months due to a massive rise in the population of South East Asia. “With such a massive boom in construction, we have been working on our greatest number of projects over the last 12 months. It has been a very positive time for us. It can mostly be attributed to the population and consumer boom in Asia as more and more families want better roads, buildings, transport links and houses, and are willing to pay to have these things done,” explains Lew. Wong Fong have recently turned

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their attention to working on military projects as well as civil engineering over this boom period and have had great success from this diversification. Two projects they have recently tendered for from the government will start in late 2014 and will generate over US$10 million in revenue. Not content with just working on external projects, Wong Fong have been building and expanding their own R&D department, to help push innovation and industry perfection to new levels of the company. “WFRIC World, our research and innovation arm, is constantly improving and engineering new and innovative ways for us to undertake complex projects.

It has helped us spearhead a new revolution in design and construction, which in turn has given us the edge in offering clients a truly bespoke and unique service,” cites Lew.

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victims of Success

Our research and innovation arm is constantly improving and engineering new and innovative ways for us to undertake complex projects”

Wong Fong have enjoyed impressive growth and success over the last 10 years, but have found they are now victims of their own success.

With growth and expansion comes a bigger workforce and a greater need to hire extra hands when projects come in. However, the government of Singapore has passed mandates that have limited the amount of foreign labour companies can employ. This has had a big effect on Wong Fong as they have relied on foreign labour in recent years. “The new mandates from the government and ministries have affected us greatly. We have relied on foreign workers in the past as they were very reliable and gave us a strong workforce with high productivity.

However, to combat unemployment and help stimulate the economy, measures were taken to ensure

Goldbell Group T he M a r k et L e a d e r i n In d ust r i a l Veh i cles

As the local market leader in the distribution and leasing of industrial vehicles in Singapore, Goldbell Group has helped meet the transportation needs of clients in the construction, logistics and warehousing, manufacturing, F&B, petrochemicals and the government sector amongst others. Operating in China, Malaysia, Vietnam and Australia as well as locally, Goldbell Group leases a wide range of products - such as commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles, material handling equipment and aviation ground support equipment - from various top brands such as Mitsubishi Fuso, Mitsubishi Forklifts, Fiat Professional and Iveco amongst many others. The acquisition of STVE Pte Ltd in 2005 made Goldbell the largest lessor of commercial vehicles in Singapore.

Anticipating Needs and Surpassing Expectations with the Goldbell Touch is the corporate mission of the Goldbell Group, where the business is managed according to three pillars: distribution, leasing and aftersales.

S t r on g Pa r tne r sh i p

Being able to complement each other in terms of products and services, Wong Fong Engineering and Goldbell Group have established a long standing partnership. Through Wong Fong Engineering’s dedication and expertise in managing upper structure, such as truck-mounted cranes, tail gates and tippers, Goldbell Group has been able to effectively meet and deliver the right

industrial vehicles based on the clients’ business requirements.

S ta n d i n g S t r on g

The Goldbell name has long been recognised for its stellar service standards within the industry, and this was underscored with one of its subsidiaries winning the “International Distributor of the Year 2013”, “Best After Sales 2013” and “Special Achievement Award 2013” awards from Mitsubishi Fuso.

Goldbell Group has continued to stand firm in their values and never forget the importance of having good business relationships with the partners and clients. The company fully grasp that people are an important source for success, valuing everyone who plays a part in the business. Goldbell takes effort to understand the clients and the industries so as to provide a total business solution whenever, wherever.

“Integrity, sincerity and hard work are the basic requisites to succeed in business in the long term. Networking and improving ourselves daily has helped to spur the growth of Goldbell’s business. Continued emphasis on growing our business will allow us to change the landscape of the Industry.” – Arthur Chua, Group CEO

Goldbell Group http://www.goldbell.com.sg/ http://www.goldbellcorp.com/

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Eric Lew, Executive Director

companies in Singapore hired more local workers. It has been difficult for us as there is only a limited number of specialist workers we can hire from the current local area, so we have seen a slight reduction in our productivity,” remarks Lew.

Targeting the Future Wong Fong are a company who will always look to the future and ensure that they have plans and options in place to guarantee their status as one of Singapore’s top businesses. One such plan is to look at expanding into the neighbouring countries - China and Malaysia - with greater emphasis. Currently, Wong Fong does have a footprint in these countries, but so far it has been relatively small, and they are looking

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The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and a convergence between technology and engineering will bring about much greater innovation and design capabilities, to enable us to literally offer the client groundbreaking options”

at making this bigger in the coming months. “We have been working on projects in both China and Malaysia for some time and recently we acquired a 5% stake in ShenZhen Cadro Hydraulic Equipment Co.Ltd, a Chinese company specialising in hydraulic equipment, in exchange for access to our R&D centre. This kind of deal will greatly expand our footprint in the country and can help create a potential joint venture down the line. In Malaysia, we have had an office for the last two years and we are beginning to look at expanding this to new premises over the next 12 months. Like China, it will give us people on the ground to work on new projects with new clients, furthering the name and reputation of Wong Fong,” cites Lew.

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Technology is also at the forefront of Wong Fong’s plans for the future.

More and more companies are beginning to merge engineering and technology to utilise all that the two can offer each other. Lew believes that: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and a convergence between technology and engineering will bring about much greater innovation and design capabilities, to enable us to literally offer the client groundbreaking options.”

keeping it Simple Although Wong Fong are always on the lookout for pioneering engineering options and expansion opportunities, they remain very much loyal to the original ethos

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If you always keep your core business healthy and viable through the years, then no matter where you branch out to, the backbone of the company will keep on flourishing, and that is exactly what we have done”

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set out over 50 years ago: simple engineering. The business may have expanded and grown to incorporate many other aspects of industry and engineering, but at the heart of the company is the core business. “We have come a long way since our inception over 50 years ago, but one thing still remains and that is our passion for simple engineering.

If you always keep your core business healthy and viable through the years, then no matter where you branch out to, the backbone of the company will keep on flourishing, and that is exactly what we have done,” highlights Lew, clearly keen to impress that Wong Fong will always be an engineering company first, and an innovator second.

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convenience WHenever, WHerever goldbell engineering has gained a strong reputation as a reliable supplier of commercial vehicles and industrial equipment that clients can trust Project Manager James Mitchell

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oldbell engineering has undergone decades of evolution and development since its inception in the 1980s, and has now grown to become the market leader in industrial vehicles (commercial vehicles and industrial equipment) in singapore. this accumulated repository of experience has allowed the company to build up decades of strong ties with partners, as well has allowing them the advantage to provide the best quality products and after sales support in service and spare parts. with a 24/7 after-sales service support, a team of highly-trained personals, utilising genuine parts and sophisticated diagnostics equipment, and a furnished 192m2 Drivers’ hub to relax in while clients wait for their trucks to be serviced, goldbell engineering are positioned for continued success in the coming years. goldbell engineering is the exclusive distributor for mitsubishi fuso trucks and Buses, iveco commercial Vehicles, fiat Professional commercial Vans, sunlong coaches and Buses, airman compressors and kato hydraulic mobile cranes in singapore and has recently expanded the business with a pre-owned division. having served more than 20,000 companies to date, goldbell engineering looks forward to continue to be the first point in industrial vehicles for clients.

“To be the first point of call in industrial vehicles” goldbell engineering’s future lies in this mantra of being the first point of call in industrial vehicles. irrespective of the organisational need for any transportation, load carrying, or specialised applications, goldbell engineering’s extensive network of principal brands and fully-fledged range of products and services would appeal to companies seeking

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a comprehensive solution to their needs. with staff’s commitment to relationships with customers and principals; and their competency in delivering required solutions, goldbell engineering is able to realise its mission of Anticipating needs.

Surpassing expectations. With the Goldbell touch. goldbell engineering’s corporate Values of being committed to relationships and competent in delivery defines staff behaviour towards customers, principals and external stakeholders. “we value the importance of relationships and demonstrate it so in our commitment towards building long-term relations with you. such a relationship is also founded on our ethos of being competent - in delivering the required industrial vehicle; and, in delivering the best service to you.” unlike most other companies’ static taglines, goldbell engineering’s dynamic tagline of its ever-increasing number of companies served is both a constant reminder to staff to always be committed to relationships and competent in delivery; and a statement to goldbell engineering’s track record in successfully serving so many companies.

“Industrial Vehicles. 20,000 Served.

And Counting.” customers and staff of goldbell engineering continue to recognise the company as the reliable industrial vehicle provider. an industrial vehicle is defined to be any driver-controlled, self-propelled vehicle designed for transportation, load carrying, and other specialised applications. this includes all categories of commercial vehicles and industrial equipment - of which other companies would tend to normally only specialise in one or the other. “we are always looking towards the future to provide better solutions to all your industrial vehicle needs.”

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LeXBuiLd The Face of Tomorrow, Today lexBuild is a premier multi-modal transport engineering service provider with interests in engineering solutions, project management, reconstruction/ repair and distribution. lexBuild was incorporated in may 2000 and has garnered the opportunities over the years. we have evolved to provide a wide spectrum of expert services in the following fields: rolling stock engineering and refurbishment services Buses Distribution, engineering and services support speciality Vehicle Design, Build or reconstruction accident repair and reconstruction services Parts sourcing, stockist and supply Tel +65 6456 3533

www.LexBuild.com the leasing arm of the business has a 70 percent market share in singapore and a fleet size of 4500 vehicles. the group’s distributed vehicles and equipment are highly reliable and durable. this has only been possible through a strong and long-term working relationship with manufacturers and principals, enabling the company to provide the best quality products and support. “our sales personnel are trained to place the customers’ interest as paramount consideration by anticipating their needs and matching specifications that are tailored to their requirements.” goldbell engineering looks forward to continue the fulfilment of industrial vehicle needs for organisations of sizes both large and small. “we will always aim for ever higher standards of quality products and customer service. with our wealth of hard-earned experience, we understand how important it is for construction projects to have

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We will always aim for ever higher standards of quality products and customer service. With our wealth of hardearned experience, we understand how important it is for construction projects to have functioning equipment/vehicles”

functioning equipment/vehicles as these construction projects are usually run on a very tight schedule and any delay, no matter how slight, will result in extra costs for the clients.”

Maintaining vehicles to a High standard with their comprehensive range of service menus, goldbell engineering strive to assist clients in reducing their downtime and distressing mechanical failure, which can both be costly experiences. “our offering of different service menus means that we will be able to cater to your specific needs. our service packages are designed according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, while taking into consideration the specific local operating conditions.” when a client signs up for one of goldbell’s service packages, the vehicle will receive a premium level of servicing if the need arises. “we only use genuine

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parts; our work scope during servicing is not limited to replacing lubricating oil and filters but consists of the thorough essential inspection/preventive maintenance checks to maintain your vehicle in prime condition.” Essentially, these service packages are designed to help optimise the lifespan of vehicle components such as the engine and transmission, in addition to improving the overall fuel efficiency.

“We look after our drivers” The Goldbell Driver’s Club (GDC) is an initiative by Goldbell Engineering Pte Ltd to bring together all drivers from all sectors, regardless of age, gender and nationality. GDC will front all overseas trips, special events, and GDC sponsored specials. Exclusive for Mitsubishi Fuso and King Long commercial vehicle drivers, the GDC was formed with the purpose of rewarding its members through overseas trips, event specials, offers

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At Goldbell Engineering, we look after our drivers.

That’s just one more reason why people choose us” and promotions and other valueadded benefits.

Part of being in this club includes exclusive access to The Driver’s Hub, a 192m2 facility located at Tuas Avenue 18 service centre for drivers to enjoy peace and quiet, a welcome break and some refreshments while their vehicles are being repaired or serviced.

Lavishly furnished with clubhouse facilities and full air-conditioning, the Driver’s Hub allows drivers to fully relax while taking advantage of our comprehensive facilities, which include complimentary showers, resting areas, a pool table and TV. After stopping by at the Drivers’ Hub for a break, drivers can take to the road again fully recharged

and alert. “At Goldbell Engineering, we look after our drivers. That’s just one more reason why people choose us.”

The Goldbell name has long been recognised for its stellar service standards within the industry, and this was underscored with one of its subsidiaries winning the “International Distributor of the Year 2013”, “Best After Sales 2013” and “Special Achievement Award 2013” awards from Mitsubishi Fuso. Thus, Goldbell Engineering has gained a strong reputation as a reliable supplier of commercial vehicles and industrial equipment that clients can trust, to give companies ConvenienceWhenever, Wherever.

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Branching Out Jaya Tiasa are one of Malaysia’s fastest growing oil palm players Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Tom Cullum

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aya Tiasa Holdings Berhad is a company listed on the Main Board of Bursa Securities Berhad, with a market capitalisation exceeding RM2.5 billion. The Group started off as a downstream wood processing company in Tanjong Ensurai, Sarawak in 1983. By 1994, Jaya Tiasa had constructed another four processing mills and proceeded to open them.

Dato’ Wong Sie Young, CEO of Jaya Tiasa, outlines how the Group have grown over the last 12 years: “Our timber processing operations have grown significantly over the years. In 2002, we diversified into the oil palm business. Our first Crude Palm Oil (CPO) mill commenced operation in 2009. Today, we are one of Sarawak’s leading oil palm players with an estimated plantable area of about 70,900 hectares, as well as being one of Malaysia’s foremost fully integrated timber producers, with access to over 1.76 million acres of timber concessions and an annual turnover of more than RM1 billion.”

As of May 2014, the Group have a workforce of about 4,500 employees who have a diverse mixture of backgrounds, experiences and expertise across its operations. To meet future challenges, remain competitive and ensure continued growth of their business, Jaya Tiasa strive to be an attractive employer with the ability to recruit, develop and retain the best people. “We develop our employees through training and education, respect individual integrity and human rights, offer fair pay and advancement opportunities and maintain a safe and motivating working environment,” says Wong.

Jaya Tiasa are constantly looking at new ways to expand operations sustainably. Their second CPO mill was commissioned in July 2013 with a

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7 K E Y F A C T O R S I N J A Y A T I A S A’ S Business sTraTegy

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availability of resources. a sustainable log supply from natural forest and planted forest. availability of a huge land bank for the development of the oil palm plantation. favourable age profile of palms.

Diversified export markets for our timber and timberbased products. established product/brand in the market place with good customer relationships. strategic location: a. timber processing factories within the vicinity of the concession areas as well as a sea port providing ease of export. b. existing cPo & future cPo mills located within the estates, thus saving on transportation cost.

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good financial ability.

PRoJEcts

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Development and maintenance of oil palm plantations and sales of fresh fruit Bunches (ffB); Palm oil milling and sales of cPo and palm kernel; extraction and sales of logs; manufacturing and distribution of plywood, veneer and sawn timber; Development and maintenance of planted forests.

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processing capacity of 60-mt per hour of ffB. the construction of a third cPo mill is commissioned for august 2014, which will boast a processing capacity of 120-mt per hour of ffB. “our target is to complete planting of our entire plantable area by early 2015. as of 31st march 2014, we had planted about 93% of our plantable area. we are also keeping pace with planting our forest plantations and currently in 2014, 29,063 hectares (21%) out of total plantable area of 140,377 hectares have been planted,” states wong.

Crude Palm Oil (CPO)

Jaya tiasa’s cPo milling has become a profitable venture but the markets are beginning to slow down a little. malaysia and indonesia are the world’s largest producers of palm oil. however, the el niño spell that hit the region since the beginning of this year is threatening supply. the prospects of a reduced output and rising global demand may push up prices, so wong is anticipating business in the market to be in the short to medium term. china is the world’s second largest palm oil consumer after india. however, its recent economic contraction is likely to dampen the exports for palm oil, thereby easing prices. the local palm oil industry is also facing stiff competition from indonesia, where more and more companies are turning to the sector due to its rich returns. the anticipated higher production of soya bean from Brazil and the us will cause soya bean oil prices to plunge. canada, the world’s top producer of canola, recorded the best harvesting record of the crop last year. such competing vegetable oils could potentially harm the palm oil rally. the malaysian government mandate to use B5 on 1st July 2014 and the indonesian government recent raising

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of the biodiesel mandate from 7.5% to 10% will lead to more cPo feedstock usage in biodiesel production. this will drive up the cPo demand, thus lowering inventory. this is again a positive sign for better cPo pricing. it is Jaya tiasa’s policy to ensure that their products comply with all regulatory criteria and adhere strictly to sustainable forestry and plantation practices to safeguard environmental and social values. in pursuit of this objective, they have obtained several green certifications including the CE Marking certification, which certifies that their plywood products have met european union health, safety, and environmental requirements. they have also obtained the Japanese Agricultural Standards

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We are one of Sarawak’s leading oil palm players with an estimated plantable area of about 70,900 hectares, as well as being one of Malaysia’s foremost fully integrated timber producers”

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(Jas) certification, which certifies that the quality of their plywood product meets their specific standard requirements for use in Japan; the California Air Resources Board (carB) certification, which verifies that their composite wood products (hardwood plywood) are in compliance with strict formaldehyde emission standards as stipulated in the california code of regulations; and the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No.15 (isPm15) Wood Packaging Material Treatment Providers certification. “this final” certification is very important to us as it was awarded in recognition of our efforts to reduce the spread of timber pests associated with solid timber packing material,” cites wong.

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OIL PALM DIVISION

• Pursue 25% growth in ffB production for the coming year. the oil palm division is expected to be a major contributor to the group’s earnings in the future. currently it contributes about 30% of the total group revenue • explore opportunities to increase plantation hectarage • Plan to build and commission the fourth cPo mill next year to meet the higher crop levels from nearby plantations

Dato’ wong sie Young, ceo of Jaya tiasa

Plywood, Veneer, Sawn timber and Logs

Japan has increased its import volume of panel products to meet not only the vigorous housing requirements but also in preparation for the various development projects, including the 2020 olympics games; which the country will be hosting.

Jaya tiasa’s production and shipment of domestic plywood in Japan reached an all-time high this year, however demand is still much higher than the current rate of production output, something that wong is keen to address over the coming year.

Demand for logs in india is expected to continue at current levels, driven by the country’s needs for affordable timber for building and renovation projects. india will continue to be the key tropical log importing country.

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We have an unwavering commitment to our vision and mission statement throughout the Group and I will continue to ensure that this is shown throughout our work and projects”

PLYWOOD DIVISION

• invest in machinery upgrading to peel logs of smaller diameter to increase wood recovery rate • increase flexibility in the deployment of resources and to closely monitor the cost of production • continue upgrading existing plywood products by focusing on producing and exporting valueadded products for niche markets which offer premium pricing • concentrate on supplying certified plywood products to effectively exploit a rising number of markets that demand certified wood products

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“We are therefore optimistic of the timber market especially with development going on in India.

This will help to lead the market uptrend for other countries,” says Wong. “We are upbeat about the tropical log market following the Myanmar ban on all exports of logs in April 2014. Myanmar is Asia Pacific’s fifth largest log producer and third largest log exporter. With the export ban coming into effect, we expect to boost our log export quantity to India, especially the peeling grade, such as Meranti and Mixed Light Hardwood species, which were in the past reserved for the Japanese market,” Wong further states, and is confident that Jaya Tiasa will fill the void left in the market.

Challenging Times

Oil palm plantations and wood processing mills are labour intensive industries. Locals are not keen to work in such industries resulting in a huge dependency on foreign labour, particularly from Indonesia. However, Indonesia itself is also undergoing rapid development of its oil palm plantations, which requires a large domestic labour force. Its local demand coupled with its rapid increase in minimum wages and the comparatively lower costs of living are critically affecting recruitment and retention. Labour shortage is generally the most pressing issue faced by all labour intensive industries in Sarawak, with the plantation sector most severely affected due to its less conducive working environment.

Another factor affecting the industry is the increase in overall costs involved, such as labour costs, resulting from the implementation of the new minimum wage policy, products such as fertilisers, pesticides,

machineries and spare parts. All of these have significantly increased production cost, which in turn are also adversely impacting the bottom line of the Group.

Wong is also mindful of obstacles the Group face that they have no control over: “Inclement weather is another critical issue that affects our operations causing less favourable harvesting, inconsistent supply and transportation problems. This is worsened by the current unpredictable and chaotic weather pattern which undermines planning.”

One area that Wong is keen to address in the market is how to remain competitive amidst strong competition from other market players, who are producing different brands and/or substitute products. With the consumers always looking for cheaper ways

to buy products at the expense of quality, the imitation market is growing stronger and genuine companies have found it to be a frustrating problem.

Diversification and Success

Jaya Tiasa have been strategically diversifying their operations into the oil palm business, which has become a booming one in recent years. The Group have successfully planted a total area of 65,005 hectares, of which 55,438 hectares have matured as at 31st March 2014. The commissioning of their second CPO mill in 2013 has been very successful in supporting the higher crop levels from their surrounding plantations.

“We have invested heavily in machineries to assist in our field operations, especially in the area of infield FFB evacuation. Mechanisation has greatly increased the productivity of the workers and hence mitigated

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the dependency on more labour,” wong states. the success of Jaya tiasa’s market diversification strategy is another noteworthy achievement. with the export of quality logs and wood-based products to more than 10 countries, the group have one of the most diversified export sales markets among the malaysian timber companies, which puts them in a commanding position in the asia lumber market.

Jaya tiasa have in place a highly effective transport system and a strong logistics team, meaning Jaya tiasa can transport their log stock, either for sale or for downstream processing, within the allotted time and always with no damage to the product. the group pride themselves on ensuring that all logs harvested are either sold, converted to panel products or utilised and delivered on time. wong, however, is always on the lookout for potential new ways to further streamline the business model and increase production level. “Perhaps, the most immediate improvement i would like is to implement more mechanisation initiatives at our estates, including the use of the bin system for sending ffB to the mills. eventually, we hope to mechanise crop and field maintenance where possible, but this is more of a future plan than a current one,” he remarks.

a Trend in need

the malaysian government has initiated the malaysian sustainable Palm oil (msPo) and the sarawak oil Palm Plantation owners association (soPPoa) has reaffirmed its commitment to adopt msPo for the local oil palm industry. many local planters have expressed their positive feedback on msPo. “we also welcome this certification that takes into consideration the state geographic and economic conditions, and can really benefit us in the long run,” says wong.

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LOGGING DIVISION

• continue to emphasise and enforce good forest management • improve operational efficiency through stringent monitoring of logging equipment and machines to ensure optimal utilisation • Prominent logistic planning to ensure timely production and delivery to safeguard the quality of logs and to improve grading for better pricing • implement a phased approach to obtain forest management certification

REFORESTATION DIVISION

• continue to invest for the future viability of the group in keeping with the world’s move towards conservation of natural forests and ensuring the sustainability of forest resources • endeavour to add reforestation area while focusing on improving workforce management, enhancing work standards and engaging more contractors and manpower for the project • strengthen research and development • Planted forests require a maturity period of 12 to 15 years in order to provide commercially exploitable timber. in this respect, the forest plantations division is anticipated to positively contribute to the group’s earnings by the year 2022.

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At this present moment, palm oil milling companies are under increasing pressure from the government to reduce the industry’s environmental impacts. More and more are looking to build composting plants to convert the palm oil milling wastes into organic fertilisers. The compost is a nutrient supplement for the healthy growth of the palm trees, which will help to increase the FFB yield and thus generate more revenue for the plantation.

The present labour supply shortcoming has compelled the plantation industry to maximise mechanisation to improve operation and reduce dependency on manual labour. There is definitely an accelerating deployment of some form of mechanisation in the industry.

Although mechanisation is popularly being used for in field FFB evacuation, many are also trying to mechanise other aspects of the field operation.

The Malaysian Palm Oil Board has done some research on mechanisation and is keenly promoting it to overcome the labour shortage. Jaya Tiasa hope to capitalise on their findings and industry feedback in order to find the most suitable mechanisation to deploy.

Optimising the Future

Jaya Tiasa have built up a successful Group, not just by looking at short term goals and gains, but rather looking towards medium and long term plans. Wong says that the Group have outlined strong plans for the Group’s growth in short and long term options: “In brief, our short term plan is to strengthen current measures to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness across all our business divisions, and to intensify our marketing strategy in exploring new opportunities for greater market penetration. Our long term plan is to seize any opportunities that may arise for expansion, as well as continuously

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developing the existing businesses to create value for shareholders.”

The supply chain is very significant to Jaya Tiasa’s business operations and is very important to their customers.

“We need a smooth and continuous chain from our vendors and contractors who supply the necessary goods and services to enable us to produce, sell and tailor our products, and to deliver them to our buyers in a timely fashion in order to remain in the competitive market. We need effective, expedient and reliable partners who can ensure product quality because we are very conscious of our image,” Wong explains.

Jaya Tiasa will import contractors with specific areas of expertise and heavy machineries, but wherever possible, they will always try to source locally due to their continued commitment to boost the Malaysian economy and stay a truly Malaysian company.

Belief and Values Breed Success

Jaya Tiasa are guided by the fundamental beliefs that certain organisational values must be in place and these values take precedence alongside the need to make a profit. Such beliefs include the need to strike a balance between their financial and non-financial performance, by placing greater emphasis on being a socially and environmentally responsible Group.

Jaya Tiasa also believe in having an effective and efficient management to formulate fast and responsive long and short term strategies in all areas to ensure they emerge with the competitive edge. Finally, the Group always place collaboration and recognition of contributions at all levels among staff as a top priority. “We have an unwavering commitment to our vision and mission statement throughout the Group and I will continue to ensure that this is shown throughout our work and projects,” says Wong.

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Proud of CSR

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) plays a very important role at Jaya Tiasa as they strongly believe that being socially and environmentally responsible is the key to the sustainability of their long term business success. “We have to ensure our sustainable operation will continue to benefit the communities in which we operate, both environmentally and socially,” Wong explains. He goes on to mention that: “We have always been active in CSR activities and over the years have organised various charity drives for the autistic society, refuge centre, kidney foundation, and other local society care centres.”

Jaya Tiasa were recently honoured with another award by the Malaysian Red Crescent for their annual Give Blood, Save Life blood donation drive last year, which helped saved lives as well as replenishing the local hospital’s blood bank. It is an award that they have received for the fourth year running and it is a testimony to their continuing commitment to contributing in society.

When it comes to the workplace, Jaya Tiasa are constantly striving to become the best employer; their corporate mantra is to be the ‘Employer of Choice’. “One of our aims is to provide a supportive working environment in which all employees receive the relevant training in their area of work so that they will work more effectively and productively, as well as enhancing their professional development. We have a training and development department wholly dedicated to organising these trainings to upgrade the knowledge and skills of our workers to meet our business goals,” says Wong, who is very proud of Jaya Tiasa’s staff training initiatives.

Jaya Tiasa also believes in the development and maintenance of a balanced, healthy, and conducive work environment for continuous learning and personal growth. They try to achieve this by striking a work-life balance and promote healthy living

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Tune Insurance

T

he corporate vision for Tune Insurance has always been to be simple, innovative and to create industry standards.

Adding to their list of achievements and milestones was the introduction of Tune Ins Investor App Access+; Tune Insurance’s very own app. Be it investors, media or consumers, the app allows you into the creative and growing world of Tune Insurance through their contemporary and comprehensive application, with a simple click.

“With this development, Tune Insurance aims to connect with its investors and consumers anytime, anywhere,” explained Peter Miller, CEO of Tune Ins Holdings Berhad. “Information that previously would require them to log on to our website to obtain, can now be accessed through one convenient digital channel, the Tune Ins Investor App Access+,” he said.

www.tuneinsurance.com for their employees with the holding of recreational and sports activities, annual dinners, festive gatherings and vacation trips.

Safety First

Safety in the work place is the highest priority for the Group. The Safety and Health Department conduct frequent quality audits and safety checks at individual sites all year round to ensure that all safety requirements and precautions are strictly observed. A series of in-house training seminars on safety and health such as fire-fighting and fire drills, as well as workshops to create awareness on occupational hazards and promote workplace/ environmental safety and cleanliness, are organised and take place throughout the year.

Jaya Tiasa’s operations boast the highest environmental standards and are in compliance with environmental laws and regulations. In the Group’s

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daily logging operations, they are using the Reduce Impact Logging (RIL) techniques to minimise the negative impact of log harvesting on the environment and wildlife. “We are very much aware that deforestation causes climate change; hence forests are regenerated through our reforestation efforts to reduce global warming. Currently, three ongoing forest plantation projects involving a total area of more than 235,000 hectares are being carried out by us,” proclaims Wong.

For their oil palm division, Jaya Tiasa practice zero burning during land clearing and have adopted good agricultural practices in water management, manuring and weeding. In controlling pests, they have vastly reduced dependency on the usage of chemical pesticides by adopting biological controls and integrated pest management practices involving the use of light traps and planting of beneficial plants.

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Three of our subsidiary oil palm companies have enlisted specialist companies to set up a bio-digester system to ensure that no hazardous gases are being released into the environment by routing the trapped gas emitted to our CPO mills as clean and renewable fuel”

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By-products such as Mesocarp fibre and palm kernel shells are utilised as feedstock for power generation in Jaya Tiasa’s palm oil mills. Empty fruit bunches (EFB) are recycled for application in the fields as mulch, whereas palm oil mill effluents (POME) are biologically treated before being discharged to the watercourse. The Group have also built a composting plant at one of their CPO mills to turn oil mill wastes into bio-organic fertilisers, which can then be used on the plantations.

“We are a responsible Group and believe in a clean living environment. Three of our subsidiary oil palm companies have enlisted specialist companies to set up a bio-digester system to ensure that no hazardous gases are being released into the environment by routing the trapped gas emitted to our CPO mills as clean and renewable fuel,” says Wong.

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Spark THE

of S i n g a p o r e

Not only does Houston Electric have an excellent reputation, their extensive project list over the last twelve months signals continued and sustainable company growth Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager James Mitchell

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ince Directors Jenny tan and Jimson wee formed the company in 1993, houston electric has witnessed strong growth. for 21 years, the company has been supplying specialist electric products and general electrical supplies to the oil and gas sector, water treatment and petrochemical plants. “our company has three departments: a project sales department, which caters mostly to projects and provide customers a full package which refers to products assembled to meet our customer’s requirements, instead of just individual components. we have an mro (maintenance, repair and operations) department, which caters specifically to drilling companies mro requirements & day to day purchases; and a further department in charge of selling products that we are the authorised distributors of,” says Jimson wee, one of the company Directors. houston electric is the authorised distributor for renowned brands such as appleton, eaton, sola hD, conax technologies, siba fuses, shihlin transformers and rPs.

aTeX and nec Product standards

houston electric’s wide range of products comply with both european atex and american nec standards, enabling them to provide the appropriate products to meet various customer requirements effectively. further, the company is iso:9001 and Bizsafe level 3 certified and is registered with the local Building and construction authority in order to keep up with the relevant standards, as wee comments: “in recent years, we have noticed an increase in projects requiring products complying to european safety standards.” alongside the ability to supply products that meet different

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We have the strength and depth within our workforce to provide electrical components and parts to our customers at short notice”

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Jenny Tan , Director

Jimson Wee, Director

certification requirements, staff with many years of experience and in-depth technical knowledge enable the company to handle the necessary technical clarifications for projects.

“We have the strength and depth within our workforce to provide electrical components and parts to our customers at short notice,” Jenny Tan further emphasises, keen to highlight the importance of a competent sales team.

Supplying to Big Names

Not only does Houston Electric have an excellent reputation, their extensive project list signals continued and sustainable company growth.

Examples of some of their projects from the past 6 months include:

For deliveries, we have our own logistics department and also work with local transport companies to deliver goods locally. As part of this process, our logistics supervisor liaises with both parties in order to maximise our daily deliveries”

Supplying ex-proof Control and Distribution Panels to Sandra Project for Siemens Supplying ex-proof Control and Distribution Panels for ABB Supplying LED Lightings to the OWA Project for CBI Supplying Middle Voltage Switchgears to Exxon Mobil Supplying general purpose Transformers to the Saudi Sabic Project for Daelim Tight deadlines are to be anticipated within the oil and gas industry, therefore supply chain is of vital

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importance to a company like Houston Electric. “For deliveries, we have our own logistics department and also work with local transport companies to deliver goods locally.

As part of this process, our logistics supervisor liaises with both parties in order to maximise our daily deliveries,” Tan continues: “When importing goods from our principal companies, we work with our forwarders. This is in addition to carrying a large inventory of stock at all times, in order to ensure that we can always meet customer needs.”

By securing a strong relationship with suppliers, the company in turn feel they receive greater support in return for their hard work.

But what makes Houston Electric’s supply chain so unique? Tan says it is the speed and efficiency of the MRO team: “We understand that most drilling companies require swift responses and deliveries, hence, this team works closely with our supplier and logistics networks to ensure that on time delivery. Our wide supply network ensures that we can source products for customers quickly.”

Working with Multi-Nationals

Currently, Houston Electric is working with various multi-national drilling companies and strives to constantly improve the internal workings of the company. “We believe in constant improvement, and as such, we have transformed the company internally for greater role clarity, which has increased overall productivity,” cites Tan. Moreover, the company hope to increase their overseas customer base accordingly, whilst they also reach out to more local companies.

To support this is a team of hard working and highly trained staff, which Tan sees as a crucial component in the company success: “We believe in taking care of our staff and making sure they are happy at work. Testament to

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We believe in constant improvement, and as such, we have transformed the company internally for greater role clarity, which has increased overall productivity”

these efforts, one of our employees, madam Pang, has been with us for 16 years and counting.” houston electric also provides regular internal training in order to equip staff with skills and knowledge to serve customers better.

Giving Back to Singapore houston electric feels that as an internationally-recognised company, it is important that they give something

back to the community. in 2014, the company donated to several causes including: singapore children’s society, sasco senior citizens home, Pcs lifeblood centre and singapore Buddhist free clinic. “we believe it is imperative that we invest some of our time in giving back to society, and we do so in various forms,” says wee.

Both tan and wee believe that a combination of hard work and taking

advantage of opportunities quickly when they arise is a key component to houston electric’s success. “it is our consistency and reliability of service to customers that stand us above the rest. in turn, this fosters trust, which results in repeat business and indeed, it gives me great satisfaction when we receive positive feedback from our customers,” tan proudly concludes.

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Tender Loving Care

Assunta Hospital, a pioneering private healthcare provider in Malaysia and the first private hospital in the Klang Valley, is backed by a legacy of caring and dedicated healthcare delivery Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Eddie Clinton

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alaysia is often referred to as the “Asian Dragon” and its healthcare system boasts of high-end hospitals that provide excellent services.

The industry – divided into private and public healthcare – has undergone huge transformation since the country’s independence in 1957 and the government is committed to improving the system, having already achieved universal coverage for the population.

Governmental sources describe the sector as “a major resource which is critical to the success of the nation’s socio-economic status”.

Among the country’s first tier medical provides is Assunta Hospital, a pioneering private healthcare provider with a sound history of providing “quality and affordable healthcare for all”.

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A History of Delivery

A look through the history books shows that Assunta, based in Petaling Jaya, a satellite city developed in 1952 to ease the problem of overpopulation in Kuala Lumpur, has always been committed to delivering dedicated healthcare across all levels of society.

Assunta started small. What would later become the hospital opened its doors soon after Petaling Jaya’s birth.

It was established by four Franciscan Missionaries of Mary nuns and was originally a small clinic named Ave Maria, serving the healthcare needs of the underprivileged.

Through public donations, the little clinic soon expanded to include a maternity home and convent. By 1957, the population of Petaling Jaya had grown so rapidly that the clinic-

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Assunta Hospital is the only medical centre in Malaysia offering pastoral care to patients and families in times of need

The Maternal and Child Unit offers comprehensive services including antenatal classes and services, delivery, breastfeeding counselling and more

The hospital’s Physiotherapy Unit includes a Hydro Pool and dedicated physiotherapists

cum-maternity home could no longer meet the needs of the people. Led by philanthropist Tun Leong Yew Koh, a large-scale fundraising event was conducted, successfully raising enough funds to build the hospital on its current location in 1959. More major milestones were achieved in 1961, when Assunta Hospital started a new ward and became the first private hospital with an operating theatre.

Now, over 60 years on, the hospital remains dedicated to a mission that values the sanctity of life and places the highest priority on treating every individual with dignity. One common approach is adopted by all at the hospital – holistic care.

The modern 344-bed, technologically advanced specialist facility prides itself on providing the utmost in quality, safe and compassion-driven healthcare

A pioneering private healthcare provider with a sound history of providing quality and affordable healthcare for all”

services which are “cost effective to all members of the community regardless of race, colour, creed or gender”.

This has earned the hospital the trust of generations upon generations of families; further strengthening its mantra of possessing the “heart and art of care”.

Specialist Services Assunta Hospital offers a wide spectrum of services including digital diagnostic imaging through the use of medically advanced diagnostic tools such as: the 64 multi-slice Computerised Tomographic (CT) scanner and 1.5 Tesla 32 channel Magnetic Resonance Imager (MRI); minimally invasive and image guided surgery; comprehensive physiotherapy services such as hydrotherapy, musculoskeletal and

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Consultant Gynaecologist and Obstetrician Dr Cecilia Wong helps women understand their bodies better during pregnancy

orthopaedics; hyperbaric oxygen therapy; birthing services for women and infants; neonatal care; intensive care; pastoral care; comprehensive laboratory services and a complete scale of services for the diagnosis and treatment of heart and vascular disease including angiograms, angioplasties, stents, balloons, pacemaker implantations, open heart surgeries. the not-for-profit tertiary private healthcare centre also offers advanced medical treatments such as the x-treme lateral interbody fusion (x-lif), unilateral knee replacement, staple and laser haemorrhoidectomy and major laparoscopic surgeries. all of the hospital’s specialists are highly trained leaders in their fields, with some who had obtained their specialisation from overseas such as the uk and australia, and often serve as points of reference for younger doctors in the industry. as assunta’s doctors are at the forefront of their practice, the hospital constantly holds continuous Professional Development (cPD) programmes as an initiative to grow the medical profession. to provide quality care, patient safety is a top priority, which gained the hospital accreditation from the malaysian society of Quality in health, the country’s local equivalent of the internationally-recognised Joint commission international (Jci).

at The Heart of care

The Paediatric Wards are decorated with cheerful animations to keep young patients happy and compliant

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assunta continues to pour its heart and soul to community work, with a minimum 30 percent of the hospital’s profits returned to charitable projects, some of which have even won regional recognition, such as the Passionately You campaign initiated in 2008 to raise awareness on cancers of the breast and cervix. through assunta integrated social services (assiss), the hospital offers palliative care and pastoral support,

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DIGISTAR (PANTHER 911)

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igistar was established in 1982 and is listed in the malaysia stock exchange in 2003. the company has more than 30 years of experience and spent over 2 years in research and development to develop the unique security central monitoring system (“cms”) with the brand name of Panther 911 that is designed for all security requirements. Panther 911 central monitoring system (cms) is uniquely designed to integrate with any home alarm system, office or business security system and others. awarded with the central monitoring system (cms) license from the ministry of home affairs (kementerian Dalam negeri), Panther 911 is the first unique security solution in malaysia that delivers and provides real-time security monitoring services and complements all existing alarm systems. cms command centres are located in four states, kuala lumpur (central region), Penang (northern region), Johor Bharu (southern region) and malacca (Backup centre).

Panther 911 technology and services are unlike any other currently in the market and it is the 1st in malaysia with real-time guarding and monitoring command centres.

Panther 911 offers security monitoring services to residential, commercial, industrial and public property via its comprehensive internet Protocolbased platform and latest hi-tech surveillance technology along with the state-of-the-art security solution with mobile and data services not only assures safety and security to home and retail owners, but also to those on the road through our Vehicle tracking and sos escalation system.

Panther 911 was officiated by the inspector general of Police, YDh tan sri Dato’ sri khalid abu Bakar on 25th april 2014.

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The Intensive Care Unit is fully-equipped with the latest equipment to ensure patients get the best care during their most vulnerable moments

Times are changing. People today have tight working schedules and have difficulty finding time to book a health screening. We believe that you@Assunta is what they need, as it allows them to book a health screening any time of the day or night, even after office hours”

becoming the only medical facility to offer such services.

The Mobile Van, which visits seven locations monthly to provide basic healthcare services to the poor and underprivileged, is an extension of the outreach services offered by the FMM nuns in the 1960s. Today, the well-equipped van bringing nurses, volunteer doctors and a repertoire of modern medicines continue with this legacy.

On home ground, the Assunta Palliative Care Services (AsPACC) offers valuable emotional and spiritual support for the terminally ill and their family members, while the Pastoral Care Service provides support to any patients and caregivers who need a listening ear.

Apart from that, residents from selected social organisations such as RumahOzanam, RumahJuara, the Assunta Children’s’ Society and the National Society of St Vincent De Paul are entitled to free outpatient treatment to help them reduce healthcare costs.

Moving Ahead

Spacious and comfortable rooms with natural sunlight offer a conducive healing environment

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Committed to pioneering healthcare, Assunta also focuses on preventive healthcare apart from practising curative healthcare. This has resulted in the recent launch of you@ Assunta, a mobile app service for patients to book and pay on-the-spot for health screening.

A first for Malaysia, you@Assunta is targeted at busy urbanites who seek “convenience” and ease in making health a priority for themselves and their families.

The app is part of the hospital’s initiative to evolve with the times and stay ahead in the healthcare industry says the hospital’s Clinical Services Director Dr Lourdes Dava Raj. “Times are changing. People today have tight working schedules and have difficulty finding time to book

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Spine surgeon Dr Chong Chee Seang looks at a patient’s x-rays to determine suitability for X-Lif, a minimallyinvasive spine surgery

a health screening. We believe that you@Assunta is what they need, as it allows them to book a health screening any time of the day or night, even after office hours,” Dr Lourdes says.

The idea for the app came about when the hospital management realised that there is often an overload of patients seeking various treatments or screenings on Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays.

It was discovered that this happens because most people tend to book their appointments on Monday, ending up with an appointment later in the week.

With you@Assunta, patients or their caregivers can have better control of their screening schedule.

The screening packages on you@Assunta are also priced lower

With you@Assunta, patients or their caregivers can have better control of their screening schedule”

than walk-in rates, offering more savings and reaching out to as many people as possible in today’s techsavvy world.

“With you@Assunta, patients or their caregivers can have better control of their screening schedule,” says Dr Lourdes. Around 20 packages are offered, including full blood tests, chest x-rays, lung function test, pap smear, ultrasound, women and men wellness packages, senior packages and more. you@Assunta can be downloaded at the Apple app store.

The hospital continues to push boundaries and enter new frontiers.

To learn more, please visit www.assunta.com.my or Facebook page @Assunta Hospital Malaysia.

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International Green Building Conference Marina Bay Sands Singapore

1-3 September 2014 www.sgbw.com.sg

Hedge Funds World

Renaissance Harbour View Hotel Hong Kong

3-5 September 2014

en Construction Materials Exp Asia

Hall 5, IMPACT Exhibition Centre Bangkok Thailand

18-20 September 2014

www.consmat-asia.com

Concrete Expo Asia

Hall 6, IMPACT Exhibition Centre Bangkok Thailand

http://bit.ly/1qae61A

18-20 September 2014

Asia Fruit Logistica

BMAM Expo Asia

AsiaWorld-Expo Hong Kong

3-5 September 2014

www.concrete-asia.com

Hall 5, IMPACT Exhibition Centre Bangkok Thailand

www.asiafruitlogistica.com

18-20 September 2014

Medical Manufacturing Asia

Green Buildings and Retrofits Expo Asia

Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre Singapore

9-11 September 2014 www.medmanufacturing-asia.com

Rail Asia Business 2014

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Jalan Ampang Malaysia

9-11 September 2014 www.railbusinessasia.org

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www.maintenance-asia.com

Hall 5, IMPACT Exhibition Centre Bangkok Thailand

18-20 September 2014 www.greenbuilding-asia.com

PULIRE Asia Pacific

Hall 4, IMPACT Exhibition Centre Bangkok Thailand

18-20 September 2014 www.pulire-asiapacific.com

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Singapore Jewellery and Gem Fair Marina Bay Sands Singapore

2 3 - 2 6 Oc to b e r 2 0 1 4

www.singaporejewellerygemfair.com

Asia Pacific Conference for Deans and Directors Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

2 9 - 3 1 Oc to b e r 2 0 1 4 www.mbaworld.com

6th Annual Conference on Education Rihga Royal Hotel Osaka Japan

2 8 Oc tOBER 0 2 N o v E M BER 2 0 1 4 www.iafor.org

Asia-Pacific Social Science Conference Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

7-9 November 2014 www.apssc.org

Enter the Asia-Pacific 速 Stevie Awards

All organizations in the 22 nations of the Asia-Pacific region are invited to nominate themselves in the 2015 Asia-Pacific Stevie速 Awards, which will recognize the best achievements in business through the region.

Complete entry details are available at http://Asia.StevieAwards.com

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