M&W Singapore
Cutting Edge Construction & Engineering Even though M+W Group can trace its roots back over a century, there is nothing antiquated about this project management giant. Specialising in complete turnkey solutions from concept development to rapid realisation, there is no reason why it can't keep going for another 100 years. Writer Chris Farnell Project manager James Mitchell From small and humble beginnings as a heating, ventilation and air conditioning manufacturer established back in 1912, M+W Group has grown into one of the world's leading global engineering, construction and project management companies. Based in Stuttgart for the past 100 years, M+W Group specialises in the fields of advanced technology facilities, life sciences and chemicals, energy and environment as well as high tech infrastructure. Prominent research institutes and universities as well as organisations in sectors such as electronics, automotive, security, IT and telecoms heavily rely on M+W Group to provide a complete and comprehensive project management solution, from concept development to turnkey services. All the while, the company remains committed to delivering rapid realisation, high quality standards and cost-effective completion. Contributing to the company's worldwide order intake of €3.58bn in 2012 is M+W Group's Asia division, which was founded in 1991 and currently based in Singapore. Despite having divisions all over the globe, the entire organisation focuses on delivering the same standard of work in all regions and prides itself on implementing European health and safety regulations for every project it carries out. 'Enabling New Horizons' until the very end At the start of 2013, M+W Group's former…
Sunhuan Holdings
Brick by Brick Singapore construction firm Sunhuan celebrates its 20th anniversary. Writer Ian Armitage Project manager Arron Rampling Ambitious companies can maximise business opportunities but the best companies also recognise that success depends on the ability to think strategically and to spot opportunities and threats on the horizon. This is part of the continued success behind Singapore-based Sunhuan Construction, a firm that was first established in 1993 as a sub-contractor and which has evolved to become a Class A1 General Building Contractor, qualified to tender for projects with unrestricted tender limits. "Sunhuan demonstrates high-level viability coupled with sustainability of our business in this competitive industry," says general manager Alex Pang. "For instance, Sunhuan has practiced the Design & Build concept to provide flexibility and adaptability in satisfying the diverse demands of our customers. We have regular dialogue sessions with industry players and business partners to make necessary changes to our business models so as to stay competitive. We have also complied with all the standards and requirements through our QEHS policy to provide within budget, timely, quality services and products to our customers. In addition, we have also partnered with architectural and structural firms to design unique and cost efficient projects that meets the energy efficient requirements of the present market needs." Sunhuan was founded by Sun Lai Fong – a migrant worker who came to Singapore from China 30 years ago – and he attributes the firm's success to being "in-line with the most stringent quality and safety requirements". Talking in a commemorative book that…
Huationg Holdings
A 21st Century Business The demands of the logistics and fabrication market sectors in the 21st century are more complex than ever, with business becoming ever more globalised and people expecting ever more from manufacturers. It's in this exciting and fast moving environment that Huationg Holdings has learned to thrive. Writer Chris Farnell Project manager Arron Rampling Under the leadership of Managing Director Lee Chin Tiong, Huationg has built a name for itself by using top of the range industrial equipment and facilities, operated by a team of well trained, capable staff with over 20 years of experience as a company. The company is well known in the oil and gas, construction, shipping port and marine infrastructure industries. Today the business consists of six separate yet interlinked companies, Huationg Inland Transport Service, Huationg Asia, Hua Resources, Huakeong Trading and LSS Construction Pte Ltd. It's reached this point over three decades of hard work and dedication from relatively humble beginnings in the 1980s. They have expanded into subsidiary businesses, and each of those businesses has built a strong reputation on their own. Through hard work, integrity, and most importantly, a strong cohesiveness between staff and management, the Huationg group is now a name that immediately brings to mind excellent service. Indeed, over the last year the company's revenue has jumped from $59 million to $66 million, and even now they are considering expanding their geographic footprint into Burma. Values That Matter The trouble with being a holding company is that your business will hold other businesses, each…
Incorporated Builders Group
Building from solid foundations The Incorporated Builders Group has been steadily building a reputation for quality since its inception in 1983. They've earned a real name for themselves in the delivery of real estate and construction-related services to a huge variety of corporate clients. Writer Chris Farnell Project manager Arron Rampling The company has achieved this by delivering an impeccable service in full- spectrum design, construction and engineering. With clients that range from residential and industrial projects to, commercial, retail, hospitality and infrastructure, they are the go-to guys for both private and municipal clients. One only needs to look at the numbers to see the regard that the Incorporated Builders Group is held in. For the past five years they've recorded over 270 million Singapore dollars in orders, with over $100 million in turnover and contracts worth more than $74 million in 2013 alone. They've done this by having a clear set of goals and principals that the whole firm adheres to strictly. "We aim to be a global leader in the building and real estate business," says group director Dean Lim. "We strive towards generating maximum value and returns for all our clients and stakeholders, while creating a positive impact on our surrounding environment and communities." A key part of this is the importance the Incorporated Builders Group places on transparency. They work hard at establishing a clear and transparent financial dialogue with their clients that includes the services of reputable independent valuation services, so that the client knows they are being quoted a true…
Hwa Seng Builder
Leading in Infrastructure Singapore-based Hwa Seng Builder Pte Ltd is a leading civil engineering and construction provider, providing an integrated range of professional civil engineering works and construction-related services. Writer Chris Farnell Project manager Arron Rampling Hwa Seng Builder Pte Ltd, or HSB as it's often known, is a young company but it has already amassed a proud history as a leading provider of civil engineering and construction in Singapore. According to Thomas Ng, managing director of the firm, in the years since its founding HSB has grown to become a force to be reckoned with within a number of highly competitive fields. "My company started 21 years ago," he says. "We're a civil engineering contractor that does all kinds of infrastructure work such as building expressways, bridges, and road and drainage systems. We also have subsidiaries which do some property development, particularly private apartments." Indeed, HSB is a name that you'll find behind a whole range of infrastructure projects around Singapore and its work is associated with not just expressways, bridges, drainage and roadways but also aircraft pavements, runways and taxi ways, earthworks, golf courses, sewerage and more. Originally established as a way of tapping into local technical know-how, expertise and resources, the company has become a go-to provider for the region thanks to the high level of quality it provides. "We have two decades of experience working in Singapore," Ng adds, clear about the ingredients that have mixed to create the company's success. "We have wide ranging experience in the field and also I…
Robinsons Land Corporation
The Lay of the Land Robinsons Land Corporation is one of the leading property developers in the Philippines, with an impressive and varied portfolio. Writer Chris Farnell Project manager Arron Rampling As Mybelle GoBio, Senior Vice President for Robinsons Residences, Luxuria and Communities of Robinsons Land Corporation explains, the company has built up an impressive reputation; "Robinsons Land Corporation is a leading and respected Philippine property developer that has a portfolio consisting of a diverse mix of developments. To-date, we have 62 residential condominium buildings, 32 subdivisions, 8 office buildings. 11 hotels and 35 shopping malls." Part of the reason Robinsons Land Corporation has become such a household name is that they cater to a wide array of potential markets. GoBio tells us, "We have four brands under our residential division. We have Robinsons Homes which was created primarily for first home buyers who prefer to live outside the urban areas. Robinsons Homes has over 21 subdivisions in the key provincial cities in the Philippines. Then there's our second brand, Robinsons Communities, which has developments typically located in close proximity to major central business districts and major transportation nodes. This is our group that offers compact and functional condominium units, catering to startup families, newly married couples, early nesters, young professionals. "Our third brand is the Robinsons Residences which offers convenient living spaces in urban centers. Our Residences projects are typically located within the major central business districts like the Bonifacio Global City, Ortigas Center, Manila City, Quezon City, Mandaluyong and Metro Cebu. Last but not…
Tung Shin Hospital
Q&A: Tung Shin Hospital The quality of healthcare is high in Malaysia, no more so than in its capital Kuala Lumpur which can boast of high-end hospitals that provide excellent services. In this unique Q&A we learn more about Tung Shin Hospital, an unassuming private hospital with humble origins as a traditional medicine dispensary and hospice called Pooi Shin Thong. It is a place where East meets West. Writer Ian Armitage Project manager Eddie Clinton Give me a brief introduction to Tung Shin. Who are you? Tung Shin Hospital is a non-profit community hospital established in 1881 and we will celebrate our 132nd anniversary on December 1, 2013. The hospital is unique in the sense that this is the only hospital in Malaysia and also Southeast Asia that practices dual-treatment - modern medicine and traditional Chinese medicine. What are your key strengths and what makes you unique? It is rare any organisation can celebrate its 132 years anniversary but this hospital has been serving the people for that entire period, irrespective of race, creed or religion. Everyone is entitled to the best care and we live by that mantra. What has the hospital been doing over the last year? We have been undergoing a bit of a revamp in recent years. The Western Division, which started almost 40 years ago, has seen some refurbishment especially at the old wards and the process has seen us invest in new equipment and upgrades at the Radiology and Imaging Department. In 2011, we invested in a Philips Ingenuity 128…
CMC Hospital Vellore
Making a difference Christian Medical College Vellore in Tamil Nadu, South India is a large Christian missionary healthcare organization. It has 8,500 staff, including 1,500 doctors and 2,500 other medical staff, as well as legions of administrative and support staff. They treat over 7,000 outpatients and over 2,600 inpatients. It's a massive operation, but its roots are relatively humble, going back 114 years to the turn of the 20th century. Writer Chris Farnell Project manager Eddie Clinton The hospital's director, Dr. Sunil Chandy, tells us the story, "The Christian Medical College is a 114 year old institution started by a third generation American missionary, called Ida Scudder who responded to a dramatic experience she had, as a call of God towards the needs of the community here. After seeing the conditions of the women in this country she went to the US and trained as a doctor, then came back and started a clinic in 1900. It expanded to a 200 bed hospital by 1929. This hospital was not just a service unit but a teaching hospital and a medical school. It now has a nursing college with 100 nurses being trained a year and a whole array of healthcare courses." In the first two years since Scudder arrived back in India she treated over 5,000 patients, laying the foundations for a legacy that the college is continuing over a century later. "We're supported by a council of 60 protestant churches. It's a not for profit charitable institution that provides comprehensive primary, secondary, tertiary and now…
APT Showfreight
A league of their own Asia Outlook speaks to APT Showfreight about airshows and working across different time zones. It's all in a day's work for one of Asia's largest exhibitions logistics companies. Writer Hannah Eiseman-Reynard Project manager James Mitchell PT Showfreight & Logistics Group is a culmination of five different companies coming together to offer a comprehensive package of niche logistics in specialty transport and logistics to the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) industry in Asia and the world. The companies are APT Showfreight Hong Kong, APT Showfreight Shanghai (with five offices in China), APT Showfreight Singapore, APT Showfreight Vietnam and APT Showfreight Thailand. This combination has enabled the APT Showfreight Group to offer a seamless service to customers in Asia, leveraging on the regional expertise of each office to offer bespoke services to meet the demands of customers together. Managing Director Danny Khor is the man charged with charting APT Showfreight's business course. He says the business came into being in 2008 to offer specialised exhibition and events logistics service to tradeshow and event organisers and customers in Asia. Notwithstanding the global financial crisis, the company persevered and with persistency in overcoming obstacles, it hasn't looked back. One of the biggest challenges was securing show appointments and in 2008 APT Showfreight was appointed as joint official forwarder and on-site handler for the Singapore Airshow (the third largest airshow in the world) in 2010 and 2012. Since then, they have proven their capability to handle mega logistics operations of this kind and have now…
Swiber Holdings
The flow of success Asia Outlook profiles Swiber Holdings Limited, a Singapore-based integrated construction and support services provider to the off shore oil and gas industry. Writer Ian Armitage Project Manager Sheridan Halls Singapore-based Swiber Holdings enjoyed quite the start to the current fiscal year, announcing that profi ts for the period ended June 30, 2013 rose 11.8 percent to $37.4 million from $33.5 million in the same period last year. Revenue also jumped 30.1 percent to $551.8 million up from $424.0 million in HY2012. "The fi rst half of this year has seen Swiber making strides in several ways. Notably, Swiber won several quality projects," says Mr Francis Wong, Group Chief Executive Officer and President of Swiber. "Our recently issued $150 million 6.5 percent fixed rate certificates under a newly established sukuk programme was met with warm investor response; a strong endorsement of our good financial standing. This will provide us with headroom for further expansion and growth. These achievements demonstrate Swiber's strong fundamentals and innovative streak, which will continue to be Swiber's competitive edge at project tenders at regional and international arenas." Recent contract wins include $330 million won by Swiber Group, while a joint venture company bagged a $105 million. The contracts are expected to be completed by 2015. Swiber reported in February that its first off shore contract wins for 2013, which involve the transportation and installation of pipeline and off shore structures in Southeast Asia, were valued at $153 million. "The off shore segment remains exciting and this round of sizeable…
Trelleborg Group
Ahead of the field Trelleborg Group's off shore operation is a global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of polymer-engineered solutions for the off shore oil and gas industry. Writer Ian Armitage Project manager Ben Weaver Trelleborg holds a long and successful track record in the off shore industry and has a strong reputation for quality, making it a first choice supplier to many key industry OEM's, contractors and operators. The secret behind its success is a "commitment to service from first enquiry to final delivery," says Ben Wait, Offshore Construction Customer Group Manager, Trelleborg Offshore and Construction. "Trelleborg is a world leader in engineering polymer solutions," he says. "We develop high-performance solutions that seal, damp and protect critical applications in demanding environments. "We provide innovative engineered solutions accelerate performance for customers in a sustainable way." Companies that in the past have been acquired by Trelleborg were rebranded Trelleborg in 2006, replacing the well-known industry names of CRP, OCP, Emerson & Cuming and Viking. Wait continues: "They were strategically acquired by Trelleborg in 2006 and the businesses merged. Trelleborg saw a gap in the portfolio and an opportunity within the market, so aimed to expand. Today Trelleborg's off shore operation is recognised as the market leader for providing engineered products manufactured from polymers and composites for the most demanding of applications. We're known for our reliable supply to all the major oil and gas fields around the world." Trelleborg is committed to innovation, pushing the boundaries of material science while focusing on sound project delivery.…
Tung Shin Hospital
Q&A: Tung Shin Hospital The quality of healthcare is high in Malaysia, no more so than in its capital Kuala Lumpur which can boast of high-end hospitals that provide excellent services. In this unique Q&A we learn more about Tung Shin Hospital, an unassuming private hospital with humble origins as a traditional medicine dispensary and hospice called Pooi Shin Thong. It is a place where East meets West. Writer Ian Armitage Project manager Eddie Clinton Give me a brief introduction to Tung Shin. Who are you? Tung Shin Hospital is a non-profit community hospital established in 1881 and we will celebrate our 132nd anniversary on December 1, 2013. The hospital is unique in the sense that this is the only hospital in Malaysia and also Southeast Asia that practices dual-treatment - modern medicine and traditional Chinese medicine. What are your key strengths and what makes you unique? It is rare any organisation can celebrate its 132 years anniversary but this hospital has been serving the people for that entire period, irrespective of race, creed or religion. Everyone is entitled to the best care and we live by that mantra. What has the hospital been doing over the last year? We have been undergoing a bit of a revamp in recent years. The Western Division, which started almost 40 years ago, has seen some refurbishment especially at the old wards and the process has seen us invest in new equipment and upgrades at the Radiology and Imaging Department. In 2011, we invested in a Philips Ingenuity 128…
Aetna International
Prevention and cure Aetna International delivers comprehensive global health insurance and health management solutions for mobile employees worldwide. Writer Chris Farnell Project manager Sheridan Halls With an ageing global population facing constantly changing circumstances, the healthcare industry is sitting on a demographic ticking time bomb, and is going to have to significantly change the way it does things if it's going to adapt to this new world. Nobody knows this better than Derek Goldberg, Managing Director: Southeast Asia, at Fortune 100 health insurance firm Aetna. "All healthcare companies are facing some daunting demographics and trends," says he. "Obesity has more than doubled between 1980 and 2013 while changes in diet and lifestyle are contributing to a rise in chronic diseases. We also have elderly populations rising around the world and one alarming statistic I've heard is that the global percentage of elderly people is expected to triple by 2050. The Southeast Asia region is no exception: Singapore, for instance, has one of the three or four most rapidly ageing populations in the world. Even more concerning is that these trends are projected to continue for the foreseeable future. This drives healthcare costs up, making it less affordable for people to obtain quality care. We aim to contain costs by better managing the health of patients who have chronic conditions while also focusing on prevention and wellness." It's a mission that that Aetna takes incredibly seriously. The company's approach to the issue is a forward-looking and multi-pronged attack. "Our mission is to make quality healthcare affordable and…
Geodis Wilson : A Region on the Rise
Asia Outlook talks to René Bach Larsen, Geodis Wilson’s cluster Managing Director of Singapore and Southeast Asia.
Holcim Singapore
Raising the bar in sustainability Holcim is one of the world's leading suppliers of cement and aggregates. It is also a leader in sustainability. Writer Ian Armitage Project manager James Mitchell The past six years have been very good to Holcim Singapore and Dr Sujit Ghosh. Its market share has grown to almost double what it was in 2007 when he took over the role of CEO and Holcim's brand image has been "strengthened dramatically". "When I took over we had low market share and the brand was relatively unknown," he says. There are several factors behind its success. A major one is an unrelenting focus on sustainability – Holcim's vision to provide "foundations for society's future and commitment to sustainable development", continuously seeking "ways to promote sustainable construction through innovation". It's a hell of a vision. And for Dr Ghosh, it is much more than mere window-dressing. He believes that by adopting sustainable practices, companies "can gain competitive edge, increase their market share, and boost shareholder value". What's more, the "growing demand for 'green' products has created major new markets," he says. Before joining Holcim, Dr Ghosh worked with Lafarge Asia-Pacific as Regional technical Director and had a role in several other major multinational corporations. Holcim Singapore is a subsidiary of the Swiss-headquartered Holcim group. "Our sustainability efforts are central to our core strategy," he says. "Apart from focusing on business growth, we also put a strong commitment to sustainability development. Typically, companies have lofty visions and Holcim also has its own lofty vision –…