Issue 42
Probuild
Transforming Ideas into CitiesProbuild has been creating major projects for clients across Australia for the past three decades, its success built on a quality-first approach to construction Writer: Tom WadlowAustralia’s construction industry is, like in many developed countries, a vital economic contributor.It is currently worth around AU$350 billion a year to the nation’s economy, or eight percent of GDP, and is projected to grow at a steady annual rate of around 2.5 percent over the next five years.The sector – which spans construction, demolition, renovation, maintenance and repair of building and infrastructure – also serves as a vital employer of Australia’s workforce, the number of workers in the profession growing markedly since 2000.At the turn of the millennium, around 692,000 people were engaged in the country’s building industry, a figure which rose to 1.18 million in 2018 and is expected to surpass 1.3 million by 2023.All of these statistics are cited by the Australian Industry and Skills Committee in its latest construction industry insight report, the organisation also outlining several major trends that will shape the sector in the coming years, among the most significant being an ageing workforce and thus the paramount need to replace their skills.Digitisation, artificial intelligence and automation is another. “Although the industry is yet to experience significant digital disruption, major technological advances in everyday digital technology, automation for lower-skilled jobs and building information modelling (BIM)… will require the workforce to be trained, re-trained and upskilled for the new jobs and tasks required,” the report states.The same can be said of prefabrication, a construction technique that…
JFE Meranti
Made of (Quality) Steel JFE MERANTI was set up with a clear mission in mind – to elevate standards in Myanmar’s building industry by providing products based on endurance and long-term affordability Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Kyle Livingstone “While we as humans have made tremendous progress over the past 10 years in our virtual, digital world, the real world has not progressed that much. “To the contrary, low-quality building products have flooded the markets, and I believe that we need to dedicate more time and focus on making the real world better. “Offering quality roofing and walling materials is one way of doing so. The inspiration to set up my own business came from what I saw in the Myanmar roofing and walling market. I thought if no one is seizing that opportunity, then I just have to do it myself.” The company and person in question is JFE MERANTI and Sebastian Langendorf, a man who is passionate about all things coated steel. Describing it as a fascinating and unique product full of complexity, from supply chain and engineering through to production and marketing, he saw huge potential to not only create a successful business, but to also uplift standards across Myanmar’s construction sector at large. And the opportunity is certainly there. Myanmar’s building sector is growing at around 10 percent per annum and is set to continue doing so for the foreseeable future, driven by infrastructure, residential, commercial and industrial projects springing up all over the country. Langendorf now serves as CEO…
Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz
Better, Faster, FriendlierBy embracing new technologies and patient-centricity, Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz is helping to uphold the best-in-class reputation of Malaysia’s world-renowned healthcare industry Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Callam Waller Developing and developed economies. From political studies to annual economic outlooks, these two terms have come to separate the nations of our planet into two broad categories – but what are their differences and where is the line drawn?Indeed, there is no universally accepted definition for either, the World Trade Organization allowing its members to define their own status on this theoretical spectrum. But there are a number of commonly recognised traits.The Business Development Bank of Canada, for example, cites developed countries as those which have mature and sophisticated economies, advanced technological infrastructure, diverse industrial and service sectors, and access to quality healthcare and education.However, with such a vast multitude of factors of play, it’s rare to find case studies written in black and write, and ambiguity or debate can be common.Take a look at Malaysia, for instance. It’s a nation defined as developing, yet its diversified economy houses robust manufacturing and service sectors, now standing as one of the world’s most open economies and a leading exporter of electronic goods and components.Socially, Malaysia has made great strides too. Less than one percent of Malaysian households currently live in extreme poverty and its education structure is on par with that of many western nations, comprising 11 years of compulsory schooling (six years primary and five years secondary).And that’s before we even get to the country’s…
Hevilift Group
Hevilift Group continues to fly to far-flung corners of the Asia Pacific region, meeting the needs of remote industry with its best-in-class, bespoke aviation services.
FV Hospital
Provision with PrideFV Hospital proudly stands as a standard-bearer for Vietnam’s private medical sector, its French founder never looking back having relocated and discovered a love for the nation Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Callam Waller “I always wanted to be a doctor. Apparently at the age of five or six I already told everyone of this plan, which is strange as there was nobody in the family that belonged to this profession.”While Frenchman Jean-Marcel Guillon was destined to pursue a career in healthcare, he was by no means expecting to be standing here today as the CEO of a private hospital in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.Trained in Paris and practicing as a pulmonologist and internist, a senior consultant, his expertise took him to Saudi Arabia after the Gulf War, spending a further two years in Brunei before returning to his home country. Guillon had, however, picked up the travel bug that would never leave him.But how did he emerge as the boss of FV Hospital? It is the result of a remarkable series of events, beginning with a somewhat chance encounter.“My ex-girlfriend told me that a childhood friend of her current boyfriend was part of a group of people led by an architect who wanted to set up a hospital in Vietnam,” Guillon recalls. “I met with him and a couple of his partners and didn’t like them. There was also a group of doctors loosely connected to the project and with near zero experience, so I wasn’t impressed.”With Vietnam not even on his radar,…
Columbia Asia Group of Companies
Passion for PeopleColumbia Asia continues to provide efficient, affordable private healthcare services to patients across its 29 hospitals, the backbone of its operation being a team of impassioned, empowered people Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Callam Waller Demand for healthcare services across Asia is set to reach $2.66 trillion by 2020.Growing and ageing populations, pioneering technologies and new treatments are all contributing to the growing tide of people who can and are being treated by public and private institutions.The ability to identify and treat so many illnesses is arguably one of humankind’s greatest achievements, one that has required enduring ingenuity, patience and willpower over the course of civilisations.But the current tide is growing to a point where health systems are beginning to buckle.“The growing demand for good, effective and efficient private healthcare continues to exceed supply,” observes Kelvin Tan, CEO for Malaysia and Vietnam at Columbia Asia. “Populations are growing and getting older, and this is combined with increasing reports of non-communicable diseases which require long-term care.“Most private healthcare facilities tend to emulate the public healthcare model. Large in structure, cumbersome in delivery, high cost in maintenance and excessive manpower structures driven by many manual and time-consuming processes.“The escalating cost of healthcare worldwide demands a more efficient delivery system that minimises excesses and cuts back on wastage.”Columbia Asia is unlike most private healthcare providers.Having commenced operations in 1997, the group now runs 29 hospitals across the region, with 13 in Malaysia and the others located in Indonesia, Vietnam and India.Its facilities provide comprehensive medical services such…
Cheng Hua Engineering Works
Champions of ChangeEmbracing the innovations provided by industry 4.0 technologies, CHENG HUA Engineering Works is successfully meeting the demand for sophisticated materials handling solutions the world over Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Vivek Valmiki “The world is in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution where automation and robotics, computers and IoT are all converging to create a new cyber-physical environment.“Materials handling technology is at the helm of this revolution – infusing AI, machine learning, vision systems together with advanced system automation. It will lead the manufacturing and warehousing industry into a new era of decentralised, network intelligence, advanced robotics and self-organised processes, paving the way for giant steps forward in efficiency, flexibility and productivity. “At the same time, the explosion of ecommerce and the rapid evolution of consumer demands for same day delivery, and the competition-pressure to lower the cost of logistics – ‘The Amazon Effect’ – to manage and handle very high volume throughput and high numbers of stock keeping units is pushing retailers, manufacturers and logistics providers alike to automation as their key saviour – to adapt or die!”Lim Chee Keong (CK) has spent the past three and a half decades helping companies to adapt with cutting-edge technologies.Having graduated with a mechanical engineering degree in 1983, he joined his father’s Malaysian business, CHENG HUA Engineering Works Sdn. Bhd., which at that time had begun to capitalise on a growth in foreign investment brought about by the country’s Look East Policy – a national strategy to transform Malaysia into a centre of service and technological…
Beyonics
A Tale of Transformation 24 satellite operations turned five flagship facilities of precision engineering excellence, Beyonics has consolidated its position as a leading light of Asian manufacturing Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Kyle Livingstone China and America, the world’s two largest economies, have been at economic loggerheads since early 2018. What began with the Trump Administration placing tariffs on the importation of solar panels and washing machines has escalated into a full-blown trade war, the rival countries placing billions of dollars’ worth of duties on each other’s goods. Even now, almost two years later, negotiations surrounding a resolution continue to stagnate and the heavy burden of uncertainty carried by the global economy remains. Against this cloud, however, there are silver linings – silver linings that advanced manufacturing firm Beyonics is successfully capitalising upon. “With our headquarters in Singapore and footprint across the surrounding region, we have very fortunately been a beneficiary of the US-China trade war,” explains Anthony Sandeen, the company’s Chief Commercial Officer. “We operate near-identical manufacturing facilities in China and Malaysia, making it easy to shift our output from one location to another in the face of unforeseen, uncontrollable circumstances, whether that’s an earthquake, a flood, or indeed a trade war.” And that’s exactly what the business has done, its Malaysia site having been instrumental in helping customers, new and existing alike, to minimise the effects and navigate the risks of tariffs that have been borne out of current tensions. As a result, business is buoyant for Beyonics. Yet this recent upturn in…
Aikchol Hospital
At the Heart of HealthcareAikchol Hospital, an organisation driven to apply international medical expertise on a local level, is proof that Thailand’s private hospitals are broadening access to critical healthcare services across the country Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Callam Waller “I’m an interior designer by trade. After I finished my undergraduate degree I studied in New York as a lighting designer for my masters and ended up staying there, working in the field for a further six years until 2013.”Six years on, Siriphot Manoch – the voice behind the opening quote – now works on the other side of the world in an entirely different field as the Director of Business Development at one of Thailand’s leading private healthcare companies, Aikchol Hospital.So how does such a sharp career and lifestyle combined U-turn come about? An interesting question, but one that can be answered in just three syllables – family.“Aikchol Hospital was founded by my grandfather Dr Aikapojana Vanich and his friends, while my mother is the current CEO,” Manoch reveals.“When I moved back to Thailand, my mother was attempting to secure JCI accreditation for Aikchol Hospital, the first of Aikchol’s two hospitals, and I came on board to help manage the facilities’ development because of my background in interior design.“It’s how I became first involved in the healthcare sector. I’d initially planned on working on a consultancy basis, but it quickly became clear this was a full-time job. And honestly, even after we secured the accreditation, I haven’t looked back since.”Today, the Business Development Director has almost…
Ai Associates
Designing DreamsHaving pursued his own dream to start his own interior design business, Jeff Choo and Ai Associates are helping people to live better, work better and play happier Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Ben Weaver “Be prepared for the many challenges that lies ahead. It will not always be a smooth sail, but if you keep your sights focused on the dream that you want to create, follow your heart and it will eventually come true.”Jeff Choo has been following his dream ever since discovering a passion and talent for design at high school.Now Managing Director of his own company, Ai Associates, he has built a career for himself having graduated with top marks through the educational system in Singapore, even being awarded the Singapore Design Council Gold Medal for being the best performing student.“This was one subject that I fared very well in at school,” he recalls. “I was spending a lot of time after classes in the technical workshop dreaming up the next big thing in furniture design. From the conceptualisation to the sourcing of materials and making it by hand in the workshop to seeing the final completed product – this is what gives me a sense of achievement.”His first job in the interior design space came at an international Australian firm, before entering a partnership to set up a new firm a few years later.“I was faced with many challenges starting a new company and I was suddenly in a management position,” he continues. “I had to manage other tasks like…
Talking data: An interview with Dr Felix Guerzoni of Shell Lubricants Asia Pacific
Dr Felix Guerzoni of Shell Lubricants Asia Pacific talks to us about economic growth, digitisation, and plugging the skills gap.
Travel Guides: Exploring the 7,000 islands of the Philippines
We speak to Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines to discover the most exciting places to visit across its islands.
A look inside this year’s edition of IMARC
The mining industry is a key staple of the global economy.From the technological innovations steaming out of Silicon Valley to China’s booming manufacturing industry, numerous markets worldwide are entirely reliant on the supply of commodities, minerals and metals found beneath the earth’s surface.It’s big business, the world’s top 40 global mining companies having reported a combined revenue of $683 billion through the course of 2018. And Australia has long played a pivotal role.Dating back to the gold rushes of the 1850s, the expansive country’s resource rich plains have consolidated mining’s position as one of the nation’s best-established sectors. Today it accounts for roughly seven percent of Australia’s $1.3 trillion-strong annual GDP – now considered to be a global top five producer of gold, iron ore, lead, zinc and nickel.Such stature, and the presence of many global mining players that has come in tandem, makes Australia the perfect place for global mining conferences to blossom.Indeed, this is exactly what the International Mining And Resources Conference & Expo (IMARC) has succeeded in doing, its sixth annual edition (concluded October 31, 2019) having reached new highs. Here, Anita Richards, Managing Director of IMARC, gives us the lowdown.Asia Outlook (AsO): Now the dust has settled on 2019’s IMARC, tell us how the event went overall? Would you define it as a success? Anita Richards (AR): IMARC 2019 was another successful event, bringing together thousands of people across the entire mining supply chain to discuss challenges and opportunities for the mining industry in the years ahead. Despite protests outside the venue,…
Telstra : Advice for Business Looking to Expand in Asia
Telstra talks to us about the expansion of UK businesses within Asia, from infrastructure to security to future opportunities.