Registrations/Authorizations

 

Significant Customers

Origins
Singapore’s commercial potential, as a base for servicing ocean-going ships, attracted the attention of a German marine radio manufacturer in 1976. A Company was founded on 7th December 1976, and ran successfully for several years, repairing, maintaining and selling their conventional HF and VHF radios on which many vessels then relied. Ten years on, improving equipment reliability and new technology led to reduced demand for service, and the manufacturer decided to pull out. However, the Company’s local managers saw rising demand for new communications systems in the region. Reasoning that the business would succeed with broadened terms of reference, they arranged a buy-out in 1986, and began selling for export.

Within three years the Company had sales rising towards S$5M, and a paid-up capital of S$1M. It had export contracts in Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Offshore oil, gas and telecommunications operators joined a rapidly broadening customer base, whilst computer and satellite communications enhanced a widening technology portfolio. It added two local subsidiary companies dealing in security equipment, and third in KL. Sadly, taking on too broad a front predictably led to dilution of effort, an unfocussed business and, inevitably, falling profits.

In 1995 the Aberdeen-based EAE Group Ltd, already a key supplier, bought the shareholding. EAE began re-focussing the Company on its own core business of telecoms for marine & offshore, returning the Company to its original, successful, market and technology formula. Sales in 1997-8 began to grow again, despite a 60% staff cut.

The 1997/98 Asian economic downturn caused EAE to rethink its Far East presence and concentrate on firmer European, Middle East and American markets. At the end of June 1998, EAE Group Ltd sold its shareholding, but retained an association with the Company in addressing offshore oil & gas prospects. Once more, the business is in management ownership. Overheads are being trimmed and staff cut to a core team with key expertise, which will provide a launch base for growth.