Inspiring well-being through innovation

IN JUST three-and-a-half decades, Ron Sim has succeeded in building one of Singapore's most recognisable household names. As founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of OSIM International Ltd - the home-grown group renowned for making innovative and high-quality massage chairs - he has steered the company through numerous challenges, emerging each time with a brand more resilient than before. OSIM's path hasn't always been easy. It weathered three key milestones of crisis - the recession in 1985, the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and the global financial crisis in 2008. "These re-defined and strengthened our ability to overcome and establish ourselves, to become who we are today," he says.

While the Singapore Exchange-listed company has in many ways grown in tandem with Singapore, it has also contributed to the country's success. "I suppose we have played a small part in Singapore's success story by establishing our brand in the Asia market."

The group expanded its reach to Hong Kong early on, in 1986. Roll-outs to other regional locales followed suit shortly after, with expansions to Taiwan, Malaysia, and China. "We have helped to fly the Singapore flag alongside the other Singapore success stories," adds Mr Sim.

Promoting healthy lifestyle and and well-being

While OSIM is probably best-known for its suite of massage chairs, the group's products also include health, fitness, hygiene and diagnostic equipment, vitamins and supplements, and luxury tea. Indeed, alongside its OSIM line of goods, the company has franchise rights for GNC, and owns a controlling stake in the TWG Tea business as well.

To anyone puzzling over what massage chairs, supplements, and luxury tea might have in common, Mr Sim has this to say: "We are in the healthy lifestyle and well-being business. Everything we do is focused on enhancing our customers' well-being, and we seek to promote a healthy lifestyle for all."

In fact, under the OSIM brand, the group creates, designs, develops, and markets more than just massagers. For customers looking to improve the air quality in their homes, the company sells humidifiers and air purifiers; those looking to tone and shape their bodies will also find innovative fitness equipment and slim belts.

Noting the uptrend in consumer demand for wellness-related products, Mr Sim says: "We believe there is a chance for us to be a global well-being group." If that sounds ambitious, it's worth remembering that OSIM has always aimed high, and then climbed higher. Under his leadership, OSIM was publicly listed on the mainboard of the Singapore Exchange in July 2000, and transformed itself into a global brand in healthy lifestyle and well-being products.

Today, OSIM has over 830 outlets in more than 111 cities over 24 countries in Asia, Oceania, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and North America. Its geographical footprint aside, it's also clear that consumers continue to support OSIM's endeavours. In an independent survey conducted by international market research company, Synovate, and supported by International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore), OSIM was ranked the No 1 Healthy Lifestyle products brand in consumers' minds across Asia.

There's no denying how that's a long way from OSIM's humble beginnings in 1979, when Mr Sim started a trading company selling general household items. Even so, the group is showing no signs of stopping. Says Mr Sim: "We continue to innovate to improve and expand our product designs and offerings. Today, we are far more established than we were 10 years ago and we have a strong combination of capabilities, capital, and connections which makes our next 10 years more exciting."

Constant innovation

A key part of OSIM's success to date has to do with its innovation-driven approach. With each new product more high-tech than the last, OSIM is a prolific IP (intellectual property) developer, admired for its ability to create innovative products that are often the first of its kind.

A good example is the OSIM uInfinity, launched in 2013. It's the world's first massage chair that lets customers download new massage programmes. Before that, in 2011, it launched the OSIM uPapa Music Sync - also the world's first music-synchronised massage for neck and shoulders. By transforming one's favourite music into a simultaneous massage for the body, the massager succeeds in relaxing not just aching muscles, but also the mind.

In design terms, OSIM - which has a current staff strength of 3,800 - has also won multiple Red Dot Design Awards, for products such as its ambient purifier, uVenus; the well-being massage chair, uSpace; its high-tech weighing scale, uScale BF; and the air purifier, iLife.

Says Mr Sim: "The ability to create demand and excitement over our different healthy lifestyle brands - in massage and well-being, nutrition supplementation, and premium teas - results in a positive outcome for our consumers." That certainly also results in a positive outcome for the group, and OSIM has the numbers to show for it. In 2014, for example, revenue rose 6.7 per cent to S$691.1 million from S$647.6 million, while net profit rose 0.6 per cent to S$102.2 million from S$101.6 million.

The company consistently earned for itself prestigious Singapore awards such as "The Most Valuable Singapore Brands", "The Strongest Singapore Brands" and "The Brand with Exceptional Performance". In addition, in 2002 and 2005, OSIM was also selected by Forbes as one of the "200 Best Under-A-Billion" companies outside the US.

Contributing to Singapore

Beyond his corporate role, however, Mr Sim participates actively in public service, having served on various boards such as those of IE Singapore, the Lee Kong Chian School of Business at the Singapore Management University, and the Tan Tock Seng Hospital Community Charity Fund.

Stressing his gratitude for the opportunities that Singapore has given him, Mr Sim says: "We have come a long way since independence, thanks to the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew and his vision of an independent and thriving Singapore. Singapore has proved that she can make it despite the challenges that faced the nation. Going forward, the new generation of leaders must have a vision the people can rally around and I certainly believe that, with a great platform, we should continue to flourish as a creative, effective and graceful society."