Making moves

THE logistics industry is one that does not tend to hog the limelight even though it is the backbone of the Singapore economy. As Asia's leading logistics hub, trade-dependent Singapore needs to continue building a logistics ecosystem that is efficient, modern and cohesive in order to keep up with its rivals.

This comes as many of the small to mid-sized logistics firms in Singapore are family-run businesses, with day-to-day operations heavily driven by manual processes and personal relationships.

Amid the recent adoption of technology in various sectors, the logistics industry still lags behind and is heavily dominated by traditional players.

This issue, we look at the different players in the logistics sector and how forward-looking firms are turning to digitalisation and talent development to stand out from the crowd and move the sector forward.

The towkay for this issue is Alvin Ea, co-founder and CEO of container haulage startup Haulio. He left a cushy role as a second-generation family business leader to solve problems for the entire container haulage industry.

Mr Ea describes the startup as being like the "Grab for container haulage"; what Haulio essentially does is to create a digital platform to match container trucking companies to jobs, enabling the industry to pool together and utilise its resources in a more efficient manner.

In 2018 alone, the startup has moved over 100,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers - a phenomenal feat in the industry. Mr Ea shares his journey on how he had to convince truck drivers to put their faith in his app, and the challenges he has to overcome as a startup owner.

In this issue's Space section, we examine if co-working spaces are suitable for SMEs as businesses are now rethinking how they should adapt their work culture and office environment to attract and retain their best talent.

In Legal Adviser, Rajah & Tann examines how SMEs must familiarise themselves with the obligations and requirements under the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) in Singapore. With the rise of the digital workplace, they point out, Singapore businesses need to take a harder look at how they handle online transactions, as well as their interactions with customers and their personal data.

In the Enabling Enterprise section, we look at why standards matter in the food industry and also the necessity for creativity in businesses.

We hope the pages come in useful.

Vivien Shiao EDITOR