The Business Times
business-time-50
SGSME logo

Following in their fathers’ footsteps, they bring precision engineering into the future

A younger generation of business leaders is going digital and automated

google-preferred-sourceAdd BT as a preferred source
Venga Subramaniam

Venga Subramaniam

Published Wed, Sep 14, 2022 · 03:00 PM
    • Chong Fong Engineering, which started in 1976, is now run by a second-generation leader: general manager and director Ryan Ng, who has been with the business for the past 10 years.
    • Kwan Lifeng, enterprise development manager of CKE Manufacturing, is a third-generation business leader.
    • Tan Ru-Ding is the managing director of Flexmech Engineering and chairman of Singapore Precision Engineering & Technology Association (SPETA) Generation II, a group of fellow younger generation bosses. PHOTO: DESMOND FOO, ST
    • Chong Fong Engineering, which started in 1976, is now run by a second-generation leader: general manager and director Ryan Ng, who has been with the business for the past 10 years. PHOTO: Chong Fong Engineering
    • Kwan Lifeng, enterprise development manager of CKE Manufacturing, is a third-generation business leader. PHOTO: CKE Manufacturing

    SECOND and third-generation bosses are taking Singapore’s legacy precision engineering (PE) companies into the future, helping the industry shed its old image of manual labour by adopting greater automation and digitalisation.

    Flexmech Engineering, which turns 40 in 2023, started to transform 7 years ago when Tan Ru-Ding and his brother took over from their parents. Both brothers are now managing directors.

    Previously, Flexmech’s main business was the contract manufacturing and distribution of machines and tools. Today, the company has immersed itself in conceptualising and developing new products and automation equipment for clients, said Tan.

    Singapore precision engineeringManufacturingSingapore SMEsDigitalisation

    TRENDING NOW

    Traffic through the strait has been resuming but with interruptions, and there is still little clarity over a permanent solution for passages through the chokepoint.

    Qatari LNG ship struck in Strait of Hormuz, testing US talks

    This comes after a Citi note on Tuesday that lifted target prices for all Singapore banks, with a leading preference and “buy” call for DBS.

    DBS, OCBC and UOB shares hit all-time highs as sentiment improves

    Aster deputy CEO Andre Khor, citing the age of the “polycrisis”, says: “It’s very important to be agile, to be focused on execution… We don’t know all the answers but we keep going forward.”

    ‘Baptism of fire’: Andre Khor on leading Singapore refiner Aster through an energy crisis

    Singapore is ranked as the world’s most expensive city for cars and placed third globally for residential property, according to Julius Baer.

    Singapore retains top spot as most expensive city for HNWIs, with five Apac cities in global top 10

    Latest T-bills Treasury Bills Results & Interest NewsLatest SSB Singapore Savings Bonds NewsLatest COE Certificate of Entitlement News
    Latest Johor-Singapore SEZ NewsLatest BTO Build To Order & Sales of Balance NewsLatest STI Straits Times Index NewsLatest SGX Dividends, Share Price NewsLatest Bonds Market NewsLatest Singapore Stocks To Buy NewsLatest Singapore Economy News
    View More