Your choices are made in a moment.

[ED_Tan]

hi all,

this is Edmund here, I am a Singaporean.

in 2001, i packed two bags bid my grandma farewell and left Singapore for Taiwan.
~ a stepping stone closer to the “new” China
~ worked for various company sizes, small to large, family-owned to listed corporations
~ all of the companies I’ve selected to work in, have individual manufacturing abilities

2009 a customer of mine from North Carolina became my employer. I managed all business operations in Asia as a PM and sourcing specialist for the next 14 years. Starting in 2019, my compensation was based on commission as I ventured into starting my own business.

set up a small factory manufacturing medical swabs, IVD and test kits which we sold in 2022.

there’s another factory in HuiAn, China manufacturing industrial and cleanroom use fabrics.

*up to something again, which we bumped into accidentally 4years ago.
~ this project is way over our heads
~ inexperience in scaling to size
~ goal = stocked listed company
~ i’ve come up with an inhouse slogan --- we get to pick the fight with What(product) and Who(market)
~ pledge --- We recognize the invaluable benefits natural resources have always provided to us. This is why we owned the greenery in our backyards and along pavements to parks for picnics. It's our responsibility to preserve these resources, ensuring a safe and clean earth for our next generation. This commitment drives us to continue our work even during challenging times. As a company dedicated to sustainability, we have developed methods to continuously reuse recycled materials. significantly reducing the demand for new man-made raw materials and promoting long-term environmental sustainability.

best rds
ED_Tan

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Welcome Ed.

Starting in 2019, my compensation was based on commission as I ventured into starting my own business.

set up a small factory manufacturing medical swabs, IVD and test kits which we sold in 2022.

You sold the company? If so, any experiences you can share there?

Are you in between businesses and starting something related to sustainability?

 

[ED_Tan]

hi MJ, thank you for the opportunity. it's a long read.

You sold the company? If so, any experiences you can share there? :

Yes, we made the crazy decision to switch from an industrial factory to a medical facility. We sensed this could be SARS 2002-2004 number two, and we got lucky.

#1 you are appreciated because you are needed
Trading companies and other medical manufacturers are on the same page because it is only profit. We are also doing it for profit but at the lowest end of the chain. We can produce surplus swabs because we build not one but two fully automated machines requiring only 3-4 workers on the production line, including packing.

By the mid of 2021 one of the automated machines was no longer needed, because most of the bidding projects for test kits were secured by China manufacturers. And trading companies prefer local manufacturers to put everything together. Technically speaking we lack those kinds of contacts and we are only a few months old manufacturer.

~ value is always there and value changes hand, once you stop improving.

#2 do not just outshine by a little, if you can make yourself huge
Somehow, Somewhere, we are a threat to other swab manufacturers, we were reported to the local authority as an illegal operation, employing illegal workers and illegal dumping of waste materials. One production line was sealed off, a 20ft container plus load of swabs confiscated, and the whole inspection and countless court sessions took 3years to end.

There are a few “laws” out there, telling us not to outshine the master and not be lenient to our enemy…….AGREED, learn to protect.

oh and F*ck you again, whoever it is that had given us the false allegation.

~ play dump be stupid, it’s fine.

#3 it pays to be kind and honest
Our little factory is situated in the countryside. We are small because we wanted to get below certain classifications such as fire safety standards, ISO, inspection, etc. In the countryside people lead a simpler life. They are all happy to come to work for us as we are paying higher than expected. Drinks and all kinds of snacks are provided during breaks.

We are operating 24hours and we do join them working side by side on the production line. They know how we are like.

Remember the incident in which we were reported and had the production floor sealed off?

We were not paid because we can’t ship out the products. Customers are ready to sue us. Suppliers wanted their money. The workers needed their salary. We are really in debt. The debt was there when we did the conversion from industrial to medical.

We negotiate with our customers and suppliers.

We struck a deal with the workers and 60% of them agreed to stay and work for THREE months without salary……drinks and snacks were there for every break, the workers paid for it or prepared them from home. Such an act I thought I could only read from books or watch on TV happened to me in real life. Till this day, I am still touched by their kindness. If they had not agreed, We would be dead in the water.

The time came to sell the factory, we told them in advance and shared the margin with them. Ensure the new owner keeps the workers for at least 2years.

~ be kind to yourself and to your people.



Are you in between businesses and starting something related to sustainability?

100% focusing on the sustainability business opportunity.

Current recycled materials that are recycled have limitations.
~ number of times it can be recycled
~ 35% to 40% of recycle paper / cardboard are used to make new “green” product

which heavy equipment are needed, huge power consumption, and in-house water treatment is required. Also, humans are needed for sorting the different grades of paper / cardboard.

Ours, don’t and is much less complicating.
PPA / International patents have recently been submitted.

An example, let's say air-filters for cleanroom / industry use, the primary type. The same kind for home use with various MERV ratings.

Materials are : paper box / steel mesh / polyester fabrics for filtration / adhesives

Air filters manufacturers doesn’t make all these materials, they buy the materials and assemble them. And get it certified.

We can use our New Material to replace the paper box and the steel mesh. Changing the traditional assembly method to a new method. Equals cost saving in key areas such as materials and labors. And we did not change the CORE of the air filter.

Think about it for a second, if we can replace paper, replace steel mesh. What other commoditization products have been cost stagnated that we can make a change to? How about a USD $64 billion annual cardboard / corrugated boxes business in the US?

Best rds
ED