All smiles: Vepro won the Exporter of the Year award as well as the gold award for Machinery, Electrical and Electronics Award each under the SME category. Seen here are Chu (fifth from left) and his team with the trophies at the EEA 2023 Gala Night.
THE past seven months have been an exciting journey for Vepro Group Sdn Bhd.
According to its director Chu Chee Seng, the automation company has been experiencing a resurgence of interest from existing customers including one who had used Vepro’s robotics solutions 15 years ago.
The customer has now placed orders for multiple units of robotics and packaging automation, as well as automated guided vehicles, for their new factory expansion in Indonesia.
“This repeat business underscores the reliability and effectiveness of Vepro’s solutions and our robust after-sales service. As such, we are encouraged to reconnect with our existing clientele as we expand our product range and operations to accommodate growing demand.”
The company’s growth and success are fuelled by several key drivers, in particular the dedication and steadfast commitment of the Vepro team to business integrity.
Despite facing tight margins on various projects, the company has maintained transparency with its customers and fostered internal collaboration to develop innovative solutions.
Being named the Exporter of the Year 2023 for the small and medium enterprise (SME) category at the Export Excellence Awards (EEA) 2023 has further bolstered the company’s reputation, earning industry recognition as well as enhancing customer confidence and attractiveness towards potential talent, Chu points out.
He adds that the EEA business networking opportunities – conducted throughout the awards programme – have provided valuable insights from peers and industry leaders, while opening avenues for investors and increasing the company’s valuation.As such, Chu will be one of the panel speakers for the upcoming Global Navigator Series (GNS), themed “Navigating the Chinese Market - Future Trends, Challenges and Prospects”.
He plans to discuss Chinese market behaviour, solutions differentiation, customisation, reliable local partnership, product quality and more, in hopes of guiding other businesses looking to expand and succeed in the competitive landscape.
Vepro’s first entry to China was in 2017, where worth-of-mouth from its European counterparts had led to a growing interest and queries from China. To capitalise on this, Vepro then conducted market research, participated in trade shows and developed a targeted business strategy for the market.
But it hasn’t been easy with fierce competition and the challenges of navigating such a dynamic market. Chu reminds of a valuable lesson: be careful when choosing reliable business partners to safeguard one’s business interests.
Nevertheless, the company views the Chinese market as a significant opportunity due to its vast customer base and rapid economic growth in the past 20 years, especially in the food and beverage industry.
“Our long-term plans for the Chinese market include forming multiple partnerships across different regions and sectors.
“We also want to focus on environmental, social and governance compliance, particularly in terms of energy consumption, safety and user-friendly solutions.
“Part of our export strategy is also to collaborate with local partners, and showcase our offerings at major trade events like the upcoming China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair). From our export plans to the Chinese market, we hope to achieve a steady annual growth rate of up to 10%,” Chu points out.
Join the Global Navigator Series
The GNS, which is the first event for EEA 2024, will be held at EQ Kuala Lumpur on Aug 12, 2024 at 2pm.
Joining Chu on stage will be Malaysia External Trade Development Corp (Matrade) Hong Kong trade commissioner Yazrin Syakhairi Mahlan, Guangdong Tianding E-commerce Co Ltd president and chief executive officer Steven Hou, Standard Chartered China’s SME Banking transaction and treasury management head Jackson Qiu and CAIQ Biosecurity Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Dr Ch’ng Soo Ee with Matrade senior director S. Jai Shankar as moderator.There will also be a special sharing session by Hernan Corp Sdn Bhd co-founder and chief executive officer Datuk Anna Teo.
Entrepreneurship and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick will also be gracing the event and launch the EEA 2024. He has been instrumental in fostering the growth and success of SMEs in the country.
The GNS is open to businesses with an entrance fee of RM50. To register, visit https://bit.ly/gnskl1
The EEA 2024 is organised by Star Media Group in partnership with Standard Chartered Malaysia, and PKT Logistics Group as a co-sponsor and Matrade as patron. It is audited by BDO.
Submissions for the awards programme are also open from now until Jan 17, 2025.
For more information on EEA 2024, go to exportawards.com.my or email eea@thestar.com.my
