Businesswoman wins innovation prize for use of technology and green materials

Keeping it lean and green?
Kelvin Chow Today Online 23 Oct 08;

Spotting wastage in the bulk packaging business, Ms Susan Chong set up a companies that offers environmentally-friendly solutions for firms.

The managing director of Greenpac (S) looked around for suppliers who could provide packaging employing reusable or environmentally friendly materials. At the same time, she aimed to help customers maximise the space in their containers, so that they could save on transport costs.

All this while keeping her staffing low — she started with just two employees in 2002 and now employs about 20.

Ms Chong instead relied on machinery and information technology such as Radio Frequency Identification tags that track the goods.

Yesterday, her company’s green ways and innovative use of technology won her the Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Innovation, for “her high level of engagement in adopting information and process technologies in her business strategy,” said the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME).

Ms Chong said: “It is an honour to win this award and this is a good report card for my business.” She added that she intends to move into markets such as the United States and Japan in the future.

Her award was one of four sub-categories at the annual Entrepreneur of the Year award ceremony, Singapore’s oldest award for entrepreneurship. The award is co-organised by ASME and Rotary Club Singapore.

Mr Charles Wong, managing director of Charles & Keith International, was overall winner, coming out ahead of 16 other finalists.

Other awards went to:

• Mr Charles Wong of Charles & Keith International, Mr Ivan Lee of ThaiExpress Concepts, andMr David Loke of Tru-Marine were named Entrepreneurs of the Year for Enterprise.

• Mr Mohamed Ismail of P & N Holdings was named Entrepreneur of the Year for eCommerce.

• Mr Patrick Liew of HSR International Realtors for Entrepreneur of the Year for Social Contribution.

Speaking at the awards ceremony last night, Minister of Defence Teo Chee Hean said that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore so far appear to be coping with the economic challenges, thanks to strong growth in recent years.

Mr Teo also advised small businesses to venture abroad and seek new opportunities in untapped markets. “While traditional markets such as US and Europe are heavily affected by the economic down-turn, there remain opportunities elsewhere for our SMEs to tap on,” he said.

Ms Valerie Tan from Pinnacle International, who was one of the finalists, has already done just that, by setting up business development units around Central Asia for her car trading company.