[WRE UPDATE | BUSINESS]
service and support for its clients. Teo is a testament to this fact himself, citing seven-day work weeks as the norm, and passionately blending his work and his life in one. His drive is self-evident, allowing him to keep his fi nger on the pulse of the marketplace constantly, and ultimately keep the company on the designed path. Similarly, providing non-stop service is important, but equally so is maintaining readily available stock on hand for its clients. Combined, these two details allow Gaylin to embrace the idea of being a one- stop solution for the off shore oil and gas industry and shipping industry worldwide. Providing not just manufacturing of wire rope and fi ttings products, but also installation, dismantling, testing services, and even storage capabilities for clients allows Gaylin to establish long- term relationships with clients due to the array of conveniences off ered. More importantly, it gives Gaylin a strategic advantage in retaining clients for longer periods of time due simply to the fact that the logistics required for a client to change providers or fi nd similar services may prove to be too costly or cumbersome. Long-term relationships breed
loyalty, and Teo is quick to point out that not only is Gaylin fi ercely loyal to its customers, but to its vendors equally. Believing in consistent growth, Teo notes that when Gaylin expands, so do their suppliers. He considers the quality of his brand and future successes intrinsically linked with the vendors he conducts business with.
Gaylin Celebrates Their 38th Anniversary Likewise, Teo attributes the recent and future successes of Gaylin to its family of employees. Founded in 1974 by B.Y. Teo, the eldest of fi ve brothers who would eventually join together to make Gaylin the brand name it is today. Gaylin bought and sold miscellaneous items and products and made cargo nets, among other things, from a 300 sq ft warehouse facility. T ey spliced the steel ropes and cables used by the off shore oil and gas and marine industries by hand. Desmond Teo started working fi ve years later, initially driving trucks and making deliveries.
76 MAY-JUNE 2012 WIRE ROPE EXCHANGE
Gaylin International’s Singapore facility and their family of employees.
T e founder and eldest among
them, B.Y. Teo, stepped down in 1998 as MD to pursue his interest in photography, and Desmond Teo assumed the role of MD/CEO and currently still serves in that role. His two older brothers are in charge of production, while his younger brother is in charge of administration, IT and inventory control. Today, Gaylin is celebrating its
38th Anniversary, and Desmond Teo refl ects on some important highlights during that time. Witnessing fi rst-hand the success that the entire company has experienced, Teo understands both personally and professionally the importance of giving back and supporting others. Teo also notes that all fi ve brothers were smart about their growth. T ey didn’t invest in themselves individually, but instead they invested as ‘one’ in their business. What has resulted is an original band of fi ve brothers that has grown into a larger family of over 140 employees. Teo proudly notes the competitive compensation packages available to retain and recruit the highest quality employees, as well as the importance of charity in the community where they operate. As Teo puts it, “charity comes from home. Charity is not to show people.”
T e Teo brothers have also prepared to pass the family business to the next generation, seven of whom have joined Gaylin and hold diff erent positions in the company already. For twenty years, Gaylin met with
success and temptation to grow, but they waited until they were ready and had the experience and capability to support their leap forward. 2008 marked the beginning of external signs of growth after years of planning, and the coming months will mark a signifi cant milestone as the company expands in a very public way. T eir methods have been deliberate. Teo personifi es his business as only one with a deep and passionate level of experience and tested knowledge can. He notes that every step forward has purpose, as is best exhibited by the 5-wire braided fencing around their headquarters facility to represent the fi ve Teo brothers who grew this company. Teo recalls his father’s advice, “don’t invest in anything you don’t know,” and employs this motto as the measuring stick for his decisions both personally and professionally. Given the recent trends and future plans for Gaylin, one can conclude that Teo is taking this advice in stride with an intentional and focused path forward.
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