Take your business notches up!

Standards and conformance (S&C) continue to mystify many SMEs. Most enterprises don't quite understand the technicalities of standards or see how adoption can lead to economic benefits for them. Many have misconceptions that testing and certification (T&C) are expensive, complicated and troublesome to undergo. Strapped for time and resources, they would rather focus on their business and bottom-lines. All this must change if SMEs want to take their businesses to a higher plane.

T&C provides the basic infrastructure to test and show conformance to various technical regulations. Mr Teo Nam Kuan, SPRING Singapore's Group Director of Quality and Standards, explained: "T&C is also necessary for assessing the performance of products in the R&D phase. Without the necessary T&C services, development of new products by SMEs would become a challenge.

"T&C is especially important to SMEs who want to access overseas markets, as it is often mandatory for exports to meet technical regulations, which differ from country to country."

Echoing Mr Teo's views, Mr Jeffrey Lim, President and CEO of T&C specialist LabOne Singapore Pte Ltd, said, "Q&S, if appropriately applied, will significantly help SMEs to establish their product branding and penetrate global markets. At the same time, it also builds recognition for Singapore as a true 'Quality Nation'."

His customers, mainly multinationals (MNCs), have benefited from T&C services. "Our customers can conduct testing locally and ship their products globally as their test reports are accepted internationally at face value - all thanks to Singapore's Mutual Recognition Arrangements," Mr Lim added.

Said Mr Teo, "I urge all enterprises, big or small, to leverage on standards and conformance to improve productivity, enhance product safety and quality and enhance their international competitiveness."

Developing a regional T&C hub
Singapore's reputation as a regional T&C hub is growing. Mr Teo said, "Singapore is already a trusted brand in the region - we are highly regarded as a reliable, trustworthy and transparent nation. Building upon these factors will help us to strengthen our capabilities as a regional hub for T&C."

SPRING plays a key role by promoting S&C practices to enhance industry competitiveness and facilitate trade. It also develops national standards and accreditation programmes, and is the national standards and accreditation body.

Through SPRING, Singapore participates in various international quality and standards bodies, which enables local products and services to be widely accepted in the global marketplace.

For example, SPRING holds the Singapore membership in the International Standards Organization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). SMEs can tap on these international networks by participating in the development of international standards that would help their industries. Local enterprises can also learn from their industry counterparts involved in these committees.

Singapore has signed many voluntary Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) and Multi-Lateral Arrangements (MLAs). The Singapore Accreditation Council, managed by SPRING, is an MRA member of the Pacific Accreditation Cooperation, International Accreditation Forum, Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation, International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation and the European cooperation for Accreditation.

Accredited certificates and endorsed test and calibration reports issued by MRA and/or MLA members are used for international trade. Importers and consumers can expect cost savings and a shorter time to market as a result.

Local exporters also benefit from Singapore's many Free Trade Agree-ments (FTAs), which remove the barriers to trade and investment, and present lucrative overseas opportunities.

Ready resources for SMEs
As Singapore's domestic market is small, businesses that want to grow must go overseas in search of new markets. SPRING's Export Technical Assistance Centre (ETAC) provides vital information on standards, certifications, and overseas export rules.

Other SPRING Quality and Standards outreach initiatives include publishing a wide range of handbooks, leaflets and brochures featuring pilot projects and standards developed and implemented in various industry sectors.

Your Quality & Standards News, a quarterly e-newsletter, has the latest updates on standardisation, accreditation, consumer product safety, weights and measures, and export technical assistance.

There are also success stories in the mass media highlighting SMEs that have benefited from standards adoption. Public education posters and advertisements on the SAFETY Mark are widely distributed.

SPRING also organises seminars and training workshops to raise awareness of the benefits of adopting standards.

LabOne's Mr Lim thinks these outreach and public education initiatives have worked. "Continuous reinforcement of various T&C awareness programmes and incentives from government agencies such as SPRING have helped to instil a very strong 'Quality Awareness' culture and mindset in local SMEs," he said

Growing prospects for T&C players
Opportunities for the T&C services sector are expanding in tandem with the development of industries that generate higher value-add. The rapid growth and changing product dynamics of the energy, automotive, aerospace, pharmaceutical, healthcare and medical technology sectors will result in greater demand for T&C services to support these activities.

"MNCs will increase outsourcing of T&C if there are competent local partners who are flexible enough to provide their services on time," said Mr Lim.

"Singapore is well respected globally and our T&C services are widely recognised by many countries. What is much needed to help test laboratories grow here is a concerted effort by agencies to connect with governments of different countries for recognition."

Mr Teo added, "Singapore industries are generally well served by the existing T&C services sector. However, some gaps have been identified in vertical sectors such as the aerospace industry, where a special certification scheme is currently not sufficient to support the industry. There will also be future demand in sectors such as renewable energy and solar panels."

Moreover, T&C companies can go beyond serving the small and niche local client base. Enterprising firms that leverage on Singapores trusted brand to venture overseas can find a world of opportunity waiting.

At the end of the day, Standards and Conformance will always play a key role in helping our enterprises and economy grow and compete. "Enhancing our partnership with the private sector is also necessary to achieve greater buy-in and industry adoption," said Mr Teo. "At the same time, industry participation strengthens our position in the international arena and global marketplace."

Raising the Bar

SPRING actively facilitates and supports the adoption of standards and certifications by enterprises and industries.

SPRING is working with the Singapore Business Federation on the Technical Reference (TR19) for Business Continuity Management. The pilot for this first national standard of its kind will help companies ensure continuity of their operations and strengthen their reputation as reliable partners.
Manufacturers and suppliers are encouraged to attain the ISO 13485 certification, a management system standard for the medical devices industry. This will sharpen companies' competitive edge as they will be able to meet technical regulation requirements for the production of high-value devices in whole or in part.
A pilot project managed by SMa will see the logistics industry adopting the ISO 28000 for secure supply chain management. This will enhance Singapore's reputation as a safe and efficient transport, logistics and supply chain hub.
SPRING collaborates with partner agencies to help SMEs overcome technical barriers to trade such as the RoHS and European Union's REACH regulations.
Others are related to electrical and electronic equipment, and food exports. The agency does this in close collaboration with partner agencies such as IE and AVA, and industry associations such as SMa, and specifically with SCIC for REACH.

On a roll: Fishball producer embraces standards and savours success

Best known for its DoDo brand, Thong Siek Food Industry Pte Ltd is Singapore's leading manufacturer, distributor and retailer of surimi-based (Japanese for "frozen fish meat") seafood products.

The company produces a wide variety of frozen products such as fish balls and crab-flavoured sticks, breaded products like scallop nuggets, and ready meals including hawker-style fish ball guo tiao soup and prawn noodle soup.

These tasty treats are well-received locally as well as in over 20 countries, including Australia, China, France, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Russia, UK and the US.

A key reason why Thong Siek has successfully penetrated so many overseas markets is that it began embracing quality and standards years ago.

The company was the first local food manufacturer to achieve the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certification for its Senoko factory in 1998.

Mr Lim Boon Chay Recalling the laborious process of attaining the certification, Managing Director Lim Boon Chay (right) said, "Internally, we had to 're-tune' everyone in the company to work together towards the same goal, so we established policies and procedures and retrained our workers. Externally, we had to educate consumers about food safety and correct misconceptions so we conducted factory tours and road shows."

But all the hard work was worth the effort. Said Mr Lim, "With HACCP, customers have greater confidence in our manufacturing processes and products. Without the certification, we wouldn't have been able to export to countries such as USA and Europe."

With the head-start, Thong Siek went on to attain the Halal certification and Healthier Choice label, plus a string of impressive wins - Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Singapore Promising Brand Award, Food Safety Partner Award, Superbrands Award and Singapore SME 500 Award.

Sharing why he believes such accolades are so important, the former president of the Singapore Food Manufacturers' Association said, "With quality and standards, food manufacturing companies are able to distinguish themselves from others in the market.

In the pipeline are plans to obtain ISO 22000:2005, an international standard that requires organisations in a food chain to have a food safety management system capable of controlling food safety hazards along the food chain.

"Having quality and standards is likened to having two arms embracing customers, making them feel important and esteemed," he continued. "On the contrary, without the two arms of quality and standards, customers will feel insecure and unappreciated, and that will ultimately cause them to walk away from you."

"This product will further our business goal to be a major player as a one-stop shop in supporting the fast growing industry for the oil and gas sector."

~ Lim Yuin Pin, Managing Director, Pirtek Asia Pte Ltd

In full flow: Pirtek Asia delivers fluid transfer solutions to the world

When multinationals like Shell, PSA, Seadrill, Keppel FELS and National Oilwell Varco require products or services related to hydraulic hoses, piping, fittings and adaptors, they turn to Pirtek Asia Pte Ltd.

Incorporated in July 2000, this local enterprise designs, builds, installs, repairs and overhauls hydraulic components and systems for a wide range of industries. Most of its products are for equipment manufactured in Singapore for overseas customers, many of which are oil and gas companies.

Marketing to the global oil and gas industry, which is dominated by multinationals, can be very daunting for a local enterprise. So to strengthen its capabilities and gain a leading edge, Pirtek Asia sought to attain internationally recognised standards.

One such standard is the ISO 9001:2000 certification, which Pirtek received in 2006.

Managing Director Lim Yuin Pin explains: "The ISO 9001:2000 provided us with a quality management system that is fundamental for Pirtek to be a company which provides consistent, quality products and services to our customers."

In the same vein, Pirtek has recently developed a new range of Blow Out Preventer (BOP) control hoses for the oil and gas industry which comply with the American Petroleum Institute's 16D Specification and Lloyds Register OD 1000/499. These BOP hoses can withstand temperatures of up to 700C at working pressures up to 5,000 psi.

While research and product development were done in-house, the required fire and pressure testing of prototype BOP hoses was performed overseas. SPRING Singapore provided a grant under the Technology Innovation Programme to partially defray the cost of prototype testing and research and development.

Since the new product range was certified in May 2008, Pirtek has been receiving many enquiries and confirmed orders.

"This unique product is currently produced by only a few global suppliers," Mr Lim said proudly. "Pirtek is the first in Singapore and in the region to do so. This product will further our business goal to be a major player as a one-stop shop in supporting the fast growing industry for the oil and gas sector."

Buoyant about the future, Pirtek looks forward to mass manufacturing the BOP control hoses for the world market. It will also continue developing its manpower and engineering capabilities to support the oil and gas, and related industries. ET