Asia

Mainland Headwear Holdings Ltd was established in 1986 and listed in Hong Kong in 2000, engaging in the design, manufacturing, trade and retail of casual headwear. In recent years, Mainland Headwear has expanded its businesses through mergers and acquisitions as well as the establishment of strategic alliances, including signing a manufacturing agreement with New Era Cap Co., Inc., acquiring H3 Sportgear LLC and San Diego Hat Company, and forming a joint venture with Promotional Partners Worldwide Group Ltd to design, manufacture, and sell Sanrio products in the Chinese mainland. Headquartered in Hong Kong, Mainland Headwear has factories in Shenzhen and Bangladesh, manufacturing licensed casual headwear which are primarily sold in the US and European markets.

Capitalising on the Belt and Road Initiative, Mainland Headwear set up a 25,000-square-metre factory in rural Bangladesh in 2013 to boost production as the rise in labour costs on the Chinese mainland was weighing on profits. In its initial three years of operation, the company’s factory expanded significantly, with the number of staff increasing from 200 in 2013 to 4,500 in 2017, and monthly production together with production efficiency are continuously being enhanced.

Mrs Pauline Ngan, Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of Mainland Headwear Holdings Ltd, said many infrastructure projects including expressways, railways, deep water ports and power plants had been built in Bangladesh since the launch of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The travelling time between the capital city Dhaka and Chittagong port will be shortened from seven to eight hours, to four to five hours upon completion of a new expressway, which will greatly improve the efficiency of raw material transportation. With the railway from Dhaka to Kunming expected to be completed in 2020, along with the deep water port construction deal between Bangladesh authorities and China’s COSCO, the local garment manufacturing industry is tipped to grow.

With more than 30 years of industry experience, the company overcame operational challenges in Bangladesh with its localised manufacturing planning and customised human resources management scheme. The company developed a digitalised inventory monitoring system, the ERP System, for management to obtain real-time information about inventory and raw materials’ status, and for customers to track their orders. Specialised equipment such as embroidery machines, sublimation printers and laser engraving machines were also widely adopted to better manage output. The company also maintained effective two-way communication with its staff to tackle issues arising from cultural misunderstanding. In order to instill a team atmosphere and strong sense of belonging among the workers, the company organises praying assemblies for Muslim workers, and provides comprehensive remuneration packages including housing allowances and gift packs with daily necessities. The setup of the factory has also boosted the population of the village from 400 to 10,000, improving its GDP and living standards.

Mrs Ngan said the Hong Kong-based company has been playing a role in connecting Chinese investors and the Bangladesh authorities. As a member of the Chinese Investors’ Alliance, Mrs Ngan provides consultation and training services to newcomers through regular classes on setting up companies in the country and overcoming cultural barriers.

Mrs Ngan said, as the company further expands its operation in the country, the Bangladesh factory will become the focus of the company’s business development. The second phase of the factory will be in operation by the year 2018. The company also plans to recruit 2,000 additional workers and local university graduates to hopefully enhance the synergy between the Bangladesh factory and the design and high-end production facilities in Shenzhen.

Hong Kong-based Branded, a live media company, increasingly holds festivals and other events in Belt and Road countries and CEO Jasper Donat sees the Initiative as enhancing business, while Hong Kong is an easy and entrepreneurial centre for operations. With many events like music and YouTube festivals in Southeast Asia, Branded has most recently initiated events in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Speaker: Jasper Donat, Co-Founder & CEO, Branded

Related Links:
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
http://www.hktdc.com

HKTDC Belt and Road Portal
http://beltandroad.hktdc.com/en/

The MTR Academy offers intense courses on professional and managerial railway expertise, aiming to improve railways on the Belt and Road Initiative, according to Academy President Morris Cheung. This is essential for management development, says participant Kyaw Kyaw Myo of Myanmar Railways. Azerul Fahmi Mohamed of Malaysia’s Mass Rapid Transit enhances his railway management while Deddy Gamawan of MRT Jakarta looks to MTR’s high-speed expertise. 

Speakers:
Kyaw Kyaw Myo, General Manager (Operating), Myanmar Railways
Azerul Fahmi Mohamed, Manager, Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd
M Deddy Gamawan, Division Head, PT MRT Jakarta
Morris Cheung, President, MTR Academy
Valentin Reyes, HSEQ Director, Light Rail Manila Corporation

Related Links:
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
http://www.hktdc.com

HKTDC Belt and Road Portal
http://beltandroad.hktdc.com/en/

“Distributed power” is a flexible and cost-effective means of energising both developing and developed markets within the Belt and Road Initiative, says Rorce Au Yeung of Hong Kong’s VPower Group. Using toy Lego building blocks as a metaphor, VPower stations can be extended or re-deployed according to a market’s requirements. Mr Au Yeung says Hong Kong is pivotal for finance, investment and project control.

Speaker:
Rorce Au Yeung, Co-Chief Executive, VPower Group

Related Links:
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
http://www.hktdc.com

HKTDC Belt and Road Portal
http://beltandroad.hktdc.com/en/
 

The Netflix epic Marco Polo about the Silk Routes reflected Malaysia’s 500 years of history related to the Belt and Road Initiative, said Rezal Rahman of Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios at FILMART 2017. Iranian producer and actor Alireza Shaja-Nuri and Singapore producer Lim Teck spoke of developing collaborations tapping Hong Kong talent while Norman Abdul Halim of Malaysia’s KRU Studios said Hong Kong’s “connector role” would help access larger movie markets.

Speakers:
Rezal Rahman, CEO, Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios
Alireza Shaja-Nuri, Producer and Actor, Iran
Lim Teck, MD, Clover Films 
Norman Abdul Halim, Executive Producer, KRU Studios

Related Links:
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
http://www.hktdc.com

HKTDC Belt and Road Portal
http://beltandroad.hktdc.com/en/

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s School of Hotel & Tourism Management is rated the best in Asia and second globally – linking hospitality, tourism and high quality education across China’s Belt and Road Initiative culturally, socially and economically. So says Brian King, Associate Dean, while students say they plan to use their expertise learned in Hong Kong to benefit their home countries on the Belt and Road.   

Speakers:
Brian King, Associate Dean, School of Hotel & Tourism Management, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Michelle Li Xiao, Student from the Chinese mainland
Laila Tokbayeva, Student from Kazakhstan
Pavithra Senevirathne, Student from Sri Lanka
Richard Hrankai, Student from Hungary

Related Links:
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
http://www.hktdc.com

HKTDC Belt and Road Portal
http://beltandroad.hktdc.com/en/

With its focused services like cold chain logistics for sectors including life sciences and healthcare as well as wine, Hong Kong’s Chevalier AOC Freight Express Holdings aims to differentiate itself on the Belt and Road Initiative. Indeed, the Initiative has “opened the eyes” of the company according to CEO Alex Koo, while he looks forward to the Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference 2020 in Hong Kong to showcase the company’s services.

Speakers:
Alex Koo, CEO, Chevalier AOC Freight Express Holdings Limited
Jack Lo, General Manager, Business Development, Chevalier AOC Freight Express Holdings Limited

Related Links:
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
http://www.hktdc.com

HKTDC Belt and Road Portal
http://beltandroad.hktdc.com/en/

Hong Kong’s AsiaPay has designed an advanced online system to access payments through local markets across Belt and Road countries and in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Services cover Asia, including China and with opportunities in Africa and Europe, including many cross-trades says CEO Joseph Chan, while HKTDC events like the Asian e-tailing Summit add to the company’s brand promotion.

Speakers:
Joseph Chan, CEO, AsiaPay Limited
Edward Ng, Associate Director, IT, AsiaPay Limited
Andy Lam, Sales Director, AsiaPay Limited

Related Links:
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
http://www.hktdc.com

HKTDC Belt and Road Portal
http://beltandroad.hktdc.com/en/t

Asian e-tailing summit
http://www.hktdc.com/ncs/aes2019/en/main/index.html

Metal 3D printing used for creating artificial limbs has been introduced by Hong Kong-based Koln 3D, with applications used for patients in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. Founder Edmond Yau says the company’s 3D technology is “tailor made” for Belt and Road countries’ hospitals and clinics which can benefit from its usage while Koln 3D is also keen to provide the technology in Greater Bay Area medical facilities.

Speakers:
Edmond Yau, Founder and CEO, Koln 3D Technology (Medical) Limited
Sibyl Mak, Chief Technology Officer, Koln 3D Technology (Medical) Limited

Related Links:
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
http://www.hktdc.com

HKTDC Belt and Road Portal
https://beltandroad.hktdc.com/en/

In response to the trade tension between China and the United States, the HKTDC has been looking for alternative production and procurement bases for Hong Kong companies in order to leverage the cost impact brought by U.S. tariffs. Myanmar, one of the ASEAN members, is on its radar screen.

Please click the below links for full version videos of guest speakers

Mr Vincent Yuen, Managing Director, Hutchision Logistics (HK) Limited
https://youtu.be/JGVppkCQPd8
Mr Gary Lee, Vice Chairman, Hong Kong Myanmar Manufacturers' Association 
https://youtu.be/KarJfQjdydE
Mr Ivan Ko, Chairman, RECAS Global Limited
https://youtu.be/YFmUNWSXvEQ
Ms Wenda Ma, Assistant Principal Economist(Asian and Emerging Markets Research Team), HKTDC
https://youtu.be/vVTtMQT6CJg
Ms Aye Thi Khaing, Economic Counsellor, Myanmar Consulate in Hong Kong
https://youtu.be/wK1lP67WbCI

Related links:
HKTDC
https://www.hktdc.com/