Business Review Asia magazine - August 2017 by Business Review Asia

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Aug u s t 2 017

PASSION FOR

POLYMERS COVESTRO DISCUSSES ITS RECORD-BREAKING YEAR

INSIDE TECH MAHINDRA WITH CTO ATUL KUNWAR

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ID LOGISTICS

CRUISING THE HIGH SEAS: ASIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BOOMING YACHT INDUSTRY

Symposium 2017 Bright Lights, Big Ideas and You. Uptime Institute Certifies the Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Digital Foundation for Business.

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September 18 The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada

FOREWORD WELCOME TO THE August’s edition of Business Review Asia. Our lead feature this month comes from Vrit Yongsakul, Group Managing Director of Boat Lagoon Yachting. He talks to us about how the Asian yachting industry is on the rise, with a growing expat community and tourist boom, with the industry expected to reach $74.7bn by 2022. With Asia becoming an attractive destination for yacht enthusiasts, Lagoon Yachting continues to represent world-class yachting brands, with tourist exploring areas such as Singapore, which is becoming fast known for its digitisation and strengthened infrastructures, but also Phuket for its breath-taking landscapes. Atul Kunwar, Tech Mahindra’s Chief Technology Officer also features in this month’s magazine. He highlights how Tech Mahindra is developing its cloud-based solutions, with an increased focus on its cyber security services. We also take a look at the top 10 Asian airlines, which provide super customer service whilst remaining cost-effective. Our exclusive company interviews include supply chain and logistics company ID Logistics, which has adapted its business model to service its customers in Indonesia, and much more. As always, tweet your feedback @BizRevAsia

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08 TECHNOLOGY

PROFILE

Cruising the high seas

NATURAL

INNOVATION INSIDE TECH MAHINDRA

26 TOP10

ASIAN AIRLINES 5

C O M PA N Y P R O F I L ES

78 NOVEMBER 2017

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Heading for a collaborative & digital supply chain

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August 2017

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C O M PA N Y PROFILES

Apollo Hospitals HEALTHCARE

Covestro

Inox Wind Ltd ENERGY

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SUPPLY CHAIN

MANIPAL HEALTH ENTERPRISES Pvt. Ltd HEALTHCARE

ID Logistics SUPPLY CHAIN

Ansaldo STS SUPPLY CHAIN

110 Sunseap

ENERGY 7

CRUISING THE HIGH SEAS

PROFILE

Business Review Asia speak to Vrit Yongsakul, Group Managing Director of Boat LagoonÂ Yachting, about the exploding popularity of yachting in Asian waters

PROFILE THE ASIAN YACHTING industry is on the rise. With a growing expat community taking to the water, as South East Asian destinations continue to flourish, Asia is slowly realising its full potential with the market experiencing a healthy level of demand for charters as clients look for an exciting alternative to the Caribbean. Southeast Asia’s yachting and sailing event calendar is reaching saturation point with the number of regattas and superyacht shows increasing exponentially year on year. The global yacht industry is expected to reach $74.7bn by 2022, driven by the rising interest in luxury cruising among high-net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals particularly in developing regions of Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, richly benefiting from a growing trend towards marine tourism and waterbased sports and leisure activity. Vrit Yongsakul is Group Managing Director of Boat Lagoon Yachting, one of Asia’s largest yacht importation, distribution and after-sales service organisations, representing some of the world’s most prestigious yacht brands. “The business has generally 10

August 2017

grown as buyers have become more appreciative and attracted to the lifestyle pleasure and benefits that yachting brings,” Yongsakul explains. “As their experience grows, the trend also moves, towards the bigger yachts (from 60ft to 130ft). “People are travelling further and longer on their yachts as well as enjoying customising layout and specification with the larger yachts to suit their needs. There is more corporate usage for entertainments as well, as private vessels, especially in destinations such as Singapore and Phuket where there is a growth in the charter market, as well as for pre-owned vessels.” The growth can be attributed to a combination of things including better infrastructure and supply of services in the region, together with governmental support of many countries (especially Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand). “The owners themselves are seeing and discovering the beauty and accessibility of our cruising around South East Asian water which is among some of the most unique and beautiful waters in the world,” says Yongsakul, adding, “often with

“The business has generally grown as buyers have become more appreciative and attracted to the lifestyle pleasure and benefits that yachting brings” VRIT YONGSAKUL Group Managing Director of Boat Lagoon Yachting

PROFILE

August 2017

T H E R I S E O F YA C H T I N G I N A S I A

new hotels, restaurants and clubs, unspoilt surroundings and safe anchorage to cater to every need. “For Princess Yachts, we are lucky to be able to offer turnkey services for our owners, especially after-sales and technical support for these luxurious and advanced motor yachts that we represent, as well as additional services such as yacht charter and dedicated yachts management to make the boating experience as hassle-free and enjoyable as possible.” LOCALISED Although the luxury yacht market is starting to take off, there are striking differences between the Asian and

Western yacht markets. “Chinese ultra-high-net-worth individuals tend to require less powerful motors,” Yongsakul explains. “They want larger indoor areas for corporate entertaining activities with smaller outdoor decks and fewer sleeping cabins and they like to be part of exclusive marina clubs. Not many want to have to pay over the odds with regards to import tax from Europe, but they are willing to spend significantly to hire a crew rather than managing their yachts themselves. “In the West, buyers tend to go for super yachts, which are faster and smaller in size; along with more toys. Additionally, because 13

PROFILE of affordability, a mid-size boat of 50ft to 60ft is always manned by an individual and his family. However, here in Asia, we are quite fortunate as having a full-time captain and crew is extremely affordable, so no matter the size of the boat, typically everyone has either a crew or a captain.” Yongsakul continues to describe the nuances of the two markets. “In

the West, in Europe particularly, they tend to go boating as a family or by themselves while here in Asia, people like to go boating in groups; they like to come together, raft up, make a meal and go diving or snorkelling. The ethos of Princess Yachts is very familyoriented and so it’s fantastic that’s within the framework of what we do. Having a full-time captain and crew is

August 2017

T H E R I S E O F YA C H T I N G I N A S I A

good because it allows the clients to enjoy their boating – they can socialise in the knowledge that someone is able to do the driving or mooring for them.” The markets within Asia vary greatly as to the customer base, with some territories experiencing massive take-up amongst expats. “Our clients are a mixture of locals and expatriates,” says Yongsakul. “If you look at Thailand, certainly in Phuket, the market is almost 90% expats and 10% local. If you go to Pattaya or Bangkok, it is 70% local to 30% expatriate. Here in Singapore, there are a lot more Singaporeans buying boats as compared to expatriates.

It’s really a case-by-case situation in the area. We sell to all individuals who are interested in boating and we have a variety of products we can offer them. We will always do our best to provide them with the right product to fit within their budget requirements.” According to Yongsakul, Asians are more concerned about the price and the ‘value-for-money’ aspect to purchasing a yacht. “Princess is very efficient in its manufacturing and its philosophy has always been to try to build a boat that they can sell at a very competitive price, so buyers get a lot for their money. When you’re looking at a standard specification of

PROFILE a Princess Yacht, you’ll often find it’s a lot higher than our competitors. We throw in a lot of specifications that are standard and free of charge. We tend to keep our options very lean so when the buyers are looking at the base boat, they can see that they’re getting a lot of boat for their money.”

VRIT YONGSAKUL Group Managing Director Having been brought up with boats and working in the boating industry for many years, Vrit spent over 14 years in the UK himself, Vrit maintains an active contact with the manufacturer, related companies and key personnel in the industry to ensure that the very best standard is adopted.

August 2017

CALM WATERS? Of course, with growth in any market, challenges can present themselves. “We’re not quite there yet, but I think we’re getting close to lack of berthing,” Yongsakul warns. “Certainly, in Thailand, we have a problem. Obviously, we own our marinas so we’d always be able to find a berth for our clients, but here in Singapore you can sense that the berths are starting to fill up and we’re now having to look further afield in Malaysia, where Johor Bahru, for example, are expanding marinas. “I don’t think there are any challenges with the product, however. We can supply our clients with boats – it’s just whether we can find them a berth. Luckily, we’ve been around in the region for a very long time and so all the marinas know us. We are very well-respected and renowned in the

T H E R I S E O F YA C H T I N G I N A S I A

region and thus, so far, we’ve never had an issue finding a berth. But that might be a problem in the future.” Another consideration could see governments imposing environmental restrictions on boats. “It’s still very much open, but that could play into par. The shipyards are very environmentally conscious

and many manufacture their hulls through resin infusion; it’s a cleaner manufacturing process as compared to the traditional handlaid up method and so releases less emissions. Princess Yachts is one of the only few manufacturers that has a certification for compliance in EU emission regulation.” 17

NATURAL

INNOVATION: INSIDE TECH MAHINDRA As an information technology company, Tech Mahindra stands right at the centre of the transforming digital landscape and the Indian multinational has consistently ensured it is across all of the innovations happening across the sector Writ t en by: S TUART H O D G E

TECHNOLOGY

TECHNOLOGY TECH MAHINDRA’S CTO Atul Kunwar says that in his experience, contrary to the popular urban myth that it’s the traditional technological powerbases who are driving the evolution towards cloud-connected business, it is in fact some of the newer wave countries which are at the forefront of this latest push. “I’ve been surprised by some of the ones who are taking the lead, the ones driving the evolution to the next level are ones that didn’t participate in the last generation – coming from new places, Asia-Pacific in particular,” he says. “Stuff is happening there in a very big way. I would say the same about Africa and Latin America. It’s not just limited to the US. “In Asia, one of the things we’re seeing very clearly is the adoption of cloud and solutions that help them leapfrog their competition – that’s taking root in a very big way. People are willing to experiment, they want things implemented faster and they want benefit from whatever collective learning has happened across the years. “It’s not about trying to define the process and put one thing in after another, it’s about putting 20

August 2017

things in place and then creatively improving upon them.” That’s clearly a given, and obviously in a technology environment creativity is one of the vital ingredients that human ingenuity can bring to the party and one which cannot be readily automated.

SECURE What brought Kunwar to conclude that it is in fact Asia, which is taking the lead globally in terms of adopting and implementing cloud-based solutions, is the work he’s done over the past 12 months getting a core team in place which will enable enterprises to

TECH MAHINDRA

“We want to be the systems integrator of choice in the new IoT and knowledge world, so we’re curating solutions, but at the same time connecting the solution provider and the enterprise seamlessly” CTO Atul Kunwar

Tech Mahindra’s

go to the next level of cybersecurity defences by themselves. It has shown that Asia is just as competitive in that market as other countries who might be arguably more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. “The cybersecurity angle showed me another dimension to all this,” he explains. “It’s not as if enterprises in particular regions or geographies are taking the lead on some of these things. The cybersecurity paradigm is changing more rapidly than a lot of others. It used to be saying you were okay if you had an antivirus, but that’s no longer true because you’re accepting all kinds of data everywhere. So, it’s become 21

TECHNOLOGY data-centric, not end-device centric. “There are lots and lots of interesting programmes that are starting to emerge as a consequence of this, including advanced threat detection, how to build a security posture and so on. It’s about smaller companies, alliances and ecosystems, and about changing the mindset to accept that everything’s going to happen through a connected cloud environment. And guess what, with IoT coming in, it gets even crazier! “For instance, one of the things cybersecurity is always around is IT information – whether it’s ERP

or emails, all that stuff – and lo and behold, IoT is one of the biggest trends that’s happening across these things, so what we do is push the cybersecurity team to ask them when they could get IoT ready, to protect IoT devices and the endto-end programme. It took us two or three months, but they’ve done it. This is now a prototype that they can replicate into other places. “I try to push people towards doing these kinds of things. This is just one example, but it applies across a number of areas.”

APPLICATION Clearly, acquiring such knowledge and expertise comes as a natural by-product of working in the technology sector, but it’s one thing to acquire information – it’s another thing entirely to utilise your discoveries by putting them into practice on a day-to-day basis. Kunwar continues: “We’re doing something

Atul Kunwar

Tech Mahindra’s CTO

TECH MAHINDRA

very interesting in Malaysia in the construction sector. Where you’d think that was a steady old business rooted in doing things a certain way, it’s revolutionised itself inside of 18 months – [our client] wanted the best construction information system delivering the ability to help them make decisions anywhere. “It’s a cloud-based solution, moving a range of things they used to do across different processes on different systems, onto the cloud. This is a big enterprise with a variety of platforms and a varied infrastructure, a profitable company, doing well – but they had

a vision to get to the next level. “It took us six to nine months to work out the entire blueprint, but it’s in action right now and you can already see the value that’s coming in. Their selling has improved, their ability to quote effectively has improved drastically, and the really interesting thing – which we’re working on right now – is how they can factor in how projects are progressing. “There used to be standard parameters, but with new technologies coming in you change that very drastically. It’s a very interesting process when it comes to ‘snagging’ 23

TECHNOLOGY – the part of a project where, after construction is complete, you go back in to find whatever defects there are and correct them. “This is a process very amenable to AI and machine learning, cloud and so on. We’ve enabled people to take pictures, upload them, and get them compared so you know what you want to do. Millions of pieces of data can be handled, as opposed to, say, just a report from a particular location. And it’s simple.” And that process of making things easier through a process of discovery is right at the

August 2017

heart of what Kunwar and his team Tech Mahindra are looking to do. His belief is that they can act as a go-between for larger enterprises and smaller start-ups by facilitating the learning process on both sides to provide symbiotic benefit. Kunwar is keen to emphasise this point, and adds: “We want to be the systems integrator of choice in the new IoT and knowledge world, so we’re curating solutions, but at the same time connecting the solution provider and the enterprise seamlessly. “Maybe that’s through white labelling or by taking

TECH MAHINDRA

accountability, but making sure they succeed. Let’s say they take a solution from a start-up and the start-up ceases to exist; they know that Tech Mahindra is there and will support them with that. We’re taking the risk out of that whole thing. “That’s how we look at innovation.”

MISSION INNOVATION And that vision culminates in an annual showcase in India, which is next due to take place in December, called ‘Mission Innovation’. It’s a showcase where

groups of technicians, journalists and customers work to provide solutions that have not yet been thought of or tested in the market. Kunwar is a big fan of the exposition and says he was blown away by a group of youngsters from Bangalore last year. “My favourite one was something so simplistic it’s hard to believe. Suddenly, one week before Mission Innovation last year, one of the guys called me directly and told me they knew they missed the deadline for the showcase, and that there was only one week to go, but that they’d like to show me what they’d designed. So, I said ‘you know what, we’ll get you in there.’ “They turned up and stole the show with something very simple. Physiotherapy and rehabilitation is a big area because of the ageing population, so what they did was use Samsung Gear to row a boat, recording various parameters as you do, in virtual reality. It was the most innovative, brilliant solution. “We are encouraging a lot of people to come up with things.” 25

TOP 10

TOP 10 ASIAN AIRLINES Which are the finest airlines operating out of Asia and why?

One of the most appealing things about an airline is its ability to offer cost-effective travel as well as superior customer service. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever considered flying the Asian skies, having an insight into the best airlines in these categories can really assist with your planning. Here are the top 10. Edited by: ANDREW WOODS

TOP 10

MALAYSIA AIRLINES

Malaysia Airlines leads the Oneworld alliance, with over 114 international and 118 domestic routes across the Malay Peninsula. These flights have the highly-regarded Golden Club Class business suites, with economy seats noted as some of the largest in the world. This airline offers excellent amenities and stands by its reputation.

EVA AIR

A Taiwan-based airline, Eva Air serves US cities New York, Chicago, Dallas and Houston. Travelers can expect nothing but comfort and luxury regardless of where they sit, in addition to a smooth and effortless ride. In 2016, this was #8 on the Skytrax list and the company was credited for pioneering the “premium economy” cabin and duly recognised as the World’s Best 28

August 2017

GARUDA INDONESIA

10 C H I N E S E I N F R ATSOTPR U C TAUSRI AE NP A R IORJLEI N CE TS S

The national airline of Indonesia, Garuda has undergone a complete transformation, acquiring new aircrafts and international connections to the US and Europe. Garuda has a five-star rating from Skytrax and is makes the top five best regional airlines. Headquartered in Tangerang, near Jakarta, Garuda is named after the holy Hindu bird of the same name. In 2016, this was #11 on the Skytrax list and is known for extra comfortable seats, Southeast Asian cuisine and the ‘World’s Best Cabin Crew’.

KOREAN AIR

This airline provides an exceptional flying experience, allowing customers to fly in style and comfort on every flight. It is the largest airline and flag carrier of South Korea based on fleet size, international destinations and international flights.

7 29

TOP 10

THAI AIRWAYS

Thai Airways has modern technology and amenities that contribute to the best value in travel. Continuously expanding the fleet, it owns Airbus A350s, Boeing 787s and A380s. In 2016, this airline was #13 on the Skytrax list, lauded for its friendly crew, great dining options and for having the ‘World’s Best Airline Spa Facilities’.

ASIANA AIRLINES This airline is known for having one of the best economy classes in the world. With over 100 transpacific routes, Asiana uses only rainforestfriendly coffee beans and reduces its carbon footprint in the air. In 2007, by combining all of its environmental efforts, Asiana Airlines reduced emissions by 220,000 tonnes. It is the second major South Korean airline in the world, headquartered in Seoul. In 2016, it was #16 on the Skytrax list.

August 2017

SINGAPORE AIRLINES

4 HAINAN

Straight from the People’s Republic, Hainan Airlines is known for its “cherished experience” in the air. It was heralded for having China’s best staff service and the finest business class comforts and amenities in 2014. This airline is also the first Chinese carrier to offer nonstop connections from Beijing to Boston. In 2016, this was #12 on the Skytrax list and used to be the only Chinese airline to hold a five-star rating. Hainan is always praised for attentive service and quality business class accommodations.

Singapore Airlines sits at number three and is well deserved. With a four-tier, $570m cabin service, you can expect nothing but the best in service and amenities. SA’s suites received the award for most premium seats in the world, and boast a breathtaking business class section. Travel in comfort throughout Asia or all over the world with this top carrier. In 2016, this was #3 on the Skytrax list and was named Best Airline in Asia and Best Business Class Airline Seat.

TOP 10

ANA ALL NIPPON Tokyo’s flagship airline has the distinction of being the world’s second-best airline for first-class cabins. Full of private first-class suites, 180-degree business class flatbeds and a host of awards under

its helm, this airline not only delivers, but exceeds expectations. In 2016, this was #5 on the Skytrax list for cleanliness, service and safety. It was also recognised for having the World’s Best Airport Services and Best Airlines Staff Service in Asia.

August 2017

TOP 10 ASIAN AIRLINES

1 CATHAY PACIFIC

The leader in Asian air travel, this Hong-Kong carrier has a fivestar rating. Serving more than five continents, this is the only airline that has the title of undertaking the first ever successful trans-polar flight route. With over 190 destinations, if

youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re searching for a comfortable and luxurious ride, Cathay Pacific is it. In 2016, this was #4 on the Skytrax list for seat comfort, service quality and in-flight entertainment. It was also recognized for the Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness and Best First-Class Airline Lounge.

Passion for polymers Written by: James Henderson Produced by: Charlotte Clarke

Covestro enjoyed a record year in 2016, not least because of the growth of its polycarbonates division which has continued to go Jens Kaatze SVP, Head of Global from strengthProduct Management, to-strength Polycarbonates

hile the picture for many businesses in 2016 was a mixed one, leading polymer manufacturer Covestro enjoyed a record year against the backdrop of a successful Initial Public Offering in 2015. Driven by demand for innovative materials used in a myriad of consumer and business products, the group’s core volumes increased by 7.5%, amounting to revenues of €11.9bn. Covestro’s polycarbonates division performed strongly with volumes increasing by 10.3% over the course of the year, compared to an overall growth of about 4% in the wider polycarbonate manufacturing market. “These excellent results show that we are increasingly successful at replacing conventional materials with superior plastics with a strong demand for polycarbonates”

August 2017

S U P P LY C H A I N

said Michelle Jou, President of Covestro’s Polycarbonates Business Unit. “In 2017 Q1, we have recorded strong growth of 14.7% in core volumes year-onyear, mainly because of greater demand from the automotive and electrical/electronic industries. This is very encouraging.” Polycarbonate is a premium lightweight plastic combining a variety of properties such as being durable and freely formable. It is used in various applications including laptops, smartphones, medical devices, automotive parts and stadium roofs. Covestro markets the material in the form of granules, semi-finished products or blends with other plastics. The burgeoning demand for polycarbonates in the Asian market has led Covestro to unveil plans to significantly expand the production capacity of its Shanghai site to 600,000 tons per year, having only recently expanded up to 400,000 tonnes. This extremely rapid development is bringing the value of Covestro’s investment into this site up to $3bn, showcasing its commitment to the Chinese market and the organisation’s strong global

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C O V E S T R O ( S H A N G H A I ) M A N A G E M E N T C O . LT D .

footprint. Solid partners like Qi’An Construction are also essential in the implementation of such projects. Thanks to its impressive legacy and global reach, Covestro has production sites and R&D hubs across Europe, Asia and the Americas. All of them use innovative and ecologically compatible technology. To keep pace with the evolving business environment, Covestro works directly with partners and invests continuously in R&D and innovation. The idea is for Covestro to be as cost efficient, flexible and agile as possible, quickly adapting to customers’ needs. For instance,

Covestro works with TP Link, a network solution market leader. Fan Tianshu, VP of TP-Link, Global sourcing, considers Covestro to be a real strategic partner that we can count on for high and stable quality material but also professional technical support like various tests of products and materials, timely response and even joint production development”. For similar reasons, Covestro has been awarded “Preferred Partner” for its outstanding supply and service in May this year by Flex Mechanical Technology Solutions, the world’s largest contract manufacturers.

“These excellent results show that we are increasingly successful at replacing conventional materials with superior plastics with a strong demand for polycarbonates” – Michelle Jou, President of Business Unit Polycarbonates 40

August 2017

TO BE A LEADING INTEGRATED PHENOL CHAIN PROVIDER IN ASIA THROUGH INNOVATION FOR BETTER LIVING.

PTT Phenol Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of PTT Global Chemical PLC, is the sole producer of phenol and acetone in Thailand, including Bisphenol-A (BPA), which is a raw material and additive used by several industries such as automotive, construction, and performance materials. As a supplier of choice, we are committed to delivering high-quality products with excellent reliability and establishing solid partnerships. For queries, please contact the Product Sales & Marketing Division: Tel. +66 (0) 2265-8230

www.pttphenol.com Head office: 15th Floor, Energy Complex (Building A) 555/1 Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900

INTERGARTED HIGH-END LOGISITICS SERVICES Shanghai Huayi Tianyuan Chemical Logistics Co., Ltd.HYTY is a leading company specialized in chemical logistics, which is established in September 2003, attached to Shanghai Huayi Group.

155 HeZhan Road, Caojing, Jinshan Shanghai, 201507 Tel: +86 21 57252555 | Fax: +86 21 57255111 www.hyty56.com | xty56@126.com

S U P P LY C H A I N

15,600 NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AT COVESTRO Outlining the importance of the company’s supply chain operations, Jens Kaatze, SVP, Head of Global Product Management, Polycarbonates, says: “Supply chain is hugely important in our business, you need to provide the lowest cost of service to be competitive. Streamlining the supply chain with a reliable global network that we can tap into is crucial. This advantage enables us to serve our customers to the best of our ability wherever they are located while at the same time maintaining cost and carbon footprint as low as possible. “Think of a scenario where a customer of ours releases a phone case in blue but realises they actually need it a shade darker. We are able to match that request within 24 hours and provide a colour sample to them within three days, which we can then run and produce, if

approved. The fact that Covestro can combine low cost with agility makes it stand out from the rest of its competitors in the market.” Some could say being present everywhere and highly reactive is energy intensive, but Kaatze says that sustainability is one of the central pillars of Covestro. “We have significantly improved our specific carbon footprint, previously setting target to reduce our energy consumption by 25% by 2025, which we have actually already achieved. Instead of sitting back and congratulating ourselves on hitting this milestone we set a higher target of 50%. Consuming less energy helps both the planet and our profit,” he says. This is consistent with the company’s PPP – people, planet and profit – philosophy, which Covestro adheres to when developing new

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products, practices or procedures. In short, anything that is introduced must be positive for at least two of the PPP elements, and neutral for the third. Kaatze gives a specific example of what this means for the business: “At our plant in Shanghai, we have implemented a strategy to recycle our salt water. It technically helps us save some money but there is also an extra cost associated with the energy recycling process.

August 2017

We found a solution to help the business use the extracted salt for our chlorine production. It is a win win situation: eventually we have a lower amount of salt impacting the environment and we can re-use the salt for our own processes. “When we look at our products, we look at the whole life cycle to evaluate how much energy we are using during the process - the carbon footprint of the production - but also during the product’s entire lifespan.

S U P P LY C H A I N

â&#x20AC;&#x153;For instance, if you replace the glass or metal part present in a car by polycarbonate you will significantly reduce the energy it takes to move the vehicle over its life cycle. This energy saving ultimately compensates for the amount of energy used during the production process eventually reducing the total greenhouse gas emission

Michelle Jou

President of Business Unit Polycarbonates

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C O V E S T R O ( S H A N G H A I ) M A N A G E M E N T C O . LT D .

‘The fact that Covestro can combine low cost with agility makes it stand out from the rest of its competitors in the market’

SERVING CUSTOMERS AND CREATING THE FUTURE TOGETHER

Jiangsu Qi’an Construction Group Co.,Ltd Business involves: Construction, M&E engineering works of general constract and relevant maintenance service.

www.qaqa.com.cn jzhang@qaqa.com.cn

S U P P LY C H A I N

for this product turning the overall balance to positive.” The challenge for Covestro now consists in following up on a record year, and it is one that Kaatze says it will take on with relish. “To stay on this track to success we continuously focus on innovation and collaboration. It goes back to our core pillars: optimisation and efficiency combined with an offering that provides a broad level of products and services in a cost and time friendly manner. Both require strong and open innovation with our network of partners. Our relationship with Mitsui and Co. in Asia Pacific has been a good example of working closely and effectively with a partner helping us being agile at supply chain level for our customers. This means that when we see an upturn in demand for example, we are

capable of meeting this demand. “Similarly, as the world’s biggest buyer of phenol, we work consistently with on-site or near-site partners on pipeline supply to ensure that we receive the product as efficiently as possible. Our suppliers in Thailand, PTT, are located in close proximity to our facility so we can benefit from a pipeline which cuts costs and improves efficiency. That might sound simple but a lot of companies haven’t managed to take that step yet.” Following a successful first quarter, Covestro is optimistic for the current year. For 2017, the company anticipates core volume growth in the low-to-mid-singledigit percentage range. It will continue to work closely with its partners to bring their innovative applications to life with the goal to ‘make the world a better place’.

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Written by: Catherine Sturman Produced by: Charlotte Clarke

ID LOGISTICS:

“INNOVATION IS PART OF OUR DNA” 49

Established in the early 2000s, French company ID Logistics has now expanded into Indonesia, and has had to adapt its business model to become increasingly flexible and agile to cater to the country’s competitive and challenging market

xpanding into the Indonesian market, supply chain and logistics company ID Logistics has fully adapted its products and services to develop new partnerships and opportunities, taking on all new challenges with enthusiasm. Since its establishment, the company has consequently grown approximately 20 percent year on year over the last 15 years. With more than $1 billion in revenue, the company now operates in 16 countries around the globe. Managing Director Vincent Holley is responsible for continually developing the company in Indonesia, which he recognises as “a difficult market,” but adds “there is no easy market, however.” With around 18,000 islands making up Indonesia’s archipelago, only 900 of them are inhabited by approximately 260 million citizens, creating significant logistical challenges. Holley explains: “There is a duality in Indonesia where we have to make sound

August 2017

18.5k Number of employees at ID Logistics

S U P P LY C H A I N

decisions and quick actions. Things change very quickly here, which makes the challenges very interesting and demanding, but the country remains very promising.” Starting as a 3PL strongly focused on retail logistics, ID Logistics has further developed its services, incorporating high standards throughout its operations. With a motto to develop sustainable logistics solutions, the company guarantees operational excellence, which is all fully measured by KPIs, agreed with customers and clients. Increased performance With the implementation of KPIs, Holley explains that the

“Things change very quickly here, which makes the challenges very interesting and demanding, but the country is promising” – Vincent Holley, MD

company can place an emphasis on continuous improvement. “In a country like Indonesia which is an emerging country, it is important to get high standards and step by step, upgrade standards and performance to a world-class level,” adds Holley. “The management of ID Logistics is demanding with its staff and also demanding with its business partners.” Internally, the company incorporates a number of

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S U P P LY C H A I N

certifications. The Certification of ID Logistics (CID) works in parallel with ISO, alongside another certification, which the company calls LID (LEAN of ID Logistics). Whilst the purpose of CID is for staff to really focus on the daily operations of a logistics provider and micromanagement, the LID program involves value stream mapping, looking at waste and improving company processes step by step. Through these certifications, the company continually supports staff and promotes knowledge sharing in order to further develop high standards. Operations Managers are tasked with monitoring KPIs on a daily basis, where they escalate and explain any deviations to the norm. Additionally, weekly and monthly operational reviews are implemented, on top of quarterly business reviews, documenting all performance, policy changes and any change in activity. “Whilst business is in continuous change, we make sure that customer satisfaction remains a key focus,” says Holley. “The focus is simple - to make our customer happy and bring continuous positive change. “This is also what customers appreciate – since we are straight forward and organised, we are able to move quickly. Action to Customer and internal quick communication is key.” Developing partnerships Through promoting the cross-fertilisation of knowledge and skills, ID Logistics develops strong

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ID LOGISTICS

“Whilst business is in continuous change, we make sure that customer satisfaction remains a key focus” – Vincent Holley, MD

August 2017

partnerships. One such example is Schaffer, which has recently worked with the company on the revamping of an ID Logistics’ warehouse in Jakarta in less than three months during the Ramadan fasting period. With occasions such as this, it is imperative for the company to acquire committed partners who understand the ID Logistics’ strive for excellence. Another example is ID Logistics’ collaboration with Indonesian distributor of Everlight, which has been behind the company for the LED lighting project of its new warehouse. “Both Schaffer and Everlight are industry owned in the way they work and are solution

orientated, which is not easy to find in Indonesia,” comments Holley. “I can commit to customers because they can commit to me and deliver on time, according to the agreement. This has allowed us to focus more on pure operations.” Future planning Becoming widely renowned within Indonesia’s retail logistics sector, Holley recalls a conversation with the Head of Supply Chain of L’Oréal Indonesia. Whilst ID Logistics as a 3PL is aware of the ongoing issues within retail and consumer goods, Holley was asked whether he would support the development of a forum in order to not only align these constraints,

but find a compromise to improve the overall logistic costs within Indonesia. Since then, the duo has been behind the development of a forum (or community), incorporating supply chain directors from companies such as Nestlé and Danone, and also other 3PLs, with the aim to also attract technology companies. “The aim is to align our challenges to push the government here, and to some extent, improve the infrastructure and give Supply Chain actors the visibility for improvement,”

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ID LOGISTICS

adds Holley. “To define strategy for the improvement of the supply chain, we need to know roughly what the government plans to do in 10 years. “From a supply chain perspective, when you want to make a redesign of your distribution network, or even brief your supply chain by relocating some points, it is important to know where the new highways and industrial parks are, or deep-sea ports etc. That, at the moment, is

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lacking. That’s a good thing about being in an emerging country, it gives you the opportunities to address different challenges and to define different solutions. At the moment, we are just starting this community, but the aim is to lower the logistic costs in Indonesia.” Smart savings An ambition to develop sustainable logistics solutions,

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August 2017

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29/06/2017 15:13

S U P P LY C H A I N

whilst remaining sustainable and profitable, is something all businesses are currently tackling throughout their operations. Developing an initiative to find smart savings, ID Logistics has also focused on reducing its carbon footprint through the implementation of green trucks within the last three years, where the consumption of each NGV truck is monitored.

Holley explains: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Indonesia is a country which produces gas, which is cheaper than the cost of diesel. This NGV truck is more expensive than the diesel truck, but at the end of the day, when you consider the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), this green truck is cost affordable, even cost efficient. The more important thing is looking at the standard of trucks on the Indonesian market at

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ID LOGISTICS

$1bn+ The revenue produced by ID Logistics

the moment in terms of CO2 emission, this green truck has an CO2 emission more than 60 percent lesser than the current market standard. In addition to the green truck initiative, a way to decrease the carbon footprint is to optimise the transport capacities as well. To do so, ID Logistics has been implementing over the last five years 4PL Transport Control Tower solutions. Doing that, ID Logistics has also implemented a QCD approach by improving the Quality, decreasing Costs and the Delivery lead-time by the usage of smart monitoring technologies, such as GPS devices, geo-fencing and sensors. Usually, the expected savings are from five percent until 15 percent of the total distribution transport budget depending on the market maturity. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Innovation is part of our DNA, so innovation is not only new technologies, it could be a simple, smart idea to implement. Implementing new technologies makes sense to any 3PL, with a quick return on investment.â&#x20AC;? Supporting education With the curriculum

August 2017

S U P P LY C H A I N

for supply chain and logistics in Indonesia being less substantial than other APAC countries such as Australia, Japan and Singapore, ID Logistics strives to support local talent and the development of supply chain logistics in Indonesia through a number of investments. With limited supply chain actors on the market, ID Logistics has created a community to develop the supply chain scene in Indonesia. Additionally, to fund talent in Indonesia, the company works with universities to make this a more seamless process. Holley explains: “We work to upgrade the curriculum – so it is the type of investment to start enjoying in approximately five years – the rise of new talent in a sense of better education, and it will sit closer to western education in terms of supply chain and logistics. In the short term, develop talent through cross-fertilisation, and those people are supposed to be coached to develop the skills of my local team.” To further this drive, when the company can see an employee has potential, it sends them to

“Implementing new technologies makes sense to any 3PL, with a quick return on investment” – Vincent Holley, MD

another country, such as Taiwan, to see how different processes and technologies are used and gain increased exposure. “Sometimes you don’t change things because you don’t know see how to change it, it’s when you’re exposed to new things, you realise how you could do things differently,” adds Holley. Regional challenges Despite this, ID Logistics has come across a number of regional challenges since its establishment in Asia. Launching in 2002 within Taiwan, Carrefour also launched

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ID LOGISTICS

into Indonesia in 2007 and saw contrasting differences between the two countries. Whilst in Taiwan, Carrefour remains, the Indonesian Carrefour is no longer operating directly. Holley explains that whilst the brand name exists under a franchisee,

August 2017

this will likely disappear soon. From this experience, Holley explains that â&#x20AC;&#x153;the western retail industry has to adapt the way of doing retail in, I would say, non-western countries. Our main customers at the moment are retailers, but we need to change the way in which we are operating ourselves, which is part of the challenge, and to work more and more

S U P P LY C H A I N

with ecommerce companies.” The rise in e-commerce, with companies such as Alibaba, as well as smaller e-commerce companies in Indonesia not yet known overseas, are slowly altering the business map in the country. However, “retailers are not the only one to move to ecommerce,” reflects Holley. “The second and third revenue of ID Logistics worldwide is the consumer goods industry – big players like Danone and Unilever are some, and even those ones are thinking to move in this direction.” To this effect, the company has had to adapt its ways of operating, such as the use of its work management system, which has been customised and upgraded in order to deliver quality and tailor-made solutions. Nonetheless, Holley says, “in e-commerce, there is some cut off. For instance, every order before

2pm can be delivered the next day, whereas in some areas there is same day delivery. It is a different way to address logistics which encompasses new challenges.” These challenges are also heightened through the increased Uberisation of the economy, where an individual can sell any product and ensure it is delivered to the other side of Indonesia by the next day, as everybody in the country is using Uber or local company GO-JEK. With all these complexities, ID Logistics continually transforms its services and the way it addresses business with clients and end users. We think properly and we move forward. It’s a lean organisation which makes communication flow quickly, ensuring the company remains competitive within the Indonesian market.”

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LEADING THE WAY

IN TRANSPORTATION AND PROCUREMENT WRIT TEN BY: CATHERINE STURMAN PRODUCED BY: CHAR LOT TE CL AR KE

We speak with Vijay Chintam, Head of Procurement and Supply Chain (India) and Filippo Fanfani, Vice President of Procurement at Ansaldo STS, regarding the company’s continual growth, which is underpinned by its exceptional procurement services

orking with global contractors worldwide, Ansaldo STS has become one of the leading multifunctional railway signalling and integrated transport companies in the world. Supporting individuals in moving from A to B, the company has amassed a USD $1.5bn (or €1.3bn) turnover, providing exceptional safety standards throughout its operations. An international technology company specialising in the development and delivery of integrated solutions for passenger and freight rail networks and Mass Transit worldwide, Ansaldo STS designs, manufactures, installs and commissions solutions for the

August 2017

management and control of new and upgraded railway, transit and freight lines in approximately 28 countries. “Ansaldo is a global organisation,” explains Filippo Fanfani, Vice President of Procurement. With two thirds of the company based outside of Italy, Ansaldo STS has undergone an internal shift in its procurement processes to cater towards this newfound global outlook, competing with larger competitors, such as Siemens in a number of projects. The objective to adopt best in class procurement practices in this sector has led the company to utilise the ERP system (SAP) for its procurement and supply chain functions; however, Fanfani explains that there has not

Vijay Chintam

Head of Procurement and Supply Chain (India) Vijay Kumar Chintam, a Techno-Commercial SCM professional with 14+ years of experience in the field of Strategic Sourcing, Procurement and Supply Chain Management. He has Masters Degree in Business Administration from Wharton Business School, Philadelphia and Bocconi School of Management, Milan besides being a Mechanical Engineer. He worked with Sterlite Industries and GMR Group, before joining Ansaldo STS. He has been titled as one of the Future Leaders in Ansaldo STS globally. Operations are his forte with expertise in Strategic Sourcing, Project Procurement and SCM. Implemented unique concepts of Strategic Sourcing in 2007 and continues to be passionate about this subject.

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S U P P LY C H A I N

“IN MOST OF OUR INDIAN PROJECTS, WE HAVE DELIVERED OVER €1M IN PRODUCTIVE SAVINGS THROUGH OUR VALUE ENGINEERING AND SUPPLIER COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVES” – Vijay Chintam, Head of Procurement and Supply Chain (India)

been much investment in terms of other sourcing tools, as the company is “focused more on organisation and current processes, before thinking of the required tools”. To this effect, Ansaldo STS has adopted a number of sourcing and cost optimisation strategies, involving not only procurement, but also the company’s engineering and construction functions, in order to deliver increased value to clients and stakeholders. “We decided that this should be part of our modus operandi within procurement,” Fanfani says. “We look forward to a new program ACE (Achieve Continuous Excellence) which we’ve just launched, where the leadership is situated in procurement.” To support this further, the implementation of value engineering has also proved invaluable in delivering

solutions to clients. “In most of our Indian projects, we have delivered over €1m in productive savings through our value engineering and supplier collaborative initiatives,” explains Vijay Chintam, Head of Procurement and Supply Chain in India. “We have a cross-functional and cross-entity value engineering initiatives,” he adds. “This enables the company to undertake value engineering with both the supplier and the customer (wherever feasible), where both parties gain an increased perspective of the subject. The state of the employee led bottom up value engineering activities, and supplier induced value engineering activities, has shown positive results.” Strong governance To ensure the company deliver a

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ANSALDO STS

clear and visible decision-making process at a global level, Ansaldo STS has also strategically worked on its global sourcing processes. With three key parameters, viz., Organisation, Processes and Tools, the procurement function has embarked on a journey. “The journey”, as Fanfani puts it “would position Ansaldo among the league of advanced procurement organisations.” The journey had just begun by redefining its inter-functional processes. “Internal processes, in turn encapsulate the constraints, availability and timing of the sourcing, where we can then receive internal sourcing approval,” adds Fanfani. “Through these processes, we also define the procedures in order to identify key subjects which are very important for our global decision-making approach.” For instance, a high value deal includes multi-step process involving possibly all stakeholders owning up and aligning with the recommendation that procurement function had put forward.

August 2017

Supplier relationships Ansaldo STS has a number of multiple, long-term and strategic suppliers, who have been supporting its operations at various regions the company is now situated. “We build relationships with global suppliers at a local level and encourage regional suppliers for global requirements. We also ensure that they all meet our global technical and quality standards” explains Chintam. “Everybody in the procurement organisation is trained in the multidimensional selection process which suppliers undergo. This is essential in selecting suppliers who fit our business aspirations.” Any supplier who adds value to our operations, especially with regards to quality and safety of the products and solutions, shall be nurtured. Future development With a continual focus to provide innovative products, such as driverless and freight transportation systems besides remaining competitive, Ansaldo STS is further looking to improve its procurement services

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through integrated platform solution. The company is currently exploring the possibility of implementing an IT platform, where entire sourcing and procurement processes could be managed. This is on top of all essential information, surrounding company contracting and collaboration with the large number of suppliers. Fanfani explains: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This opens up possibilities

August 2017

of operational enrichment, with essential information embedded in the systems. Another step would be to have increased links with the upstream and downstream processes, and with our other tools to consolidate further Supply Chain operations.â&#x20AC;? Through redefining its global strategies, Fanfani highlights the particular importance of tapping into the Asia market.

S U P P LY C H A I N

“OUR CROSSFUNCTIONAL AND CROSSENTITY VALUE ENGINEERING INITIATIVE, ENABLES US TO UNDERTAKE VALUE ENGINEERING WITH BOTH THE SUPPLIER AND THE CUSTOMER” – Vijay Chintam, Head of Procurement and Supply Chain (India)

With two projects presently underway in Taiwan, Ansaldo STS is now tendering for a third project in the region. “From a procurement perspective, we decided to deploy a team in Taiwan,” says Fanfani. “It is an area of importance, and even more important with our suppliers alongside us,” in the development of advanced and reliable transportation systems. On the other hand, India market has been promising with multiple projects under execution and host of tenders being rolled out on several technologies. The price pressure is immense in this market hence the focus on costs takes

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ANSALDO STS

4,000 NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AT ANSALDO STS

Filippo Fanfani

Vice President of Procurement at Ansaldo STS Mr. Filippo Fanfani has a multiyear industry background within automotive, industrial and rail businesses, cross functional experiences and a strong international exposure. As part of the Ansaldo STS Executive team Fanfani leads the global Procurement organization (1bn€ spend and about 80 team resources) with the aim to transform it into an effective strategic function. Process and People development are his forte, besides, sourcing strategies and operational initiatives. He believes in sustainable and reliable relationship with key supply partners to achieve progress. According to him, values and behaviors are fundamental for a long term success in a professional business environment such as fairness and ethics, reliability, personal determination, relationship and interpersonal capabilities, team working, continuous challenge of the status quo and problem solving approach.

centre stage. Thanks to Ansaldo STS’s supplier community it have been able to remain competitive. It will continue to invest in developing greater supplier relationships to create more opportunities in the coming future. Although Ansaldo STS remains a medium sized company, its cuttingedge technology and integration possibilities will enable its future growth in emerging markets and secure its global reach. As an organisation, Ansaldo STS has become an integrated company, to which Chintam concludes: “This is one of the few companies which is integrated across the value chain which provides a connecting platform between its customer and its supplier partners.”

S U P P LY C H A I N

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Personalising healthcare with technology Written by: Leila Hawkins Produced by: Mariana Lee

August 2017

Apollo is not just India`s largest integrated healthcare provider, it is also acclaimed for pioneering the private healthcare revolution in the country. Since its inception in 1983, Apollo has risen to a position of leadership and has emerged as Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foremost healthcare services provider with over 70 hospitals, 100 clinics, 2400 pharmacies touching lives of over 50m patients across 140 countries

pollo is one of India`s largest healthcare providers and is acclaimed for pioneering the private healthcare revolution in the country. Renowned cardiologist Dr Prathap C. Reddy had worked in the US for over a decade when he decided to return to India and create a world class hospital. He realised that while there were several accomplished Indian doctors around the world, a lack of quality facilities prevented them from returning and working in their native country. Subsequently Dr Reddy established Apollo Hospitals in 1983. Since Apollo`s inception, it has transformed India`s healthcare sector. Beginning with its flagship site in Chennai, which to this day remains one of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top hospitals, it now has 70 hospitals and a robust presence across the healthcare ecosystem, including hospitals, pharmacies, and primary care and diagnostic clinics. The group also has telemedicine units across 10 countries,

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H E A LT H C A R E

health insurance services, global projects consultancy, medical colleges, medvarsity for e-learning, colleges of nursing and hospital management and a research foundation. Further initiatives such as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ASK Apolloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, an online consultation portal, and enterprises such as Apollo Home Health, seek to consistently extend the continuum of care. Innovations in healthcare Apollo Research and Innovations (ARI), a division of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd., spearheads research and innovations, enabling the introduction of cutting edge technologies, therapies and other innovations in its ecosystem. ARI is a dedicated organisation responsible for scouting, evaluating and deploying innovations in the hospital ecosystem. Ms Shobana Kamineni, Executive Vice Chairperson of Apollo Hospitals, explains this emphasis The year Apollo placed by Apollo towards technology

1983

Hospitals was founded

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A P O L L O H O S P I TA L S

and innovation: “Apollo is the first healthcare organisation to realise that it couldn’t standardise multiple hospitals and patient services without the use of new technology. Hence embedding technology innovation and bench to bedside research into Apollo’s ecosystem is of paramount importance to us. These are cornerstones of a consistently evolving patient centric healthcare system.” Apollo has introduced many cuttingedge initiatives - assessment of one`s genetic predisposition is one such step to personalising healthcare for an individual. Apollo has introduced a genetic predisposition test as part of its personalised health checks (PHC) - a single test to analyse and assess unique DNA makeup of the patient to find out what conditions they are more prone to. Genetic predisposition DNA tests can be carried out for over 60 conditions including cardiovascular, diabetes, and cancer. By monitoring a patient’s pre-disposition and combining it with their current clinical assessment, physicians can personalise advice given to a patient

August 2017

in terms of their diet, exercise, general lifestyle, the frequency of specific tests and doctor consultations so as to stay healthy. “For example, if someone is highly predisposed to cardiovascular disease and their clinical assessment is on the borderline, the physician can proactively monitor a patient`s lipid profile,” says Mr Seemant Jauhari, CEO of Apollo Research & Innovations (ARI), who explains that “it’s about staying more aware about one`s health and staying healthy”. Currently, Apollo undertakes almost 200,000 PHC tests annually. Another revolutionary initiative was

H E A LT H C A R E

the introduction of liquid biopsy, rated as one of the top 10 groundbreaking technologies in the world by MIT Technology Review in 2015. “These technologies make it possible to detect cancer cells and their associated components earlier than current methods,” Jauhari says. “Our clinicians and scientists at the research foundation undertook research on liquid biopsies for noninvasive diagnosis of brain tumours.”

Thereafter Apollo, in collaboration with its partners, introduced liquid biopsies as part of its precision oncology program, a treatment designed specifically for diagnosis of different types of cancer. This has paved the way towards the development of more exosome based diagnostics by providing clinicians non-invasive tools for prognosis, diagnosis, cancer recurrence, and therapy personalisation.

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A P O L L O H O S P I TA L S

One of the other key areas of innovation Apollo is pursuing is in the area of cervical cancer. India has one of the highest incidence rates in the world. Apollo is engaged with companies from Israel and US which offer technologies that include a urine-based DNA test, optical signature- based probe and an Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) based medical device that differentiates between cancerous and pre-cancerous cells. Further, four years ago, Apollo embarked on a mission to establish a bio-repository backed by clinical information. As such this information baseline can be leveraged to spawn research and offer personalised healthcare in the future. Apollo thus incubated its Biobank in 2013. This self-sustainable bio-bank leverages on bio-samples from Apolloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nationwide network of hospitals and has emerged as the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s single largest biobank. It is a catalogued library that systematically archives ethically consented and anonymised patient samples with associated clinical data. The samples are utilised to develop novel diagnostics tests and therapeutics. Jauhari mentions that such repository enables researchers to develop biomarkers and pharmacogenetic tests. A genetic test to prescribe an effective blood thinner and a breast cancer recurrence monitoring diagnostic were two products which were rolled out by the bio-bank. While increasing strata of people living in towns and cities have access to annual health checks,

August 2017

H E A LT H C A R E

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Innovation in biotech, biomarkers, devices, IoT platforms and ecommerce are likely to change the landscape. Apollo is rapidly establishing a platform where clinicians are able to find solutions to real problemsâ&#x20AC;? Shobana Kamineni, Executive Vice Chairperson of Apollo Hospitals

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A P O L L O H O S P I TA L S

rural India continues to lack basic healthcare facilities. Apollo is trying to bridge this gap in healthcare, arising from variance in availability and access to healthcare, by introducing India’s first integrated rural healthcare delivery network - The Total Health Foundation Programme. As part of the programme, Apollo has adopted a village named Aragonda in the state of Andhra Pradesh. This project is driven by the sheer vision of Dr Reddy which proposes to track an individual from “womb to tomb”.

August 2017

Under the programme, Apollo is tracking several clinical parameters - such as the patient’s health, sanitation, diet and overall wellness from the day he or she is born till the day he or she breathes last. Today, over 60,000 people are part of the total health programme. This project aims to identify risk factors for the cohort, facilitate primary and tertiary healthcare and provide relevant interventions to keep the cohort healthy. If successful the programme

H E A LT H C A R E

envisages a replication across villages across India. In line with rapidly changing healthcare scenarios, Apollo is seeking to leverage digital health as a critical success factor for healthcare delivery. ‘Ask Apollo’ is Apollo`s endeavour to enable virtual consults and remote delivery of healthcare. It enables patients to consult virtually with 1,000+ doctors across 52 specialties through video, call or email. It is an integrated and advanced online healthcare platform that offers a suite of services such as appointment booking, online consultation, health

checks, online health records and homecare services. Jauhari says this was a pioneering effort: “The doctor appears on your phone screen and based on an appointment schedule one can have a virtual consultation sitting in the comfort of one`s home. The doctor writes the diagnosis and the prescription is mailed across.” Not only does it mean people don’t need to step foot inside a hospital, it also makes sense given that India has around 350mn Smartphone users who could use such a remote healthcare platform. India`s top private hospitals today face an acute shortage of critical care doctors, and in such circumstances, Apollo has undertaken expanding of remote management of intensive care units. Apollo runs electronic intensive care units (e-ICU) that enable top intensive care specialists to monitor ICU patients, help and guide doctors at smaller hospitals to treat a critical patient even if they are located in another city. Clinical staff monitors patients remotely using cameras, video, and microphones. Apollo

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monitors 200 patients in six states from its e-ICU facility in Hyderabad and plans to open three new centres to track 1,000 more patients. Yet, as a public listed company, Apollo’s focus is still on the health of the patients. “Any research we undertake has to be translated from an idea to a clinical application in the end,” Jauhari says. End-to-end healthcare Apollo Hospitals is focused towards providing quality healthcare to every individual and empowering them in their healthcare journey. This journey of becoming an umbrella for all healthcare needs is fulfilled by having Pharmacies, health insurance services, medical colleges, colleges of nursing and hospital management. Apollo Pharmacies has grown from being based within the hospitals to a chain of over 2,400 outlets across the country. Today Apollo pharmacy is Asia`s largest network of pharmacies. “We’re one of the few retail clinics in India that is profitable,” says Ms Kamineni. “We haven’t given a wrong prescription in over 20 years. Our

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supply chain is so effective; we interact with almost 100mn people a year.” Only 20% of India’s population is covered by health insurance. To address this, Apollo partnered with Munich Re Group (the European Union`s largest re-insurance company) a global leader in health insurance, to form Apollo Munich Insurance. Apollo Munich brings together a deep understanding of emerging healthcare needs, and sophisticated technical and underwriting prowess, to ‘uncomplicate’ health insurance. It has over 80 branches throughout the country, making healthcare more accessible to the vast swathes of the population who couldn’t access it previously. Apollo Hospitals is committed to the maintenance of excellence in education. The belief that clinical services supported by medical education and research is relevant to the need of the country, and therefore should be an integral part of Apollo Hospitals, led to the introduction of various programs for medical education and hospital management. Apollo’s educational programme

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began due to a shortage of clinical staff. “We couldn’t get enough nurses to run our hospitals, and that’s why we started nursing colleges. Then we went into education, training and postgraduate training,” says Kamineni.

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Referring to this all-encompassing network, she adds: “We realised we couldn’t grow hospitals in India without building the surrounding infrastructure. We’re probably the only organisation in the world that has an end-to-end healthcare presence.”

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Creating solutions “It’s ironic,” Jauhari says, “where you really need access and affordability you need technological presence, tolerance, and paying capacity, which are hard to find in rural India. That’s really the challenge; there is a gap between the segments of the population where new technologies and innovation don’t have widespread adoption.” He cites that whilst cutting edge innovation only begun being adopted in urban areas, it shall take longer for changes like this to be deployed in rural India. “If we’re able to come up with innovations that disrupt existing

healthcare models then we’d be able to make things more affordable. I hope remote healthcare can bridge that gap because there’s a huge shortage of good doctors, and 80 to 90% of them reside in urban, not rural India. Technology is the only way we’ll be able to bridge this.” Kamineni explains that the next wave in healthcare technology will be delivered through start-ups like these. “Innovation in biotech, biomarkers, devices, IoT platforms and ecommerce are likely to change the landscape. Apollo is rapidly establishing a platform where clinicians are able to find solutions to real problems. This would create a hugely powerful ecosystem which could address real challenges around accessibility, affordability, and personalised healthcare.”

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MANIPAL HOSPITAL KLANG, MALAYSIA: AN ASIAN SUCCESS STORY Written by: Nell Walker Produced by: Mariana Lee

M A N I PA L H E A LT H E N T E R P R I S E S

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WITH AN AGGRESSIVE EXPANSION INTO MALAYSIA PLANNED, MANIPAL HOSPITALS MALAYSIA MANAGING DIRECTOR & CEO GAURAV REKHI EXPLAINS HOW THE ORGANISATION WILL ACHIEVE THIS AMBITIOUS GOAL AND DISCUSSES THE ACHIEVEMENTS IT HAD ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED

anipal Health Enterprises stands proudly as India’s third largest healthcare group, its network of 17 hospitals spread across the nation and into Malaysia offering comprehensive patient care. The organisation carries an ethos of core values which it calls ‘Clinical Excellence, Patient Centricity and Ethical Practices,’ and this shapes everything it strives for. Manipal’s success, then, is not surprising, and this level of effort even led to the flagship Bangalore hospital becoming NABH accredited and ranked among the top 10 multispecialty hospitals in the nation 12 times in a row. A patient-first approach – something that one would expect but not necessarily receive at a medical facility – is paramount for Manipal, and its dedication to ethical practices and social responsibility manifests

itself in the form of the Manipal Foundation, which enables it to extend its services to poorer, less privileged parts of the community. Prioritising people, technology, and the highest possible levels of care has led Manipal to effectively manage 5,000+ beds across its network of hospitals, and care for over 2mn patients from all over the world. The extraordinary work the organisation does is best described by Gaurav Rekhi, Managing Director and CEO of the Malaysian branch of Manipal Hospitals, who knows what it takes for a hospital group to be competitive and expand successfully. After studying hospital and healthcare management and working in various aspects of hospital administration, Rekhi moved into his current position in April 2016 and much of his role entails a responsibility to enable Manipal to expand further

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into Malaysia. Of course, there are challenges inherent in this kind of expansion, as Rekhi explains. “To do this, you need two ways to expand: greenfield projects and brownfield projects,” he states. A greenfield project is one that can be created without the constraints of a pre-existing construction, whereas a brownfield project is one based on prior work where a building already

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exists and simply needs renovation sometimes. Brownfield projects are preferable for hospital expansions, but Malaysia unfortunately does not contain many of them. “Our expansion will primarily be greenfield,” says Rekhi. “We currently have a mixture of greenfield and brownfield projects which had taken us to 220 beds, and we have greenfield projects planned that will bring us up to 1,000 beds in Malaysia

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1953 by 2021. There are two greenfield projects; one in Kuala Lumpur and other states of Malaysia for expansion. We are building and expanding as much as we can, but we are sometimes limited by building capacity.” “In the immediate future, Manipal is working towards having one stateof-the-art flagship hospital in the city center of Kuala Lumpur,” adds Dr Arun Kumar, an ENT Consultant and

the year Manipal Hospitals was founded

Senior Director of the group. “Right now we are in Klang, but we want to move into the city. We look at Malaysia as a big market for us. One in six doctors in Malaysia are alumnis of Manipal, so we’ve got a huge base there already, especially amongst general practitioners. “We feel we should do well and expand within Malaysia. We are also

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“Within 24 hours we had to shut down and re-open in a new hospital. There were some patients who fell asleep in one hospital and woke up in the other”

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August 2017

H E A LT H C A R E

looking at countries like Myanmar and Cambodia, and if a reasonably good opportunity comes in those regions, we will consider them as well. We will definitely want to look at other big hospitals, may it be, brownfield or greenfield.” Of course, expanding and moving from building to building in the healthcare industry is not necessarily smooth sailing. Rekhi cities a recent project in which a Manipal hospital in Malaysia needed to move into a larger building, and due to it being an active facility having patients, the move itself had to be as quick as possible. The answer? Limit the shift itself to a 24-hour slot. “Within 24 hours we had to shut down and re-open in a new hospital,” Rekhi states. “There were some patients who fell asleep in one hospital and woke up in the new facilities. To move everything, we have to be completely prepared so than we didn’t have any issue with operations. All patients were checked every step of the way and the whole transition was done with surgical precision.” Rekhi and his team moved

everything in new hospital ward by ward and department by department and nothing which was required by staff was left behind because every single member of staff was helping. “We had to move patients in a way that meant we didn’t put anyone at risk. All the specifications, all the protocols were gone through twice thrice and communication with staff and clients had to be perfect to ensure full patient safety.” Every piece of equipment in every department of the hospital was itemised and listed 15 days prior to moving, and the IT systems Manipal uses were being tested at the new facility a month ahead of the shifting. “We made sure that we had new hospital ready for 70 patients there in advance,” says Rekhi. “We would be almost doubling capacity but had tested what we needed to begin with. On the day we opened, I can’t say there were no hiccups, but there were much less than there would have been. It was manageable move with no patient safety issues.” Despite moving with patients, each

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being ferried to the new building by ambulance, Manipal fitted the new facility out with 120 beds to ensure that it had adequate equipment for new patients during the settling-in period. In addition the organisation brought a lot of other new inventory items, to support the inevitable rise in patient numbers and enable the facility to be self-sufficient for up to a month after moving in. “Our inventory was up to 60% higher than what we were used to, but as we moved in we had our major suppliers on our side who also kept an emergency line open for us, so if we needed something, they could quickly send it,” explains Rekhi. With incredible teamwork, Manipal Hospitals achieved its goal of a 24-hour move. Rekhi cannot praise his staff enough for helping as much as they did, and he very proudly states that not a single doctor left the business during the undoubtedly stressful change. “Despite the upheaval, despite the competition coming in next door, nobody has left,” he says. “All have been very supportive, and all

we’ve achieved are because of the doctors and the team we had.” Building up to the move, every month, then every week, then every third day, Rekhi and the other executives held meetings with doctors who show them the plans for the new facility, how we are planning, and what help they required from the doctors. This open forum allowed all to voice their concerns too, so there was no surprise when the time came; they were more than happy to throw themselves into the project. Also, it represented a once in lifetime opportunity for anyone in healthcare, when you are part of a team, to transit from working hospital to another within 24 hours. “Everyone worked together, everyone picked up bags and boxes,” concludes Rekhi. “It was the best moment when we had achieved this, everybody have put in their best effort.” If this single venture is an example of Manipal’s work ethic and resilience, its ambitious plans to expand will surely prove both fruitful and successful.

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DOMINATING INDIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GREEN ENERGY INDUSTRY

Written by: Nell Walker Produced by: Mariana Lee

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AS INDIA’S TOP WIND ENERGY SOLUTIONS COMPANY, INOX WIND HAS CORNERED THE MARKET WITH ITS ENVIABLE LEVELS OF INNOVATION AND SKILL. CEO KAILASH TARACHANDANI TELLS BUSINESS REVIEW ASIA MORE

s India’s leading wind energy solutions business, Inox Wind provides blades, tubular towers, hubs, and nacelles created in its state-of-the-art facilities in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Thanks to the company’s current and ongoing goal of increased renewable energy capacity provided by the Indian government, it has been able to expand and add more facilities. Last year alone, an 800MW blade facility and integrated manufacturing unit was commissioned in the state of Madhya Pradesh, which is set to have a yearly production capacity of 400 rotor blade sets. It will be one of the biggest in Asia, the largest in India, and thanks to this, the company

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will be able to double its production capacity to 1,600MW. This facility in particular will be vital for new projects in the south of India. Kailash Tarachandani is CEO of Inox Wind, and has over 25 years of experience in strategy management, global project execution, product management, and business development. He has been a key player in the building of organisations from the ground up, developing technologies, and aiding in the progression of management teams. He leads Inox using his expansive knowledge, overseeing its performance, corporate strategy, policy formation, and ensuring a positive and ethical work environment. He tells Business

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KAILASH TARACHANDANI - CEO INOX WIND

Mr Kailash Tarachandani serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Inox Wind Limited. He served as a Member of Board of Management at Kenersys GmbH. He has been the Chief Executive Officer of Kenersys India Pvt. Ltd. since January 2011. Tarachandani has more than 22 years of experience in the field of strategy management, global project execution, product management, business development and was instrumental in building organisations, setting up their plants, acquiringÂ technologies and developing their management team.

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Review Asia about the ways in which Inox is working hard to maintain and develop its reputation and status as a leading player. “As a strategic move, we are currently adding products which will ensure viability in the era of competitive bidding and rapidly changing factors of payback,” Tarachandani explains. “Going forward, we are continuously diversifying our product portfolio to ensure good returns on sites

2009

The year that INOX WIND was founded

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where natural resources for power generation are comparatively low.” CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT Inox is chasing unceasing innovation in its domain of wind power, and there are two sides to this: one driven by statutory compliances, and the other by expected returns from investors. “Creating a 120m concrete and steel hybrid tower is one such innovation,” says Tarachandani. “Subsequently we are developing

turbines to be ready for future grid compliances. “Also a system based on LIDAR [which stands for light detection and ranging] is under testing, which is for the performance optimisation and cost reduction of the turbine. Our wind-solar hybrid system is being evaluated for the optimisation of existing resources. “Aside from all these developments, we are evaluating our turbines with bigger rotor dia blades and

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developing the next generation of greater capacity turbines for further reduction in cost and maximisation of returns.” Inox is also undertaking projects for some reputed public sector utility companies, plus a 250MW SECI project which was won during the first wind energy auction in India; the company expects to win a further 500-750MW worth of projects by the end of the next quarter.

our production has to be in-sync with the project execution.” High costs can also make it difficult to be competitive, but Inox focusses on continuously evaluating and improving its technology and products – a necessity considering how complicated the technology involved is. The company prides itself on using the latest technology available for all its products, and by always honing its services.

LOGISTICS Working with large and complex pieces of equipment can be challenging, Tarachandani admits, “especially in a country where import infrastructure and logistics are yet to be mature enough to allow smooth transportation. We are importing some of the very complex equipment from Asian and European countries, and the challenge is that the equipment is very expensive with a long lead time. As the industry is driven by regulation, there are instances where our cash flow cycle does not move as we expect, so

THE TEAM Inox’s formidable level of service and product quality can only exist with a strong foundation of skilled workers, something Tarachandani is passionate about: “We are one of the best employers in the industry, and provide all-round growth for our employees,” he says. “The uniqueness of our organisation is our flexible hierarchy system, where everybody is directly connected to everyone else, which makes thoughts and ideas travel faster.” The marrying of skills and enthusiasm for the sector that

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“We are using every necessary resource to become one of the leaders of the industry and have maintained a position as one of the top three wind energy companies in terms of capacity addition” KAILASH TARACHANDANI, CEO, INOX WIND

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a supportive environment for wind power growth, a product that is a benchmark in cost competitiveness, quality technology, and an organisation which has the potential to become the leader of the industryâ&#x20AC;? KAILASH TARACHANDANI

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Tarachandani and his team share is why Inox is the fastest-growing wind energy business in India and crossed a 2GW mark of sales in a very short time span. Reliability is key, and this flows from the team into the products Inox creates, which are well known in the industry for being able to withstand the most adverse weather conditions and providing total turnkey solutions – something very few wind energy organisations are able to do. FUTURE GOALS Inox has set itself some very ambitious targets that reflect the goals of India as a nation: “The Government of India is eyeing a massive target of 175GW of renewable energy by 2022,” Tarachandani explains. “Although it’s very ambitious, if we use the policy support being provided by the government, this looks quite achievable.

“Inox Wind has well synchronised itself in this movement and has shown manifold progress over the last threeto-four years. We are using every necessary resource to become one of the leaders of the industry and have maintained a position as one of the top three wind energy companies in terms of capacity addition. We look forward to improving that performance in the coming years.” Tarachandani’s confidence is well-founded. Inox is one of the few companies in India to have achieved a AA or higher rating, and its 113 rotor dia turbine is ranked one of the top 10 offshore wind turbines in the world (according to Wind Power Monthly). “In a nutshell, we have a supportive environment for wind power growth, a product that is a benchmark in cost competitiveness, quality technology, and an organisation which has the potential to become the leader of the industry,” Tarachandani concludes.

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Sunseap: Bringing sustainability to Asia Written by: Nell Walker Produced by: Mariana Lee 111

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With green energy company Sunseap rapidly expanding across Asia, Lawrence Wu, Director and Co-Founder of the business, explains how this has been achieved with technological prowess and a devotion to customer need

s Singaporeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest and best-established clean energy provider, Sunseap dominates the industry with its innovative projects, the work it does with its strategic partners, and a holistic view of the energy business. A licensed power wholesaler and retailer, Sunseap prides itself on maintaining excellent relationships with customers, taking the way they operate into account when working on a project, and doing everything possible to allow that customer to be as energy efficient as possible. In addition to corporate clients, such customers will soon include homeowners in public housing estates. This additional string to the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bow will undoubtedly

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prove useful as the business expands. When the business was established, it was to fulfil a need in the market identified by Lawrence Wu, Director of Sunseap, and his Co-Founder Frank Phuan. While the latter had at least two decades of solar panel manufacturing experience behind him, Wu himself had been in mergers and acquisitions, and the combination of that expertise proved ideal to start an energy business. Singapore was sorely lacking in green energy solutions at that time, and many other countries were striding ahead with wind, hydro, and solar energy. Power is also not subsidised in Singapore, so Wu and Phuan came together to look at the financial implications of creating

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Lawrence Wu

Director & Co-Founder Lawrence Wu co-founded Sunseap Group, currently Singaporeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest clean energy provider. Sunseap Group functions as a utility company that specialises in clean energy solutions that include its Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) model, clean energy supply and solar-hybrid systems. Wu is the co-founder and Managing Director of Thirdrock ISSEA Advisers Pte Ltd, a corporate finance firm specialising in mergers & acquisitions, as well as strategic capital raising in Southeast Asia. He is also a Director and Partner of TRIREC Pte Ltd, a renewable energy investment firm that focuses on projects and companies in sustainability and de-carbonisation. Wu has more than 16 years of experience in investment banking, specialising in M&A and restructurings, reverse takeovers, schemes of arrangements and delisting of public companies.

— Can your solar plant do better? Count on ABB — 01 TRIO-TM-50/60

1 GTM Research: PV Systems Pricing H1 2017: System Pricing, Breakdowns and Forecasts

Why your choice of solar inverter has the biggest impact on your bottom line. In any solar plant, there are two critical components greatly impacting its yields. The first, solar panels, often get the most attention because they are the most visible and eye-catching part of a solar installation. What is often overlooked is the solar inverter, the second critical component. According to GTM research , solar inverters cost a mere 5% of an entire commercial system’s cost. Yet, it can make the biggest different to your solar output and therefore, your financial return.

ABB inverters are designed for maximum financial performance. To save upfront costs, some inverters are designed to throttle down power output if it gets too hot, lowering the overall power generated. This is known as thermal derating. Over a typical solar agreement of 20-25 years, this daily loss of power can significantly impact the plant’s financial return. ABB inverters are engineered to provide 100% of nameplate power even up to a searing 45 degrees ambient temperature before thermal derating, ensuring the highest yields even in the harshest climates.

What do inverters do? Simply put, inverters convert direct current (DC) energy from PV panels into alternating current (AC) used in your building. For owners of the system, this is where you save money by using solar power to offset your electric bill or gain revenue by selling the power. But, how inverters perform can vary greatly between different manufacturers because of their different design philosophies.

ABB inverters such as the TRIO-TM also offer the industry’s highest oversizing capability. Oversizing adding more PV panels per inverter - minimizes your total inverters required, saving system costs. Oversizing also allows the inverter to generate peak power for longer each day, increasing power yields over the system lifetime and thus, maximizing profitability.

ABB’s digital inverters add value as your solar PV system’s “CPU”. Inverter technologies have advanced greatly in the past few years, giving increasing control and monitoring capabilities to optimize solar plant operations. That is why inverters are often compared to the central processing unit (CPU) of a computer. But while other inverters are just beginning to offer such functionality as optional add-ons, ABB’s flagship inverters such as the TRIO-TM and UNO-DM are ahead of the curve with embedded wireless webservers. This allows overthe-air updates, remote cloud diagnostics and compatibility, ensuring your system is welloptimized for consistent running uptime, and future interoperability.

ABB helps you build a better solar plant. With decades of expertise in Solar and 30 gigawatts of inverters worldwide, ABB brings unparalleled advantage to your next solar installation. Visit www.abb.com/solarinverters to find your local ABB office in over 100 countries around the world. — 01

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a viable business model and the is nominal and the service boasts infrastructure required to sell clean many advantages. Aside from the energy at competitive rates. obvious positive impact on the “In the early days it was challenging environment, using Sunseap for because the costs of solar, wind, and power means that businesses can hydro energy were so high,” explains be guaranteed a consistent source Wu. “It was very difficult – but not of energy for 10, 20, or 30 years. impossible – to sell it at a realistic “The weakness of solar power price. But what we had going for is that it requires high capital us was a very sound legal expenditure initially,” says framework which allows Wu, “but the strength is the financing committee that the ongoing cost to look at our projects is next to nothing. and fund them at a That allows us reasonable rate. to effectively “It also helps underwrite the that Singapore is cost of power over Number of employees at a tropical country, a long period of Sunseap so solar power time – we’re talking especially is considered 20 or 30 years. We can more stable than in a lot of offer a price for your energy countries. The other benefit we today and it will stay the same for the have is that the local market adopts next three decades. With coal, oil, a non-subsidy approach to power. or gas, you have one or two years Whether you are generating brown, of stability and you can’t promise black, or green power – everybody the client anything beyond that.” gets charged the same.” This pricing structure allows Projects Sunseap to really push its green This reliability is a big part of what’s energy services, as the cost difference drawing customers to Sunseap.

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SUNSEAP The company has signed a 25-year contract with Apple; the technology giant approached Sunseap to fully power its Singapore operations with 100% solar power, creating a lengthy partnership that sees Sunseap supply solar power directly to Apple. Providing this degree of power for such a long period of time is also reliant on technological skill – another attractive strength for Sunseap. While once the maximum capacity for power generation with a single connection point on a single rooftop was 1 megawatt-peak (MWp), Sunseap can now achieve the same at an increased 10 MWp. The company also participated in Singapore’s first floating photovoltaic (PV) project testbed at Tengeh Reservoir, with a floating PV system of 200 kilowatt-peak (kWp), and is also working towards solar energy storage solution with batteries to provide a complete off-grid service. Sunseap’s evolution As Sunseap has long hit upon the right formula for its business, the future sees it continuing its current business models. It prides itself on

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only producing the kind of quality products it would use itself, and solidify itself as a full-fledged utility company. “We started as a regular solar company, but now we are ready to supply a variety of services,” Wu says. “We can supply the power you need to you in more than one variety, be it solar or conventional energy. As our business emphasises integrated solutions, we also pay

ENERGY

attention to the demands and needs of our clients. For example, we’ll advise our customers on areas such as office lights - LED lightings, upgrading or retrofitting the office’s facilities including ventilation. Any area that helps them conserve energy and in the process, save money. “It only makes sense to create extra value for our clients when we’ve a 20-year relationship with them.

Instead of charging the client anything up front for additional services, we would propose them to give their energy savings to us. If a customer saves £1,500 a year, they can share that with us over the next five years to build more solar projects and help us form a close alliance.” Sunseap’s services are set to expand yet further as of next year. While it is a licensed retailer, the business

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can currently only sell its power to corporate and industrial entities; In 2018, with the liberalisation of the electricity market, the regulations will change, and residents will be able to buy Sunseap’s products, extending the company’s reach. As such, later this year, Sunseap will start pitching its green energy products to individuals as well as businesses. A unique service So far in Singapore, Sunseap has installed its solar systems atop around 1,800 buildings, and has put together a robust data monitoring system capable of tracking the performance of all its solar systems. It is effectively running its own weather station, and plans to roll out the same monitoring system in every new market it enters. “Our business requires us to ensure we fix any issue promptly, and we are able to do that by tracking the health and performance of our system around the clock,” Wu says. This is just one of the ways Sunseap differentiates itself from competitors, but the heart of what

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Frank Phuan Co-Founder

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makes the business different is the way it approaches the market and handles its customer relationships. “For us, we take pride in delivering the highest quality in our products and services. It is a crucial part of the business, as much as optimising the balance between that quality and the cost. The performance of our systems directly influence the return on our assets. This reason alone is why the choice of our equipment is so vital – on the one hand we don’t go for standard stuff because the cost at times wouldn’t be financially feasible, but on the other, we don’t compromise quality with cheap parts because our solar systems need to operate for a long time. “What we end up with is a very selective choice of manufacturers and suppliers, and all our investors are well-trusted. That mind-set is

unique, because our competitors are mostly financially driven, so they would go for the lowest cost. There’s a huge reliance on what’s cheapest and what will give the highest returns. As important a factor cost is, our technical knowledge tells us that should not be the only factor of consideration. The focus of our business is to ensure the equipment produces the optimal amount of solar power consistently.” This attitude will continue to serve Sunseap well as it expands. It is currently completing Cambodia’s first solar project, as well as continuing to expand into Malaysia, and new projects are being commissioned in Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Sunseap truly is a force to be reckoned with, making Asia greener one nation at a time.

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