Profile: Shin Tai Ho & Co (Pte) Ltd
extension and will see our current capacity doubled,” notes Eddie. “Being present over two locations is not very conducive to our efficiency so we want to create space for all our subsidiaries under one roof, which will enable us to be more competitive. As well as its foothold in Singapore, Shin Tai Ho also has a presence in Dubai, Hong Kong and a buying office in USA. In particular the Hong Kong entity, Shin Tai Ho (HK) is a major food and beverage distributor with customers in supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, and other institutions. In 2006, the HK branch also moved into ship supply, where it leverages the strong global network of the Singapore office, to support major international cruise lines and commercial cargo vessels. Vessel supply is the primary role of Dubai subsidiary Shin Tai Ho (Middle East), handling provisions, technical stores and spares, hotel amenities and consumables to tankers and gas carrier fleets, commercial cargo vessels, cruise lines, and offshore caterers. “Our motto is ‘we know food’, and therefore we try to live up to that as a specialist supplier,” describes Eddie. “We know what is important to the customer and whilst we cannot guarantee the lowest price, we strive to provide value by being price-competitive, offering the best possible service and delivering quality produce. “The shipping market continues to grow for us, partly due to cruise vessels and partly because Singapore is one of the busiest areas for shipbuilding in the world. In addition, we have another element to the business, which deals with the provision of food for offshore catering. This was established a few years ago, and continues to grow as a result of our stringent standards which are very important to the oil and gas industry,” he adds. As a business that tries to keep pace with its customers, Shin Tai Ho (Singapore) is paying close attention towards the increasing numbers of cruise ships operating in Asia. In order to support and fuel this activity, the company is
keen to establish a hub operation in Singapore, similar to those in Miami or Europe, from which supply, catering and other services can be provided to the vessels.” “Of course we’re looking at all sectors as we see that growth can’t only be in one area,” concludes Eddie. “We want to be a leading player in our niche and being recommended because of our services in what is a massively competitive industry. We know our customers well and we exceed expectations by going beyond being just a supplier. Even at times when
the industry is facing a downturn as today, we assist our clients in finding ways to get through that, so that customers can trust us as a one-stop-shop for everything to do with food supply.” v
Shin Tai Ho & Co (Pte) Ltd www.shintaiho.com • Ship supplier • Customer focused organisation • Expanding office facilities
www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 53