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Vol 2, 2003
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Company Profiles
Sophisticated Production All
Zipped Up |
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All Zipped Up
SBS Zipper (HK) Co Ltd
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Safe, secure and reliable zips for use with garments or handbags are available from SBS Zipper (HK) Co Ltd |
A Hong Kong manufacturer with operations on the Chinese mainland epitomises the changes undertaken by Hong Kong companies to adapt to the needs of customers in the garment business.
SBS Zipper (HK) Co Ltd opened for business in 1985 with an office in Hong Kong and a small manufacturing capacity in Fujian Province on the Chinese mainland. This plant has since expanded its workforce to 2,500.
"We started small and have grown steadily and organically," explains company manager Peter Wong. "Our strength is in zippers, and they continue to be our main products. We also focus on providing excellent customer service and keeping up-to-date with fashion trends," he adds. "We don't just sell to garment makers, but also to bag and shoe companies. We even sell long chains to other zip manufacturers."
A second factory opened in Shanghai in 1998. Now employing 1,500 workers, this plant gives SBS Zipper products easy and quick access to garment makers in the north; a market Wong thinks will continue to grow.
A key to success in the zipper business lies in knowing what the market needs. "You must keep up-to-date with customer requirements. Controlling the entire zipper-making process has been crucial to our success. Our investment in research, working as a team with our customers so we are able to suggest new ideas and discuss improvements in design with them, our competitive prices and the quality of our products are all factors that have contributed to our growth," says Wong.
The company frequently enters into cooperation agreements with its international-name buyers, where customers nominate SBS Zipper as an exclusive zipper supplier. "This is good for our customers as they can be assured of the quality for a fixed price and fast delivery," explains Wong. "In some cases, urgent orders for regular customers can be sent within 5-7 days of the order being made."
Those products come from a catalogue featuring zips with many kinds of material, from woven to nylon tape, and zippers using everything from visible brass chains to invisible plastic teeth. There are more than 250 examples of sliders. "Our control over all aspects of the manufacturing process and our investment in research means we can make any type of zip and slider to order," Wong asserts.
The company has its own full set of automatic machines that cover all processes including moulding, weaving and dyeing. The company replaces older machinery every year while constantly adding new items.
The value of this investment is borne out in the company's position within the zip making business, as it is the home to the China Zipper Centre, a government-approved body that sets the standard for zippers on the mainland and tests products made by other national zipper companies.
SBS Zipper has a team of about 50 in its research and development department in Fujian Province, where the focus is on developing new mouldings, sliders, dyes and new products. "Zippers are no longer just functional, but are also a fashion item in their own right," explains Wong. "This is why our research people continue to develop new items."
WRITTEN BY CAROLINE BIEBUYCK
SBS Zipper (HK) Co Ltd
Unit 518, 1 Hung To Rd,
Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: 852-2177-1218
Fax: 852-2559-9362
Email: sbsziphk@netvigator.com
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