Quality workmanship and client relations drive Grandwork's growth
Excellent workmanship and good customer relationships, built on trust and professionalism, have propelled Grandwork Interior into a leading high-end interior fit-out company in Singapore. With its newly built 120,000-square-foot manufacturing facility opening this year, Grandwork is fit to soar into greater heights as it develops more collaborations in Southeast Asia, and cultivates joint ventures and acquisitions in China.
Serving mostly luxury retail shops in top locations such as the Marina Bay Sands and Orchard Road, Grandwork builds and maintains store interiors including façade and fixtures. It produces custom-made furniture for upmarket commercial brands such as Prada, Cartier, Louis Vuitton and Dolce & Gabbana.
"Every project is different," says Jay Chiu, managing director and the man behind Grandwork's success. "While we follow a consistent concept or look, every shop is custom-built."
Chiu, who won Singapore's Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2007, has applied the concept of a family unit within Grandwork to nurture excellent relationships with clients and employees. His dedication for delivering outstanding workmanship and the timely completion of projects extends to the whole company as each staff focuses on the well-being of clients.
"We treat our customers as family," Chiu says. "We value all our relationships and we fulfil their requirements by delivering quality work always, and on time. We spend a lot of time with clients so we know what they want even before they ask for it. Once we accept a project, we will surely deliver."
Grandwork's job scope is a mixture of off-site and on-site activities. Off-site, it hires its own carpenters to produce tailored furniture for its clients. Grandwork promotes the "Singapore" brand by keeping its manufacturing processes within the country. This allows the company to easily monitor production and to adjust its services quickly based on its clients' demands.
Highly qualified and safety-trained project managers and coordinators are then assigned to monitor construction on-site. With offices and factories in Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan and Indonesia, alongside partnerships in China supporting its headquarters in Singapore, Grandwork offers total fit-out solutions to clients wherever they are.
This agility was partly responsible for Grandwork's growth in Asia and worldwide. Following its clients as they expanded into other markets, Grandwork has extended its reach to form a regional and global network spanning 41 cities in 18 countries. It bridges the gap between Western companies and local opportunities in Asia through its language proficiency and understanding of both cultures.
"The bigger powerhouses are China and the United States, and for us, that's not a problem in terms of communication," says Fion Ng, general manager. "We can speak Chinese and English so it is easier to deal with us."
Eyeing more partnerships on the mainland while augmenting its manufacturing facility in Singapore, Grandwork plans to increase its capacity fivefold to serve the burgeoning health care and hospitality sectors. Apart from retail shops, Grandwork has also penetrated the health care sector with its environmentally friendly fit-out materials. As the only fit-out company in Singapore that produces formaldehyde-free products, Grandwork enjoys a strong competitive edge earning for it five consecutive Enterprise 50 (E50) awards. The E50 award recognises the 50 most enterprising local and privately owned companies who have contributed to economic development in Singapore and abroad.
Not one to rest on its laurels, Grandwork continues to innovate and apply its trademark efficiency to attract more clients.
"Southeast Asia is emerging as a strong retail and health care hub, and our geographical location allows us to serve the region better," Chiu says. "We are working hard to complete our factory so we can begin to take in orders and bring our business to another level."
Grandwork Interior: http://www.grandwork.com.sg