KOTA KINABALU: Being one of the few businesses exceeding the half-century mark, KTC Group remains firm on its business model and is set to continue growing its presence in East Malaysia.
With more than 77 years of business presence and still remaining strong, KTC Group executive director Dexter Lau revealed that the company was originally started by his late grandfather.
“The company commenced as a sundry shop business by my grandfather, the late Datuk Lau Yeong Ching, in Sabah and gradually as the business prospered, he took the opportunity to establish a departmental store in Kota Kinabalu.
“Over time, he started acquiring land to further expand the business and incorporated KTC Sdn Bhd to distribute third party brands of consumer packaged goods.
“From 1983 to 2006, the business progressed to another level with the setting up of consumer packaged goods centres in Tawau, Sandakan and Labuan.”
In 2007, KTC extended its product range to cover over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and health supplements, Lau said.
“In 2011, we started the distribution of our own consumer packaged goods with brands, such as Bamble and Orie. Then about two years ago, we incorporated KTC Brands to distribute our own brand of products,” he told The Borneo Post.
“Finally, last year, we set up two more distribution centres in Kuching and Miri and began to manufacture our own bakery products under the Creamos brand,” he added.
He said the group’s business philosophy has and continues to be based on achieving business success and continuity through integrity and ethical business practices as encapsulated by the company’s name.
Meanwhile, Lau said that he was inspired to create the design and art work for the company’s in-house brands during a time when he felt discouraged.
He felt that when he hit rock bottom, he derived inspiration from his family’s perseverance, formulating ideas to design some of the company’s own brand logos and names which are used to date.
Currently, he pointed out that some of the company’s own brand of products managed to garner encouraging sales as the figures continued to grow.
Thus, Lau encouraged one not to give up easily especially in businesses and work as the breakthrough could be just approaching.
“As in every aspect of my life, I am driven by the passion to win and an unbridled desire to improve, despite whatever past successes I have achieved as the level of success can’t be measured by any factor,” he said.
“I am also driven by the fact that people’s livelihoods and futures are dependent on my success as a businessman.”
Being in the family business, Lau said there were times which he had differences of opinions and argument with other family members.
He opined that it is important for family members in the business to get into a healthy dispute as it provides a lot of check and balance for the business.
Besides, Lau said it is also a form of exchange of ideas to make the business better and more competitive.