~ Striving For A Better Quality Of Life ~
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~ Striving For A Better Quality Of Life ~ | ||||||
Introduction - DMC Solution (KL) Sdn. Bhd., as a business, started operating in the year 2002, although the Principals behind the Company had already been involved in the Industrial Automation Industry for more than fifteen years prior to that. IA News recently met up with Mr. Wally Yu, the Business Consultant of the DMC Group, to find out more about the business, its’ aspirations and its’ role in the industry. About DMC - The business is an Industrial Engineering player, which provides applications-based solutions to solve customers’ process problems. Its’ Applications Engineers provide design services for customized drive systems used in a wide variety of industries. The Company produces simple to complex turnkey drive systems with integrated PLCs and SCADA Control. In short, DMC Solution is a Total Systems Integrator, specializing in motion technology. The Company enjoyed a turnover of RM9,700,000/- last year, and projected turnover for this year is RM11,500,000/-. DMC has grown between 18 and 25% every year for the last three years, with its’ main market being Malaysia, although moves are afoot to expand its’ operations regionally. There are three subsidiaries under the DMC Group. These are a Marketing Arm located in Penang, a Procurement Arm based in the Klang Valley, and the Engineering Arm, which operates from Kepong, Selangor. Products – DMC Solution (KL) Sdn. Bhd. is the Authorized Distributor and Provider of Support Services for the following Companies and their products : YASKAWA – Inverters / Servos The Company is a well-known name in the Industrial Automation industry, and is capable of sourcing agencies for many products, although it does not plan to do so in the near future. It may, indeed, consider developing new and relevant products for the market soon. 1. SYSTEMS INTEGRATION The Company specializes in Drive Systems, and offers an all-in-one solution for its’ clients. This solution includes Consultancy, Design, Installation, Commissioning, Field Support, Replacement Parts and Repairs & Maintenance. Whether an upgrade of the existing system or a new system is required, DMC, with its’ team of professional and skilled operatives, is capable of delivering all of the client’s needs. The following sectors will give an idea of what the Company is capable of delivering to its’ customers : A. Paper & Film Slitting, Converting, Printing, Coating, Centre and Surface Winders, Extrusions, Pull Rolls, Nip Rolls, Chill Rolls, Embossing, Tension Control, Yankee Dryer, Calendar Rolls, Press Section, Dryer Section, Coater, etc.. B. Plastics & Rubber Extrusion, Calendaring, Compounding, Blown & Stretch Film, Tape Lines, Cut-To-Length, Accumulator, etc.. C. Wires & Cables Stranding, Braiding, Take Up (Single Reel, Dual Reel), Drum-To-Drum Reeling, Wire Drawing, Payoff, Coiling, etc.. D. Metals Coilers & Re-Coilers, Bridle Rolls, Slitting Lines, Bar Straightener, Rotary Shearing, Controlled Coiled Cars, etc.. E. HVAC Air Handling Units, Cooling Tower, Chilled Water Pumping Systems, Blower, Fan, etc.. 2. ON-SITE SUPPORT & SERVICE With the availability of highly skilled staff, DMC is capable of trouble shooting and repairing on site, all the major brands of electronic drives (AC, DC and Servo), PLCs and Complete Automation Systems. All types of applications are covered under the Company’s On-Site Support & Service. Even if the drive is an old analog one, or the latest digital vector drive, DMC have the expertise and the inventory to identify and solve the problem. 3. PANEL FABRICATION & INSTALLATION DMC Solution offers a variety of pre-engineered package drive solutions, with custom-made panels which include : Digital Drives – AC, DC, Servo Circuit Breaker, Fuses, Contactors, Relays Line Reactors Push Buttons, Pilot Lights, Selector Switches Potentiometers, Terminal Blocks Analog or Digital Ammeter, Speed Meters 4. IN-HOUSE REPAIR An extensive range of electronic drive repairs can be carried out by their experienced technicians. These include : AC, DC and Servo Drives (specialists in the repair of major brands especially Yaskawa and SSD/Eurotherm drives) Industrial Monitor, Touchscreen and PLC Repairs Power Supplies Circuit Board Repairs All units are repaired with authorized parts, accompanied by thorough in-house testing and cleaning. Detailed repair reports are provided, together with warranties for the repairs undertaken. 5. START-UP, TRAINING & ON-GOING SUPPORT All existing or potential customers receive training on drives and control design philosophy as part of the service provided by DMC Solution. The training objectives are as follows : Impart knowledge of basic drive theory on AC, DC and Servo Drives Familiarisation with the configuration tools Trouble-shooting Basic PLC and HMI Programming 6. PLC, HMI & SCADA SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING DMC has experienced programmers who are capable of handling PLC, Human Machine Interface (HMI) and SCADA software programming. These programmers can cope with turnkey projects, or stand-alone systems ranging from small to medium-sized machines. Major brands which the Company commonly uses includes :
7. PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, SERVICE CONTRACT DMC Solution has experience which indicates that productivity is increased with reduced machine down-time, and that this reduced down-time is a result of routine but essential maintenance. Thus DMC Solution offers Service Contracts designed to achieve reduced machine down-time. In the process of executing their Service Contracts, potential or actual problems are identified and dealt with, saving the customer a lot of unnecessary down-time. The benefits of a Service Contract include : Less Machine Breakdown Predicted Repairs are more easily scheduled Machine Operation is optimized to enhance productivity One of the benefits of operating under a Service Contract is that a parts list is compiled, and stock can be carried, enabling emergency repairs to be carried out quickly and efficiently, with minimal down-time. Each Service Contract will cover the following elements : Review of Machine Control System performance Improvements or upgrades suggested as a result of review Cleaning of Control Panels and Variable Speed Drives Checking Motor Resistance and Connectns Verification of all Power Connections Verification of Signal Wiring, shielding properly terminated and tight connections Recommendation on spare parts to be purchased Human Resources – Throughout the meeting with Wally Yu, a beacon of light shone on the care and attention the management of the Group lavishes on their employees. Although MBAs are valued by the management, even more valuable is the concept of the MBE, or “Management By Example”. This appears to be the management motto at DMC Solution. All staff are sent for training every year, and this includes management staff such as Wally himself. A key phrase of the management is – “Knowledge is irreplaceable”, and this explains why the Company focuses on continuous training for its’ staff. Other key words and phrases beloved of the management team at DMC are “Teamwork”, “Family”, “Staff must feel at home”, and “Think positive”. Little wonder then, that the first thing which strikes the visitor to the offices of DMC, is the homely atmosphere pervading there. Even the casual visitor is immediately put at ease in the peaceful and calm environment existing in the office of DMC Solution. Macro Views - When tackled about the macro issues facing the business and the industry in general, Wally turned out to be a very forthright person, albeit in a quiet, dignified manner, and did not mince his words when giving his opinion. The Local Culture – Wally felt that the culture existing in Malaysia today, did not suit the Company, and that operating conditions were better in Vietnam and China. Among the examples he cited was that relating to the existence of crippling red-tape at both, the local government and federal government levels. He felt that change would come, but slowly, and that these changes would take ten to twenty years to be effected. The Economy – According to Wally, there are fewer opportunities in Malaysia today, and that if the Company did not take advantage of the growth in the countries surrounding Malaysia, then its’ own growth would be stifled. He feels that despite the advantages offered by Malaysia, such as a strategic location and superb infrastructure, allied with superior living standards, the country could do better in encouraging small businesses such as his to thrive. It was fortunate that the management had predicted the current downturn in the economy, and was therefore prepared for it. He felt that the economic woes faced by the country were cyclical in nature, and that with the right policies, the economy would turn around. Wally was confident, however, that DMC Solution would weather the storm.
Labour – On the question of local labour, Wally put himself out on a limb, when he stated that most of those seeking employment with the Company, were leeches ! He justified this statement by saying that these individuals lacked integrity, and that all they were looking for was personal gains. Concepts such as loyalty, responsibility and duty towards Company and country, were not important to them. What was important to them was a five-day working week, high salaries and an easy job. Wally lay the blame for this attitude squarely on the education system practiced by this country, which did not teach these people to be socially responsible citizens. He also said that these people had the paper qualifications, but that their quality was very poor. As a result, once DMC had identified candidates with the right attitudes and qualifications, they were put through a rigorous three-year training programme. Following on from that, they were given a further two years during which their career paths were decided with their participation. The result was that ex-employees of DMC were highly sought-after by players in the Industrial Automation industry. Technology – Once again, Wally stunned IA News with his blunt views on the matter of technology. When asked about the state of technological developments in Malaysia, he responded, “There is no product development nor research and development being undertaken in this sector in Malaysia. All technology is imported. Even if financial assistance was available here, the red tape involved would make it almost impossible to get assistance. Furthermore, local Malaysians are simply not good enough to undertake research. As a result, there is simply no point in utilizing scarce Company resources to undertake research and development”. There is nothing further to add, as Wally has said it all. The State – Again, Wally was not too charitable in his comments on this topic, blaming red tape for the negative impact that the State had on business. He hoped that the current Prime Minister would carry through with his agenda to improve delivery on the part of the Government and the civil servants. Micro Views – Wally had the following to say, concerning the DMC Group, and how he saw its’ progress. DMC Growth – The Company has been growing organically at the rate of 18 to 25% annually for the last three years. Wally wanted to ensure that this trend continued, but that the Company may have to venture overseas to continue achieving these growth figures. Organisational Culture – The success that DMC has enjoyed so far, is primarily to do with its’ Organisational Culture, where the influence and philosophies of Wally have permeated the thinking of all connected with the Company. For a start, he feels that business is not about killing your competitors, and that instead, he encourages all staff to play a clean and healthy “game”, whether with each other or with competitors. He does not subscribe to the “killing fields” concept of many business-people. Instead, he prefers that the industry grows healthily, and that all stakeholders enjoy a share of the spoils. To this end, he even allows skilled engineers from the Company to be seconded to projects being undertaken by competitors. He advocates a happy and better quality of life for all in the industry. This is truly a remarkable and unusual way of looking at the business world ! The Company also encourages its’ staff to improve themselves constantly. To this end, Wally buys books on self-improvement and business, so that they may better themselves. Organisational Goals – Besides achieving growth targets for the Company, Wally feels that the fruits of the Company should be brought back to Malaysia to be enjoyed by all. He also feels that it is important for DMC to help improve the quality of life for all stakeholders. Company Structure – There are three subsidiaries under the Group umbrella, and each supports the activities of the other members of the Group. Good Corporate Citizenship – The Company is a good corporate citizen in that the central philosophy practiced by the Company is that of returning a portion of its’ profits to society. As a result, DMC supports a number of small charities, preferring to help without the mediation of middle parties. Examples of their charitable work include aid to orphanages and victims of the natural disasters in China. Environmental Issues – DMC believes in looking after the environment, and therefore, as one initiative, all plastics and cartons utilized by the Cmpany, are re-cycled. Also, in all works carried out by Company operatives, their impact on the environment is carefully assessed to minimize environmental damage. About Wally Yu – Calling himself the “Estate Boy”, Wally was raised on an estate in Skudai, Johore. Until development caused the estate to disappear, he used to take his children and members of staff to view his humble beginnings, so that they would appreciate what they had today. These trips were also meant to remind Wally that he had to remain humble and not become arrogant because of the success he had achieved in his life. He informed IA News that his priorities had changed as he got older. Where his work and plants took precedence over his children and wife, now his children and wife come after his work, with plants his last priority. As a result, nowadays he talks more with his children and wife than with his plants ! Wally subscribes to the ABCD Philosophy, “A” being “ATTITUDE”, “B” being “BELIEF”, “C” being “COMMITMENT” and “D” being “DISCIPLINE”. He personally takes charge of the Company’s daily motivational session. Even though he says that he’s 44 going on 34 years in age, he feels that he needs to start thinking of the handover of the reigns of DMC Solution to the younger generation. Conclusion – From the above, it can be seen that the leadership of the Company is a remarkable, honest and hardworking one. These are the prime attributes which will make for a successful business enterprise. IA News takes this opportunity to wish the forthright Wally Yu and his team, all the best for the future.
Courtesy of DMC |
