From its humble beginnings as a contractor dealing with mechanical engineering installation and small-scale steel fabrication works some 30 years ago, TTJ has since grown into a leading structural steel player.
The Group's heritage can be traced back to 1981 when Mr Teo Hock Chwee founded the company with two other partners and a staff of eight. Mr Teo was only 25-year old at that time but had been working to supplement the family income since he was eight years old, when his father passed on, first as a 'kopi kia' (coffee boy), then as a welder.
The very first project TTJ secured was to mend leaking ducts for an electronic plant. Subsequently, TTJ won a contract for the construction of an aluminium bridge at the Bedok Sewage Treatment Plant in 1982 even though it had little experience in fabrication at that time. To this day, the bridge the Group delivered is still standing strong at the plant!
It was not always a smooth sailing journey, and TTJ saw its fair share of hardships in the wake of numerous recessions and market uncertainties. TTJ encountered serious cash flow difficulties during the economic downturn in the mid-1980s that saw the Group on the verge of liquidation had Mr Teo not stubbornly persevered. By that time, he was the sole owner of TTJ as his other partners had exited the business given the challenges faced. During that turbulent period, Mr Teo lived in the TTJ factory in Jurong for around three years as he was too exhausted, both mentally and physically, to travel home after long hours spent at work.
As a last resort, and at the advice of a friend and business consultant, Mr Teo approached the Economic Development Board (EDB) for assistance under what was then known as the SME Finance Scheme. At the same time, he also managed to restructure the Group's loan with another bank. To this day, TTJ is grateful to these friends and institutions that extended a much needed lifeline to TTJ during its darkest moment. It is thanks to them that TTJ is where it is today.
Thankfully, these steps to restructure the company helped TTJ avoid liquidation and thus the Group began the journey to rebuild its business little by little.
Even as the building blocks of the business were slowly put back into place, TTJ started to focus on larger scale fabrication projects. By the time the Asian financial crisis came about in the late 1990s, TTJ's business focus on structural steel fabrication was in full swing and it emerged relatively unscathed from the recession as a result of several sizeable public sector jobs including the Woodlands MRT extension and civil defence shelter doors for MRT development projects.
Since then, TTJ has not looked back.
As a result of its dedication to projects, be they small or large, and the Group's ability to consistently deliver timely and quality work for clients, TTJ has continued to build a solid reputation as a leading structural steel specialist through the years.
Till today, Mr Teo still personally oversees and is whole-heartedly involved in every single project. One of the most unforgettable projects he worked on was the fabrication and maintenance work of a track laying machine for the North-South MRT line stretching from Bishan to City Hall
stations in 1989. Mr Teo was requested to do maintenance on the track laying machine and to get to the machine, which was laying rail track somewhere along North-South line, he had to do a solo midnight trek through pitch dark tunnels with just a torch light. Now Mr Teo is by no means a faint-hearted person but that trek through those eerie, crypt-like tunnels was quite hair-raising even for the bravest of souls – which is why it is among one of his most memorable projects!
TTJ’s efforts have culminated in one of the Group’s
happiest moments which occurred on 1 April 2010 - that
was the day
TTJ
Holdings Limited was successfully
listed on the Mainboard of the SGX-ST. The road to its
public listing was not easy which made this achievement
even more significant and meaningful.
The Group has fabrication facilities comprising the
Pioneer Factory in Singapore with waterfront access and
the Keluli Factory in Johor, Malaysia which, added up,
have an approximate land area of 100,000 m2. Together,
its factories have a combined total maximum annual
production capacity of 42,000 tonnes, making
TTJ
one
of the largest structural steel fabricators in Singapore.
’s unwavering commitment shines through in the
iconic projects that it has garnered over the last 30
years. To date,
TTJ
s solid track record comprises many notable structures that have played a part in shaping the
Singapore skyline: such as the Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3’s unique roof, the Helix Bridge linking Marina Bayfront to Marina Centre, the Sky Garden Bridges at Pinnacle @ Duxton, the Henderson Wave Bridge, the Sky Garden Bridges & Tower Crowns at Reflections at Keppel Bay and SuperTrees at Gardens by the Bay.The Group’s annual turnover today has also grown further – from around S$70 million a year ago to stand at S$97 million for FY2011. Its order books remain brisk at S$181 million and the Group continues look towards the opportunities in its industry.
Every day, Mr Teo is thankful for the Group’s achievements, which can be attributed to all the hard work of its subsidiaries in the TTJ Group including TTJ Design and Engineering, its flagship business division. He is also grateful for clients’ trust and belief in TTJ which has
helped the Group weather the harsh times.
Looking back at TTJ’s trials and tribulations, Mr Teo is reminded of a quote by an anonymous author: “The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground.” TTJ may be ‘a little nut’ now but he believes that the Group has the drive and determination to become a large, sturdy oak tree in the years to come.
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