Media center
02.04.2010 | Two Singapore household names, Diethelm and Harpers Trading, have officially announced a change in their company names: Diethelm will be renamed “DKSH Singapore Pte Ltd.” and Harpers will be known as “DKSH Marketing (S) Pte Ltd.” from the end of March.
The renaming will further strengthen the Groups's position a s the leading Market Expansion Services provider in Singapore. For more than 140 years, DKSH has been helping companies to grow their business in new and existing markets by providing them with all the essential services they need to achieve their expansion goals. DKSH brings products such as fast moving consumer goods, luxury items, pharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals, ingredients, and technology products to Asia, Europe, and the Americas, where it markets, sells, and distributes them.
Dr. Joerg W. Wolle, President & CEO, DKSH Holding Pte Ltd., said: “Over the past few years, we have completely reshaped the conventional model of traditional trading companies to ensure that we remain an even more valuable strategic partner for our business associates. The name DKSH reflects our new positioning of being the world's No. 1 in Market Expansion Services with a focus on Asia, a distinctive new category of industry that was created by DKSH. With this renaming, DKSH Singapore and DKSH Marketing will contribute to the ongoing establishment of a unified, global DKSH brand. The DKSH brand implies that the individual country operations such as Singapore are able to leverage the global synergies available within the DKSH Group to constantly develop and improve their own service portfolios, thereby ultimately offering greater opportunities and value to our business partners.”
DKSH is one of Switzerland’s top 20 companies, reporting an annual gross revenue of CHF 8.6 billion or over SGD 11 billion in 2009 with an established presence in 560 business locations in 35 countries, employing 21,000 specialized staff, 610 of whom are working in Singapore.
Since it was established in 1887, DKSH in Singapore has been a leading player in providing Market Expansion Services for the Consumer Goods, Healthcare, and Technology industries. Although it is a Swiss company, DKSH’s organization is deeply rooted in the community in Asia. This is because the company is able to draw from a tradition, lasting over a century, of doing business in and with the region. Through its industry expertise and unparalleled experience in offering Market Expansion Services tailored to the specific needs of its business partners, Singapore has evolved into an important hub within DKSH’s dynamic network. DKSH has used Singapore as the springboard to expand to Malaysia, Thailand, and Indochina.
DKSH has been instrumental in providing Market Expansion Services to some of the best known brands in the areas of Consumer Goods, Healthcare, and Technology. These include Frito Lay, Mead Johnson, Brands, Mars, Nivea, Campbell’s, SC Johnson, Wyeth, Heinz, Quaker, Johnson and Johnson, Bayer, and Roche, who have trusted DKSH to market their products with a suite of comprehensive services tailored to their needs. “We continue to have great confidence in the Singapore economy as our business operations remain enviably successful. As of 2009, our three Business Units are supporting a total of 170 multinational business partners and more than 4,300 customers, with our Annual Sales last year reaching SGD 400 million. In other words, DKSH Singapore and DKSH Marketing are here to invest, grow, and develop successful business operations for our business partners and customers,” said Dr. Wolle.
DKSH Singapore has further announced that the Group’s Global Finance Center had completed its relocation from Switzerland to Singapore. The financial hub will manage key finance functions which include Controlling, Taxation, Group Internal Audit, and a centralized Treasury to improve risk management. The key finance functions have been combined under one roof in Singapore in order to move closer to the bulk of operations and to provide greater management support.
Moreover, Singapore has been selected as the location for the Group-wide center for executive training, the so-called Fantree Academy. Together with the University of St Gallen (one of Europe’s leading business universities) and the Singapore Management University, tailor-made programs on various topics relating to strategy and leadership challenges have been created, taking place several times a year.
Mr. Leonard Tan, Managing Director of DKSH Singapore Pte Ltd., said: “The name may be a new one, but our unrelenting commitment to helping companies and brands grow their business in Singapore remains unchanged. We have never ceased in our dedication towards constantly further developing our service offerings in order to become an even more valuable strategic partner for all business partners and customers. Our investments over the last years, the relocation of our Group’s Global Finance Center, as well as choosing Singapore as the place for our Group-wide center for executive training are a clear demonstration of Singapore’s strategic importance for DKSH’s global operations.” Mr. Leo Yip, Chairman, Singapore Economic Development Board, said: “DKSH’s decision to establish its global finance center and global center for executive training here strongly attests to Singapore’s strengths as a strategic home-base for global companies to manage their growing pan-Asian and global businesses.”
Through the name change, DKSH Singapore and DKSH Marketing will be able to tap on the strength of a global brand to further enhance the wealth of experience and outstanding reputation it has built up over more than 140 years to the advantage of its business partners. DKSH Singapore and DKSH Marketing will also be able to enhance their ability to support the dynamic expansion of their business partners, and are committed to ensuring that they benefit fully from the energy and vigor of the DKSH brand.
DKSH is the leading Market Expansion Services Group with focus on Asia. As the term "Market Expansion Services" suggests, DKSH helps other companies and brands to grow their business in new or existing markets.
With 560 business locations in 35 countries – 20 of them in Europe and the Americas – and 21,000 specialized staff, it is one of the top 20 Swiss companies ranked by sales and employees. In 2009, DKSH generated annual gross revenues of CHF 8,600 million.
The company offers any combination of sourcing, marketing, sales, distribution and after-sales services. It provides business partners with expertise as well as on-the-ground logistics based on a comprehensive network of unique size and depth. Business activities are organized into four specialized Business Units that mirror DKSH’s fields of expertise: Consumer Goods, Healthcare, Performance Materials, and Technology.
Although DKSH is a Swiss company with headquarters in Zurich, it is deeply rooted in communities all across Asia Pacific. This is because the company looks back on a more than 140-year-long tradition of doing business in and with the region.
For further information please contact:
Huntington Communications Pte Ltd.
Marguerita Tan
Tel. +63 39 2883 / 9690 7149
Lena Soh-Ng
Tel. +63 39 2883 / 9681 7806