Mr Tan Ee Wei

Every Journey starts with a single step. Our journey started 70 years ago. My grandfather, the late Mr. Tan Ai Meng started Cyclect from very humble beginnings. I am pretty certain back in 1943, he would not have dreamt Cyclect would become what it is today. However, he boldly took the first step and the rest is as we call it, history. Cyclect did not have the culture to achieve and win awards. After our rebranding exercise in 2011, we had a mental shift. We saw great value in building our brand. Doing so helped us to appreciate our history and heritage. This identity we now have is a collection of all our staff’s past and present experiences and the hard work of this family of people who have journeyed with us. SPBA has long been prestigious and well known so the decision to participate was easy. The submission of proposals was very rewarding as it initiated us to reflect and recollect on our history and the sacrifices that were made by our previous generations. This preparation required the cooperation of different business units and encouraged communication between the teams. Looking back as a unified team, it allowed us to chart how far we have come and gave us a clear overview on our strengths and weaknesses as the company continues to grow. The Award brought our team closer and bestowed a sense of accomplishment. When reflecting on our submission story, we recounted the values, purpose and vision that have been defined. We then revisited those ideals and asked ourselves again if we could improve in those areas. This further reinforced our goal and direction of the company. The judging process tested all that. It is always helpful to have an external point of view to question if what we say makes sense, or is possible at the very least. The interview further strengthened our confidence that we were on the right track. Winning the SPBA – Heritage Brands accolade further affirmed that we are heading in the right direction. The award ceremony was a celebration for us. Winning top honours was icing on the cake. We celebrated our team being with us and the shared success of being recognised for our collective efforts. They had a part to play in where we are and they certainly will be a part of where we head in future. Award winners can expect a fulfilling journey when they choose to join in this award. It is not all about winning. The journey is equally enjoyable. Having a project such as this bonds people together. The team morale improves and the line between employee and family blurs and soon enough, staff not just feel, but know they are a part of the company. The Award has also given us greater market awareness, elevates our brand across the industries we serve and increased client confidence in Cyclect. It is indeed a powerful publicity tool and is showcased as one of our key achievements during presentations. Being awarded the Overall Winner of SPBA - Heritage Brands was no doubt surprising and satisfying. It was met with joy and pride by the whole company. Our advice to participants is, go with an open heart and enjoy the ride. New participants will be surprised by how much it bonds the company.