Building Services Division

We recorded external revenue of $20.5 million in FY2009 for our Building Services Division, which fell 17.7% from the previous financial year partly due to lesser projects secured in FY2009, led by the slow down in project development caused by the time lag in the global financial recovery. Correspondingly, profit before interest and taxation for this segment decreased 34.6% to $0.8 million.

Our Division experienced a busy year in 2009. We managed to keep the Special OEM Master Distributor Status which was awarded by Echelon, USA in recognition of our expertise as a provider of building automation controls and services. We also achieved the UL-certification for our controllers in 2009.

In Singapore, our Building Services Division completed the Duke-NUS Vivarium Laboratories with satisfaction expressed by our customers. We completed the Zero Energy Building ("ZEB") for BCA Singapore which is a flagship R&D project under the Green Building Masterplan to reduce the carbon footprint in Singapore. In conjunction with its launch, we set up an exhibition booth to introduce our controllers and systems used in the ZEB.

Key overseas achievements in 2009 for this Division included the successful penetration into the Middle East markets. We secured the most advanced IP-based Integrated Building Management Systems project in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and also worked on the first laboratory project in the Middle East for Abu Dhabi National Oil Corp.

We have achieved market penetration into the USA where our US partner has installed our products into two building projects, namely the Denver Dry Goods Building and the Severance Mid School. Our products are now ready and able to meet the local requirements there.

We sold our controllers to large and mixed development (hotels, office buildings and malls) projects in Guiyang and Hefei in China.

Going forward, we will continue to sell our existing product lines and seek to improve from FY2009's performance. We aim to create a niche market business in which to differentiate from other competitors and maintain the Building Management System leadership in Singapore for the commercial sector. Our team will also continue to explore opportunities in the Laboratory Control business and target to ride on the projects secured in the Middle East and set up more distributor offices to boost growth. Greater focus will be placed on developing the business and further penetrating into the USA market. We will continue to focus on the strategy of growing the services business which generates recurring income streams and carry on with our marketing efforts by participating in road-shows and exhibitions.

Back to top