However, software business within another division of this writer's company consistently get order, inquiry and free trial from this industry ( Energy and TNB supplier )for the past six month despite market has been slow down cause by cautious of GST and devaluation of Ringgit. This mean this industry is still growing and recruiting new staff as they required more Microsoft Office license, whether on premises or cloud Office 365.
Pestech, however, is different as they claim to be leader in the industry.
Paul Lim further concedes that Pestech currently has no equivalent local competitor in its line of business not in Malaysia, or even in the Asean region. There are a number of electrical contractors offering their services, but no engineering company capable of delivering the full range of engineering services and products for electrical systems from design to procurement to full project implementation.
Started as a trading company in 1991 in Johor with the name Pestech Sdn Bhd.“We were in the small-scale contracting and trading business. It was extremely challenging for us to grow. We needed a good track record to bid for sizeable contracts but to start with, we had none of that back then,” founder and executive chairman Lim Ah Hock tell The Star in March 2014.
In the early days, Lim said it was extremely difficult to raise funds as banks generally did not lend to a company without a good track record.
“I had to pledge all my savings and properties to get the facilities for the company,” he said.
As Lim gained industry experience and established Pestech’s presence in the market, he managed to persuade his nephew, Paul Lim, to join him.
"In 2000, I joined the company and we transformed the company into one that specialises in the design, installation and commissioning of high voltage electrical power substations. We then went on to build transmission lines and lay power cables, finally becoming a full-fledged power grid builder” said Paul Lim
Being the first local company to venture into the high and extra high voltage sector of the electricity transmission business, the company made a profit after a few years.
Subsequently, they started their first office in Subang 2 in a small terraced industrial lot. This enabled them to expand their business model to provide value-added services in Kuala Lumpur.
From simple engineering contracting, the company began selling systems to substation builders and providing engineering input. Subsequently, they set up a design team to work on the integrated telecommunication and control systems, which transformed Pestech into an integrated, power control technology company.
Soon after this, Pestech secured its first project from Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB).
“We proved ourselves through numerous projects from TNB and other private suppliers such as the independent power producers (IPPs). We have a good track record in delivering the projects. Therefore, it enhanced our reputation in the market.”
A joint venture (JV) with Pembinaan Tajri proved to be successful and it changed the company’s business direction after they were awarded a TNB contract to design, supply, build and commission a 275kV and a 132kV transmission substation, as well as upgrading associated bay and protection equipment for TNB substations in 2001.
The company also manufactures its own proprietary power systems components and equipment to complement their business.
“Our products comply with international standards and have been designed so that the majority of the raw materials and components can be found locally. This helps us to be competitive in pricing the products and projects,” Lim said.
Pestech’s engineering capabilities and knowledge are not constrained by geographical boundaries. Lim said the engineering involved in delivering electricity is similar around the world.
“We are located in the region where there is a huge demand for electricity. It gives us satisfaction that Pestech is able to bring power to people where it is needed,” he said.
To do this, Lim said it was important to groom and build the competency of the team.
The company develops its own engineering handbook as well as organisational assets.
“This enables people who join Pestech to learn how to build a substation and understand everything about our company,” he said.
Their first overseas venture began with the export of remote terminal units (RTUs) to North Korea under a project by Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) in 2002. They also exported RTUs to Vietnam in 2004 and built a 66kV substation and transmission project in Brunei in 2008.
Paul Lim cites three main reasons why Pestech has an edge when it bids for projects: First, it offers customers a “complete” solution, ie it undertakes to do the whole job, from designing to supplying, manufacturing, installation, testing and commissioning. This increases efficiency and eliminates the customer's need to appoint different parties for different parts of the project.
Second, it offers customers an “open” solution. Lim says Pestech's practice is to recommend equipment that is best suited to its customers' needs and is under no obligation to recommend any particular brand of equipment. This role as an “integrator” enables Pestech to offer its customers what Lim describes as an “optimum” package. In contrast, MNCs that compete for jobs tend to recommend the use of their own brand name products, and this can limit their competitiveness.
Thirdly, Pestech now has a proven record of successful work done overseas for clients in the public and private sectors. Lim says: “This reputation is critical to our future business.
“But make no mistake,” he adds. “We are not saying we are in the same league as companies like Siemens or ABB or Hyundai. But across a broad range of customer requirements, we are as skilled and as adequately equipped as any of these companies to deliver, and we have proven this many times in the last few years.”Globally, the industry is dominated by a number of well-known international companies such as Siemens, ABB, Alstom, Toshiba, Mitsubishi and Hyundai.
电力和能源工业仍在增长
电力行业总是容易被遗忘的领域，大部分人都没想到能发展出一家企业。”Pestech国际总执行长林培川在2013年通过国际贸易和工业支持的文章说。
然而，笔者所在公司的另一个部门中的软件业务从这个行业（能源和TNB供应商）在过去6个月持续获得订单，查询和免费试用，尽管市场受消费税及马币贬值持谨慎态度。这意味着这个行业仍在不断招募新员工，因为他们需要更多的Microsoft Office软件授权，无论是办公桌软件授权还是云中的Office 365。
林培川指出“虽然有数家电力承包商提供此服务，但区域内未有第二家工程公司能提供囊括设计、采购至工程执行的全方位电网系统服务。”将设计、工程和执行全融入一个配套的营运策略，让Pestech国际在国内和东协区无人能敌。
Pestech国际由林培川的叔叔、也是现任公司执行主席林亚福创办，后者凭借技术工程师的经验在1991年创业，以电力产品贸易业务为主。
林培川2000年加入公司，与叔叔齐心协力将业务转型至设计、安装和测试高电压变电站。
后来，他们再进一步拓展事业版图至承建传输线和铺设电力电缆业务，成就了今日的全面电网制造商公司。
公司早期的主要客户，是国家能源（Tenaga，5347，主板贸服股），直到2002年，管理层对技术专业深具信心，终于迈出竞标海外工程的脚步。
林培川表示，Pestech国际之所以能成功竞标各项工程，是由三大优势支撑。
第一，Pestech国际提供客户“全方位”解决方案，从设计至供应、生产、安装、测试全权负责，提高工作效率的同时，客户也免去委任多家承包公司的麻烦。
再者，公司秉持推介客户最适当设备的信念，非大力推销特定品牌产品，为客户提供最佳配套。
相反的，一些跨国公司会推介客户使用自有品牌，反而限制了竞争力。
同时，商誉的重要不言而喻，Pestech国际在海外公共与私人界的优良记录获得认可，对公司未来发展起着关键作用。
“要强调的是，我们不是说自己已到西门子、ABB或现代企业等级，但我们也能如这些企业一样，满足客户广泛的需求，这也是过去几年数度获得验证的事实。”目前，全球主导这个行业的巨头都是国际知名的大企业，例如西门子、ABB、阿尔斯通（Alstom）、东芝（Toshiba）、三菱（Mitsubishi）和现代（Hyundai）等。
