Debeg's Debut

All big things, the sages say, have a small beginning. Does it therefore follow that bigger things have big beginnings? It would seem true in the case of Debeg. It is bigger than most and it had a head start in bigness.
Early this century the established and mighty German marine electronic firms AEG-Telefunken and Siemens AG literally married and pooled their resources and brought about an off spring — DEBEG.
From the word ‘GO’ Debeg began to chalk up for itself spectacular growth records. And it has not stopped. Now it is in Singapore, doing just about all it would do in West Germany. The Singapore Debeg is not just a branch of the head office. It is independent. Its identity is Debeg, its functions are Debeg.
It is Debeg junior in Singapore.
The company started operations here about six months ago and the man at the helm is Mr Edgar Schmidt.
One wonders why it remained silent, indeed most unobtrusive, in the local market for this many months when, perhaps, a smaller company would have started with pop and ceremony, which would be good publicity.
When questioned, Mr Schmidt explained saying,
“It is true that sales of our products are important but more important than that is service and maintenance — after sales service as it is called. When we decided to set up Debeg Private Limited, we did not announce this fact to the public because we were in the process of establishing a service and spare parts centre for the region. An announcement at that time would not have been timely as our equipment was just being installed. Now we are ready. Now we announce.” Typical West German adherence to'being meticulous, right and on guard you might say. Surely all for the best. More often than not companies announce their operations soon after getting their licences and it is frustrating to wait for work proper to start. Debeg’s attitude is right and this is the way it should be.
Debeg’s products are not new in Singapore. Before Debeg opened an office here its service agents, were Marconi, International Aeradio and Associated Technical Services. “The irony, however,” said Mr Philip Leong, the local Debeg Sales Manager, “is all these three are now our competitors along with Radio Holland. Fortunately, they are all healthy and ethical competitors.” The Singapore Economic Development Board, according to Mr Schmidt, had been of great help and encouragement in establishing Debeg Private Limited. An interesting feature of the company is that it keeps stock of spare parts for equipment manufactured, for example, in 1950. And those parts are in Singapore too. This must cost a pile but then efficient service does. What does all this show? West German material and functional durability? Debeg manufacturing efficiency? Or just the desire to remain Debeg? Perhaps a finely engineered combination of all. Be that as it may, it brings comfort and confidence to the buyer. His money invested in an expensive piece of marine equipment will not be down the drain with a breakdown - out-of-order, yes but not out-of-repair. Oldies are goodies. Debeg believes in this. It keeps selling an established line of equipment for many years until it has developed something even better. This policy helps to keep their range of products from becoming obsolete which is a self imposed condition with many other marine electronic manufacturers. A highly qualified German engineer has been stationed in the Singapore centre to not only carry out installation service and advice but also to train their technicians. The technicians are in fact already highly skilled and experienced in marine electronics, what they are going through now is acquisition of German standards in their work. “It is our policy to participate actively in the government’s industrialisation programmes to the best of our ability. In line with this we also concentrate on hiring almost all local people for the various jobs.” Mr Schmidt added. Efficiency goes a step nearer to perfection when we learn that all their staff carry private business network to keep in touch with the workshop and the spare parts division. This minimises labour costs, which goes higher by the hour, and breakdown time as spare parts can be sept immediately and instructions received from the chief engineer, if and when he is not on site. Even their cars are private business network equipped. Debeg is able to adapt a piece of equipment from one function, component parts of which maybe from another manufacturer, to another on. the specifications of the client. This was illustrated in the case of conversion jobs which the company has done for several naval forces all over the world. They also produce customer specified equipment from drawing board to the working unit stage. Debeg have equipment on rental and this they service themselves. In the sum total, it can be said that what they do — they do well, and what they cannot do they honestly say “NEEN”.

by MS DILLON