The family that works together...

Stays together — that's what the Teos are betting on

Tan Hui Leng, huileng@mediacorp.com.sg

WHEN Teri Teo told his family in 2007 that he was quitting his full-time job as a sales manager in the plastics industry, selling his car and pumping in some $300,000 of his savings into a recycled plastics business, they were concerned, to say the least.
After all, he was then drawing a comfortable salary of around $5,000 to $6,000 and his daughter, Si Qi, was just three years old.

"They were worried because my wife and I were putting in so much of our savings into the company," said Mr Teo, the 38-year-old operation director of Winrigo.

"As environmental awareness was not so high then, they also wondered if people would buy the concept of recycled plastic."

Despite their misgivings, the extended family threw their support behind the entrepreneur to help him in whatever way they could — from lending the couple $100,000 in capital to introducing business contacts to tips on where to find sources of plastic.

"Sometimes, when I have to go to our Malaysian factory, my sister or another family member lends me their car," he said. Mr Teo has stakes in two factories in Malaysia and Batam in which Winrigo's trademark recycled plastic, R3plas, is produced.

"My sister, who is in the construction industry, also lends us equipment, such as a forklift, whenever I need it."

And it's not just his seven siblings who are involved; his nieces and 11 nephews are also roped in whenever he needs help.

For example, his nephew has helped him in copywriting. A graphic-savvy niece designed the R3plas logo.

"Our family ties are really strong and family members will always chip in when I ask for help without asking for anything in return," he told Weekend Xtra.

Given the Teo family's initial worries, it must be gratifying for them to see Winrigo's promising outlook as an end-to-end solutions provider of recycled plastic products.

Winrigo not only provides plastic resin like other plastic companies in Singapore, it is also involved in the design and manufacture of products such as plastic bags, crockery and even hospital disposal units. Some of its products are biodegradable.

Nanyang Optical's spectacles are made from recycled plastic are made by Winrigo. The dog poo bags you see at Singapore parks, as well as at Sentosa Cove, are also from the company.

Last year, Winrigo achieved $1 million in sales turnover. His target for this year is $1.5 million, and aims to hit $2.5 million in 2010 and $5 million in 2011.

Mr Teo first realised the potential of recycled plastics when he was working for various plastic resin suppliers some 13 to 14 years ago. "I saw a lot of good, usable plastics thrown away and being wasted," he said. "I realised that these could be recycled and resold. It was a business opportunity."

His first convert was his wife of nine years, 31-year-old Madam Lily Toh, who quit her job in finance to run Winrigo's office and accounts.

"All the while, it has been his goal to set up his own business. What I can do is to give him my full support," she said.

Her 59-year-old father, who is a lorry driver in the logistics business, helps transport cargo for them.

Today, Mr Teo works 16 hours a day and draws less than $2,000 a month. Mdm Toh draws about $1,000. They employ another four staff in Singapore.

Mr Teo admitted candidly that the company is still in the red and that he has not yet returned the $100,000 or so he has borrowed from relatives. However, Mr Teo expects his company to break even by 2012. His confidence stems from the fact that both Winrigos' sales and turnover have spiked by 100 per cent since 2006.

This has been achieved even though recycled plastic costs 3 to 5 per cent more than prime plastic, as much more testing is involved to ensure that the reclaimed plastic is of suitable quality.

"Since the end of 2007, we have received at least one call every day from aunties who ask us where they can buy our recycled products," said Mr Teo.

Apart from the satisfaction that he gets from running the business, his involvement with Winrigo has also made the Teos and their extended family realise how vulnerable Mother Earth is.

"My family is now more aware of sustainability in our daily lives, like reusing and recycling items," he said.

"It's important to be environmentally friendly so that we leave a healthy planet for our next generation."

WEEKENDXTRA

From TODAYOnline.com; see the source article here.