Back in the 1980s, the AIDs epidemic and the discovery of HIV jarred the world and forced the medical profession to tighten general hygiene and safety precautions, which promptly resulted in a boom in the global rubber glove industry. Malaysia, being a major producer of natural rubber for much of the 20th century, proved to be a conducive environment for rubber glove manufacturers to emerge. One of which is GB Industries that specialised in reusable household and light industrial gloves. GB first began operations in 1990, manufacturing and exporting rubber gloves for household and light industrial application, mainly to the United States and Europe. However, almost 20 years into the business and with the market for mass produced reusable rubber gloves becoming increasingly competitive and razor thin margins, it became clear that GB needed to differentiate itself in order to make a mark. “I felt it was time to pivot into niche markets and focus on higher value products,” Ong says. With some funding from the Malaysian government, GB launched their “NOVAX” range of electrician gloves.
First-mover advantage
For electrical workers who are regularly exposed to high voltage electricity or highly charged circuits in the utility and other industries such as telecommunications, automotive, Formula 1 and amusement parks, it is essential to have reliable, specialised safety equipment to protect against the obvious hazards of their occupation. Electrician gloves are a highly technical product which involves a complex production process, stringent quality testing and proper certification. “Due to the nature of the product, setting up a proper manufacturing facility requires a significant amount of capital expenditure and expertise,” Ong explains. “Some of our products have taken more than 5 years to develop. Being a pioneer in Asia has given us the edge to establish ourselves in the global market.
Quality and speed
GB started off with one production line at its factory in Rembau, Negeri Sembilan. Now, GB operates a ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified manufacturing facility fitted with an extensive quality assurance system and running more than 20 production lines capable of meeting the increasing demand for gloves and sleeves. From two products with the lowest levels of voltage protection (Classes 00 and 0), GB has progressively extended the popular NOVAX range to include gloves for higher voltage protection (Classes 1 through 4) and electrician sleeves.
GB has also added other electrical protective safety products like leather protectors, dielectric safety boots, blankets and other accessories such as storage bags for gloves, sleeves and blankets. Ong estimates that NOVAX currently commands a sizeable share of the global market for its range of products and the brand is ranked highly amongst the major brands. Ong reveals, “For this speciality product, while quality is a given, we differentiate ourselves by ensuring that we deliver on our promised lead time. Good quality and high performance is one thing, delivering fast and on time is another”.
Taking over before taking off
Prior to joining GB, Ong was building a career in the accounting profession. Hailing from Kuala Krai, Kelantan, Ong is an alumnus of University Malaya graduating with a Bachelor’s in Accounting (Honours) and later qualified as a Chartered Accountant registered with the Malaysian Institute of Accountants. He began his career with one of Big 4 accounting firms before moving on to become an Accountant at a major construction and development company. He then went to serve as a Finance and Administration Manager in the oil and gas industry. In 1990, Ong made the move to join GB where his career soared to new heights. As an employee at GB, he demonstrated great dedication and responsibility. Even without any manufacturing background, he quickly learnt to run a factory and helped to build up the business. Pleased with his contributions, the shareholders invited Ong to buy a small stake in the company. By 2010, with 20 fruitful years under his belt, Ong was ready to have more skin in the game. “I had spent so many years building up this company like it was my own, it was everything to me. I had nothing else. So, I told the shareholders that I would like to have a more meaningful stake,” Ong recalls. “But I did not expect them to ask me to buy them out.” Ong speaks of the defining moment with unmasked pride and joy. “I was taken aback but thrilled! The shareholders were worried that I would not be able to come through but when I approached the bank and they gave an emphatic yes! It was a magical moment. Everything fell into place smoothly after that.” Ong reflects on his decision to forge ahead with the buyout. “I saw the company as a plane speeding down the runway. Just as the plane is about to take off, that’s when things are getting very loud and more interesting. Business was picking up. GB was getting more attention and market confidence was strengthening.” “It’s now or never!”
Proudly made in Malaysia
Moving forward, Ong plans to expand the product range to enhance their current suite of electrical protective equipment through further research
and development. “We are currently focused on extending our range by engaging contract manufacturers to produce the new products that use different types of raw materials.” 99% of GB’s sales are exported and Ong hopes to continue identifying new distribution partners in the overseas markets. “It’s my biggest joy when people approach us and ask if they can represent our brand.” Our products are sold only in our registered brand NOVAX. The focus on product quality and high performance is greatly emphasised throughout the company. There were initial resistance by the dielectric market towards a Made in Malaysia brand but the tenacious efforts from my team has now made the NOVAX dielectric range much sought after and is ranked highly in most countries. Ong says. “My vision for GB is to be the global preferred partner and one-stop solution centre for electrical safety needs. We want to show the world that top quality products with high performance can be ‘Made in Malaysia’.
