HTL

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#11
1Q in red. Is HTL in forex trading biz ? No hedging or don't know how to hedge ?
“risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.”
I don’t look to jump over 7-foot bars: I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over.
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#12
Yester-year darling... dun waste too much time

(20-05-2013, 04:40 PM)cfa Wrote: 1Q in red. Is HTL in forex trading biz ? No hedging or don't know how to hedge ?
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#13
(20-05-2013, 08:50 PM)greengiraffe Wrote: Yester-year darling... dun waste too much time

(20-05-2013, 04:40 PM)cfa Wrote: 1Q in red. Is HTL in forex trading biz ? No hedging or don't know how to hedge ?

This company is as good as gone because all their production lines are in China. High labour and transportation costs , RMB is appreciating against all major currencies. Another TINA.
“risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.”
I don’t look to jump over 7-foot bars: I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over.
Reply
#14
(20-05-2013, 10:05 PM)cfa Wrote:
(20-05-2013, 08:50 PM)greengiraffe Wrote: Yester-year darling... dun waste too much time

(20-05-2013, 04:40 PM)cfa Wrote: 1Q in red. Is HTL in forex trading biz ? No hedging or don't know how to hedge ?

This company is as good as gone because all their production lines are in China. High labour and transportation costs , RMB is appreciating against all major currencies. Another TINA.

There is alternative for investors - Ignore and Avoid
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#15
It has high leverage and its branding isnt as strong as some analysts have put it 2-3 years ago
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#16
HTL is more of a forex trader in recent years in addition to its core strength of being a manufacturer...

GLOBALISING SINGAPORE
Furniture firm builds on its strengths

Singapore has always made internationalisation a key plank of its growth strategy, with trade agency IE Singapore at the forefront of the strategy for 30 years. This series shares stories of local companies that have transformed themselves on the global stage. In the seventh of 15 weekly instalments, we speak to Ascendas and HTL International on their expansion efforts.

Published on Jul 09, 2013

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HTL International group managing director and CEO Phua Yong Tat says the furniture maker, which exports to nearly 50 countries, now wants to focus more on the Chinese market. -- ST PHOTO: DESM

By Rachael Boon

EVEN as furniture manufacturing was deemed a sunset industry in Singapore in the 1980s, HTL International was already looking to produce and design quality furniture for overseas markets.

Group managing director and chief executive Phua Yong Tat, 62, said: "HTL started as a small upholstery company in 1976, but our vision was to look into the Asia-Pacific region.

"We were already thinking of a regional business then, as Singapore is a very small market."

HTL began modestly in the 1970s, churning out PVC sofas at a time when most retailers here imported leather products from Italy or Germany. It saw a need to learn to produce good leather products with great designs.

Mr Phua said: "If we wanted to go overseas, we needed to know where we stood. Did we have good design and the technology?"

Hence, it acquired design and technical know-how from German furniture maker G Laauser GmbH & Co in 1981 to sell its designs in Asia-Pacific. "It was a very important move for HTL... We learnt about its production line, automation, and revamped ours," said Mr Phua.

In 1985, the recession in Singapore spurred HTL to speed up its regionalisation drive. Equipped with the newly acquired knowledge from G Laauser, the firm began selling its products to Hong Kong and Australia.

Even then, Mr Phua was already mapping out a strategy to go beyond the region. In the 1990s, HTL embarked on its plan to expand to Europe.

"Even the regional market was too small for us," said Mr Phua, with a laugh.

Europe, however, proved to be a tough market to crack.

"My customers asked me, we're 11,000, 12,000 kilometres away with time differences. How will you supply to us? How can we buy from you and make sure you can deliver on time?"

To allay these concerns, HTL established sales offices on the continent to directly market and sell products to European clients. It set up its first sales office in the Netherlands in 1993.

"If you want to go overseas, you need a point of contact and service there," Mr Phua stressed.

That same year, it also signed a licensing agreement with German furniture giant Musterring.

HTL subsequently looked to improve its delivery process. Back in the 1990s, HTL was still buying raw material such as leather hides from Italy. To speed up delivery, there was a need for the company to have its own tannery.

"We became an integrated business, from the hides to sofas to finished goods that we deliver," Mr Phua said.

These efforts have translated to enhanced customer satisfaction. "Our Singapore consumers often say that after 10 years, our sofas still look so good, they can't bear to throw them away," Mr Phua said with a smile.

To penetrate further into European markets, HTL acquired Domicil Moebel in 2005, with the aim of selling its products through the upmarket German furnishing retailer.

Today, HTL employs 8,000 people at its offices and stores around the world. It has 11 overseas sales and marketing offices, six stores and 16 franchise stores in Germany, factories in China and stores in other countries.

HTL exports to nearly 50 countries with 5,000 shops in Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific selling HTL products.

Despite its foray into Western markets, the Asia-Pacific has always been in HTL's sights. The firm first entered China and Japan in the 1990s. The furniture maker now wants to focus more on the regional powerhouse China.

The Chinese market is rather complex, with consumers at both the high-end and mass-market segments, Mr Phua said, adding that HTL does not plan to rush into the market.

He said: "We're learning new things every day in China. Right now, we're just at the beginning, even though we've been exporting from there since 1994."

The potential in China is tremendous for HTL as every year, millions of middle-income families and individuals rise through the ranks there, Mr Phua said.

After transforming itself from a modest sofa maker to a top manufacturer of leather sofas and leather upholstery hides, HTL is aiming for the big leagues by developing a new concept store in Munich and Dusseldorf, Germany. The stores are expected to be ready at the end of this year.

Mr Phua said: "We want to use this concept store to expand to Germany first, then China, and next will be the United States."

rachaelb@sph.com.sg
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#17
When i see the high debt in its balance sheet, and the thought of interest rates rising, i was shaking my head... Should sales of furniture improve significantly, there will still be some hope.. If sales remain the same, you will have to wish them and their shareholders good luck !
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#18
This is an old age home , just look at their BODs and senior management staff , all above 60 and around 70. One of my friends who joined this company told me all the old guards only Henta Kaki , delaying time and wait for end of the month. Sale guys like order takers, all just playing time. 不求有功 但求无过.
“risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.”
I don’t look to jump over 7-foot bars: I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over.
Reply
#19
surged >30% to a high of 0.415 before dropping to 0.385 today.

something is brewing?
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#20
Share buyback also need to trading halt...???
Interesting.

Issuer/ Manager HTL INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LIMITED
Securities HTL INT'L HOLDINGS LIMITED - SG1A48000743 - H64
Announcement Details
Announcement Title Request for Trading Halt
Date & Time of Broadcast 02-Apr-2014 09:45:11
Status New
Announcement Sub Title Request for Trading Halt
Announcement Reference SG140402OTHRC0Y2
Submitted By (Co./ Ind. Name) Jacqueline Loke
Designation Company Secretary
Effective Date and Time of the event With Immediate Effect
Reasons for Trading Halt Pending announcement of particulars of share buy-back.
"... but quitting while you're ahead is not the same as quitting." - Quote from the movie American Gangster
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