Heinen & Hopman designs, builds, and services world-class heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems. Regardless of the climate a vessel is sailing in, these systems can ensure a comfortable indoor climate. Not to mention the chemical, biological and radioactive filtration which can keep a vessel’s crew from being exposed to these hazards while indoors.
As it is a company with an international focus, Heinen & Hopman have branches spread out over many different countries, including Singapore. Malaysia is a slightly different story. The company has no branch there, though they are somewhat familiar with the market as they’ve acted as a supplier for Damen Shipyards in Malaysia and the area is covered thanks to several subsidiary companies. In fact, the desire to explore more opportunities in Malaysia was part of the reason for Heinen & Hopman to join the Partners for International Business (PIB) initiative.
Eric van Dijk (Senior Marketing & Communication Specialist) and Michel Veltman (Sales Manager) told us that a 3-year program like the PIB presented a great opportunity for Heinen & Hopman. Mr. van Dijk mentioned that a relatively short program like the PIB would allow the company to gain a lot of insight into the Malaysian market for a far lower investment of time and money than if the company had taken steps by itself. Not to mention that the PIB is supported by the government. He added that it was a good way to raise awareness of the company and their products in Malaysia, as they were far less established than in Singapore, where the company has had a branch for well over twenty years.
Mr. Veltman also said that this was a good way for the company to expand its activities, as military vessels were not something that the branch in Singapore had explored very much at time of writing. He felt that Heinen & Hopman could lend their expertise and make these ships more comfortable and safer with their systems, but noted that there was work to do in approaching the right military contacts and working with Malaysian shipyards.
Agreeing with his colleague on these matters, Mr. van Dijk said that the digital contact with the participants from Malaysia and Singapore had been pleasant, but had yet to lead to new opportunities. He reiterated the importance of getting in touch with decision-makers in the military and shipyards and stated that he hoped to be able to meet these people in person during the next PIB event, once COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.