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MONDAY, JUNE 18, 1979
TIC OFFICIALS TOUR FACTORIES
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THE COMMISSIONER OF INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS, MR. WILLIAM DORWARD AND THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR. LAWRENCE MILLS TODAY (MONDAY) TOURED FACTORIES IN KOWLOON AND KWAI CHUNG AS PART OF THEIR REGULAR VISITS TO LOCAL INDUSTRIES.
THEY VISITED SONCA INDUSTRIES LTD. AT LAI CHI KOK ROAD, CHEUNG SHA WAN WHERE THEY WERE BRIEFED BY SIR SZE-YUEN CHUNG, CHAIRMAN, ON HOW THE FACTORY HAD DIVERSIFIED FROM PRODUCTION OF FLASHLIGHTS TO MANUFACTURING OF ELECTRONIC AND MACHINERY PRODUCTS IN THE PAST 10 YEARS.
SONCA INDUSTRIES LTD. ESTABLISHED IN 1953 AND NOW EMPLOYS MORE THAN 3,300 PEOPLE, IS THE LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF BATTERY-OPERATED LIGHTING PRODUCTS IN THE WORLD. ITS MAIN PRODUCT LINE INCLUDES FLASHLIGHTS, MINIATURE BULBS, BATTERY LANTERNS, ELECTRONIC CALCULATORS, BATTERY CHARGERS, ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS AND PARTS, PRECISION MACHINERY, TOOLS, DIES AND MOULDS.
MR. DORWARD AND MR. MILLS ALSO WENT TO KWAI CHUNG TO SEE THE VACCUM PACKAGING PLANT AT TEXPORT TERMINALS (HK) LTD. WHICH PROVIDES SERVICE TO FIRMS DEALING IN TEXTILE PRODUCTS.
ACCORDING TO THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE PLANT, MR. H.H, DAVIES, VACCUM PACKAGING WAS INTRODUCED INTO HONG KONG LESS THAN A YEAR AGO.
THE PLANT, INVOLVING A CAPITAL OUTLAY OF $10 MILLION IN 1978, IS THE FIRST COMMERCIAL OPERATION OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD FOLLOWING SOME NINE YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCEPT.
+THE VACCUM PACKAGING PROCESS INVOLVES CONDITIONING TEXTILE PRODUCTS BY CONTROLLED TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY CHANGES, AND ENCAPSULATING THESE PRODUCTS IN A SEALED MEMBRANE IMPERVIOUS TO DAMPNESS, MR. DAVIES EXPLAINED.
+THE PROCESS CAN REDUCE THE VOLUME OF TEXTILE PRODUCTS BY 50-80 PER CENT DEPENDING ON THE MATERIAL AND THE ARTICLE. ON UNPACKING, THE VACCUM PACKED GOODS RETURN TO THEIR ORIGINAL CONDITION WRINKLE FREE.+
+THE MAJOR BENEFIT OF THIS PROCESS IS THAT THE QUALITY AND CONDITION OF THE PRODUCT IS MAINTAINED, ALSO THE PROCESS CAN REDUCE THE BULKS OF THE PRODUCTS THEREBY CUTTING DOWN FREIGHT, HANDLING AND WAREHOUSE COSTS, MR. DAVIES ADDED.
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