Lee Choon Siong has been in the epoxy flooring and painting industry for the past 19 years. Before that, he worked for a paint manufacturer for 11 years. With his expert and in-depth knowledge as well as integrity and dedication to excellence, he has enriched the industry and brought it up to a higher level.
In an interview with NiagaTimes, the dynamic and visionary Lee talks about his business services, success and also future plans for his company, Weyly Sdn Bhd.
Coming from a humble background, Lee Choon Siong has always been destined for great things. In 2017, Lee established Weyly Sdn Bhd in Bukit Mertajam, Penang. Dedicated to fulfilling the needs of Malaysia’s growing building industry, Lee was hardworking and focused on doing the best job to satisfy his customers. He and his team always worked closely with their contractors, engineers, owners and customers to understand their requirements before starting work.
“In the early days, I used my home as an office space. In the daytime, I was busy with site arrangements and business negotiations. At night, I did all the necessary paperwork. I spent at least 16 hours a day working. Because the storage space in my home was limited and all machines and raw materials were placed at the construction sites,” says Lee.
Registered with the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), Weyly Sdn Bhd specialises in the design, supply and application of various painting and repair works for new project developments, refurbishment painting works, residential and commercial paintings, epoxy floor coatings, heavy duty car park flooring, polyurethane (PU) flooring, acrylic sport flooring, steel structure coating and waterproofing for any type of buildings as required.
Besides that, Weyly offers project and management services for tendering, designing, colour matching and budgeting projects. It has directly employed tradesmen and apprentices and also contracted specialist sub-contractors where required to undertake specific tasks.
Lee was determined to provide the best solutions to customers, who often tried to do their painting and flooring in-house using their own staff. Since their staff were not trained in the area of painting and epoxy flooring, the companies frequently end up with issues such as uneven application and cracked lines.
“I came from a paint manufacturing background, thus I had in-depth product knowledge on the subject matter. I assembled a highly skilled team of professionals. We knew the application procedures and were familiar with the machinery for application,” says Lee.
Determined to offer the best outcome, Weyly Sdn Bhd uses the most advanced machinery and instruments from Germany and the United States to overcome potential problems and provide practical solutions to its clients.
With honesty and integrity at the core of Lee’s business philosophy, Lee has established a good reputation in the industry. In addition, Weyly Sdn Bhd has maintained an amazing zero-defect track record and high-quality services through the years.
“We don’t have a sales team or even a single salesperson. I started Weyly with a zero customer base. Over the years, all my clients got to know me and my company through word of mouth. My existing happy clients introduced them to me. From 2017 to 2021, my sales have doubled,” says Lee.
Weyly’s clients ranged from property developers to large public corporations and facilities managers, among others. To minimise inconveniences, works can be scheduled to be performed during holidays or out-of-normal working hours.
The company has built its market share steadily and now enjoys around 70% market share for epoxy flooring and 30% market share for its painting services. In addition to this, the company has enjoyed an annual turnover in excess of RM1.3 million and this increased dramatically in 2021 with orders of RM2.5million.
In addition, Weyly Sdn Bhd strives to be a respected employer of choice by creating an enjoyable and rewarding work environment for the team by providing opportunities for training, career advancement and economic security.
“We emphasise a high level of trust and mutual respect among clients, suppliers and employees. Employees are very important, and they are one of the key components of the company. We don’t just tell them what to do. We provide the information and ask them to suggest solutions,” says Lee.
“We believe in taking care of our employees, who are like our family members. When they have problems, they will highlight them to us. We will see how we can help them,” he adds.
“The company is committed to providing a safe work environment. Thus, we openly discuss safety issues with our employees, and they can bring up their concerns and issues to discuss with us.”
Weyly Sdn Bhd is also an appointed licensed applicator by paint manufacturers and also the first painting and epoxy flooring contractor in Malaysia to win business awards for three consecutive years.
“The results of what we have done for our customers and what we have achieved has motivated us to continue growing the business. We have a firm foundation and a strong presence in the northern region. In the next five to ten years, we hope to set up branches in those major cities to provide better service to existing and new customers there,” says Lee.
For those starting out in business, he would like to advise them to maintain their focus and have a continuous implementation strategy.
“Set a target and make sure you have consistent improvements in working towards achieving your target. You must also be able to accept suggestions from others, such as your employees. They come from different backgrounds, and bring with them unique experiences, knowledge and skills,” advises Lee.
-NIAGATIMES
