N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E J E B S E N G R O U P 2 0 1 9 N O . 1 V O L U M E 1 1

Jebsen & PorscheWinning the race together since 1955

Remembering Jacob Jebsen & Heinrich JessenHow the co-founders built and rebuilt the company

A Symbol and Spirit, Inherited Tracing the history of Jebsen’s three-mackerel logo

A Tribute to Lai Pui (1911-1999)The Group’s longest-serving staff

I cannot confess to remembering every speech that I have ever delivered, but there is one that I remember quite vividly. It was a memorable March evening in 1995, at a recital that Jebsen & Co. was hosting in celebration of our centennial. Given the occasion, I was asked to say a few words, and these were among them: “What are the key issues when looking towards the future? Confidence and commitment.”

2 | T H E B I G P I C T U R E

CONFIDENCE &COMMITMENT

Hans Michael JebsenGroup Chairman

Perhaps the reason why I’m able to remember something that was said 24 years ago is because those words still ring true today. We are confident and committed to the markets we serve, the business partners and brand principals that have placed their trust in us, and, most importantly, the colleagues whom we work alongside.

Commitment is a value passed down through the generations from the time of our founding. While it was a shared vision that led our co-founders Jacob Jebsen and Heinrich Jessen to establish Jebsen & Co. in 1895, it was their commitment to the company that enabled them to keep going through difficult times, especially after the First World War destroyed everything they had worked for. You can read their story on page 8.

We have carried on this legacy of commitment well. It shows in the many long-standing relationships that we enjoy with our business partners and with our staff. These include our 64-year partnership with Porsche and our longest-serving staff member, the late Mr Lai Pui, who was a member of the Group for 67 amazing years. Porsche’s and Mr Lai Pui’s stories are on pages 7 and 11 respectively

As we approach our 125th anniversary in 2020, their stories are a timely reminder that we must continue to do things wholeheartedly and put in our best efforts if we are to achieve enduring success for future generations.

T H E B I G P I C T U R E | 3

Protecting a partnership through two World Wars

In 1897, Jebsen secured the agency of BASF to trade synthetic indigo dye in South China. The partnership lasted 84 years, and left its mark in China for revolutionising the way Chinese dyers, who had previously used vegetable indigo, coloured their materials.

Becoming one of the largest Porsche dealer groups in the world

Jebsen made the bold move of introducing Porsche luxury sports cars to colonial Hong Kong in 1955, marking Hong Kong as one of the first international markets for the brand. Hong Kong has topped the charts for Porsche ownership per capita in the world for more than two decades. Jebsen then went on to introduce Porsche to Mainland China in 2001. With 10 Porsche Centres, Jebsen is now one of Porsche’s largest and longest-standing partners in China.

Jebsen:

STANDING THE TEST OF TIME

Courtesy of BASF Archive.

Michael Jebsen (VI) in front of a Jebsen office in Mainland China, 1959.

Standing with China through thick and thin

Even when other foreign firms started to pull out of China in the 1950s, Jebsen stayed on. It was one of the last to leave and first to return. After closing its Shanghai office in 1962, the Group was able to maintain trade with China thanks to its faithful participation in the Canton Fair since 1957. In 1976, Jebsen made a comeback by converting a room at Beijing’s Xin Qiao Hotel into a temporary office. As one of the first foreign companies which re-entered Mainland China at the very beginning of its reform and opening-up, Jebsen continues to represent quality products, services, investments and solutions across its business lines — Beverage, Consumer, Industrial, Motors, Logistics, and Jebsen Capital.

Forging a lasting bridge between East and West

Having built a home for itself in China, Jebsen has never forgotten its roots. Its commitment to bridging East and West was recognised as early as 1968, when the South China Morning Post ran a supplement that read: “If anyone asks a question about German products in Hong Kong, two places can supply the answer – the German Consulate General and the firm of Jebsen & Company.” The article went on to describe Jebsen at the time as “big suppliers of industrial equipment and big buyers of Chinese products including basic metals, feathers, hides, toys and textiles.”

A SYMBOL AND SPIRIT, INHERITED

For well over a century, Jebsen Group has been identified by its distinctive three-mackerel logo. But what if we told you that the logo is older than the Group itself?

4 | S E C R E T T O S U C C E S S

Those familiar with the Jebsen story would know that relatives Jacob Jebsen and Heinrich Jessen co-founded the company, Jebsen & Co., in 1895. By that time, however, a blue flag bearing three mackerels was already a common sight in the harbours and along the South China coast.

It was the flag of the M. Jebsen Shipping Company.

The M. Jebsen Shipping Company was founded in 1878 by Jacob’s father, Michael Jebsen (IV), in their hometown of Aabenraa. In June 1881, the first Jebsen steamer to enter Hong Kong, Vorwärts, brought with it the company’s three-mackerel flag. It is said that the company later fared so well in its Far East ventures that its “three pieces of fish”, as the locals called it, became widely recognised.

So, in 1895, when Jebsen was established as the sole agent for the M. Jebsen Shipping Company, it was a natural choice for the co-founders to adopt the same flag.

Under their stewardship, Jebsen quickly diversified into trading. Recognising that 19th century China was a huge market for British cotton goods, they secured a deal with two Manchester-based cotton trading companies, Hiltermann Brothers and Edmund Heuer & Co., and began importing printed cotton sheets into South China. The three-mackerel flag was adapted into a trademark chop for their goods department. In 1899, the mark was registered for the first time in Hong Kong — essentially becoming a precursor to today’s Jebsen logo.

Skibbrogade 17 in Aabenraa, c. 1908. It was formerly the Jebsen family home and also the location of the M. Jebsen Shipping Company.

S E C R E T T O S U C C E S S | 5

An Ode to Aabenraa

The answer to the question ‘Why mackerels?’ requires a journey further back in time, before the M. Jebsen Shipping Company was even founded. It is believed that the earliest version of the three-mackerel flag was created in Hong Kong in 1859 by a lady named Jakobine Ingermann.

She had adapted Aabenraa’s coat of arms, which features three mackerels swimming in the same direction, into a red flag so that her ship commander husband could easily spot his hired boat in a crowded harbour. Other Aabenraa captains later adopted this red flag to identify their ships arriving from Aabenraa as well.

When it came to Michael Jebsen (IV)’s turn to create a flag for his shipping

1878

1905

1906

1950

1957

1970

1995

2005

2019

company, he decided to make some changes. He used blue instead of red, turned the middle fish around so that it would swim to the right while the other two would swim to the left, and surrounded them with a laurel wreath.

There are no clear records to explain his decision to have one mackerel facing the opposite direction, although many theories have emerged over the years. As Jebsen is here in Greater China to stay, it is possible that one of the mackerels was set around to symbolise the constant connection of Jebsen between East and West.

Whichever the case, Michael Jebsen (IV) had created what he termed a “very simple flag”, not knowing that it would come to leave such a lasting legacy.

6 | S E C R E T T O S U C C E S S

The Mackerel Spirit

When Jebsen inherited the three-mackerel logo, it received more than just the symbol; it also took on the mackerel spirit.

The mackerel is a fish born without a swim bladder, which is the organ that makes other fish weightless in water. For this reason, the mackerel must constantly swim in order not to sink. This aptly describes the entrepreneurial spirit of Jebsen. Seizing opportunities, the co-founders set up a goods department shortly after the company was established. They focused on growing the business by acquiring and adding more goods and agencies to their portfolio. By 1913, many Jebsen agencies like Blue Girl Beer, Bolinder engines and BASF indigo dyes were doing well in China. Within 18 years, the annual profits of the company’s goods department increased by 420 times, and that of shipping had more than doubled.

Even though the decades to come would bring great turmoil, especially in the form of two devastating World Wars, the mackerel spirit passed through four generations has ensured that the Jebsen Group thrives to this day.

Blue Girl Beer.

“Girl with Torchlight” trademark, now used for Blue Girl Beer.

BASF indigo dye barrel. Bolinder crude oil engines.

S E C R E T T O S U C C E S S | 7

Jebsen & Porsche:

WINNING THE RACE TOGETHER SINCE 1955

Hong Kong

1955 Market entry

Then One of the 1st

international markets for Porsche

Now #1 Porsche ownership per capita in the world

Mainland China

2001 Market entry

NowJebsen Motors tops

Porsche China’s Dealership Ranking

for the 3rd Consecutive Year

Car ownership in Hong Kong represents less than 5% of the population — one of the lowest rates in Asia. Yet Jebsen & Co. put Porsche on the map in Hong Kong, not just as another sports car (which you may or may not need) but as a prime, self-reward, everyday automobile; the car with status, the car professionals prefer, the car smart money drives. And we’re all set to do the same in China.

Mr Hans Michael Jebsen, Chairman of Jebsen Group, in a March 2008 interview

“

“

First Porsche in Hong Kong

Operated by Jebsen Motors

Porsche Certified Technicians

(as of March 6, 2019)

Racing at Porsche Carrera Cup Asia

Porsche

356 10 Porsche Centres

37Gold

& Silver

15Years of

Team Jebsen

in the World in Asia in Greater China

Le Mans Race-inspired Porsche Service Centre

Shenzhen Luohu

Fully digital experience at Porsche Studio

Guangzhou

Porsche Classic Partner Hong Kong for

classic sports cars

1st1st1st

On New Year’s Eve of 1894, relatives Jacob Jebsen and Heinrich Jessen renewed their acquaintance in Shanghai, more than 8,000km away from their hometown of Apenrade, Germany (now Aabenraa, Denmark).

Jacob had just arrived in Hong Kong a month earlier to represent his father’s Aabenraa-based company, the M. Jebsen Shipping Company. “It is too bad Heinrich Jessen is not in Hong Kong,” Michael Jebsen (IV) wrote to his son. “He would be a suitable personality for a companion.”

Encouraged by his father, Jacob travelled to Shanghai where Heinrich was working. The two young men met at the Club Concordia (the German Club), just a stone’s throw away from the Bund, and quickly hit it off. Consequently, Jebsen & Co. was officially founded in Hong Kong on March 1, 1895 as sole agent of the M. Jebsen Shipping Company.

8 | O U R P E O P L E

Initially wanting to be a chemist, Jacob became an

apprentice in shipping firms in Apenrade and Antwerp.

Arriving in Hong Kong in late 1 894, he met his distant

relative, Heinrich Jessen, in Shanghai and the two men

established Jebsen & Co. on 1 March 1 895 in Hong Kong.

The German occupation of Qingdao in 1 898 saw Jacob’s

father providing the mail steamer line connecting the new

colony of Kiaochow to other Chinese ports. It also saw the

founding of Diederichsen, Jebsen & Co. by Jacob and

Heinrich Jessen, together with Heinrich Diederichsen, the

shipowner and coal trader from Kiel. The following decade

saw the expansion of Jebsen & Co., with branches

established in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Tianjin.

JEBSEN AND HONGKONG

1 9

Jacob Jebsen with his wife Käthe née Bock,

1 907

Jacob Jebsen with his wife Käthe Jebsen, née Bock, 1907.

Jacob and Käthe Jebsen with their five children Ingeborg, Clara, Michael and Irmgard (from left). Newly-baptised Hans Jacob Jebsen lies in the cradle, 1921.

JEBSEN AND HONGKONG

In 1 907, Jacob Jebsen married Käthe Bock. They had five

children including two sons, Michael (1 91 1 -2000) and Hans

Jacob (1 921 -79). Present in Hong Kong at the outbreak of

the First World War, Jacob was interned as a prisoner of war

in Hong Kong and Australia. Only returning home to his

family in 1 91 9, he then witnessed his home region ceded to

Denmark as a consequence of the Treaty of Versailles and

the plebiscite of 1 920.

Jacob Jebsen died in Apenrade in December 1 941 , only

days before the Fall of Hong Kong to the Japanese. He was

buried with honours recognising his achievements in

international business and in fostering harmony and the

livelihoods of the German minority in Denmark.

20

Jacob and Käthe Jebsen with their five

children Ingeborg, Clara, Michael and Irmgard

(from left). Newly-baptised Hans Jacob Jebsen

l ies in the cradle, 1 921

REMEMBERING JACOB JEBSEN AND HEINRICH JESSEN

How the co-founders of Jebsen & Co. built and rebuilt the company

Jacob Friedrich Christian Jebsen

Born: December 27, 1870 in Port Townsend, Washington, USA

Died: December 14, 1941 in Aabenraa, Denmark

Wife: Käthe Jebsen, née Bock

Children: 3 daughters (Clara, Ingeborg and Irmgard) and 2 sons (Michael and Hans Jacob)

“The extremely sad atmosphere pervading the fatherland and the loss of my assets, temporarily at least, and the doubt as to whether and when the shipping company and the business in China could ever be built up again — all contributed towards revealing a fairly gloomy future. In any case, it was clear that there were years of hard work before us.”

An excerpt of Jacob Jebsen’s memoirs (1928) on his return to Aabenraa after the First World War.

Jacob Jebsen:

Flying His Father’s Flag Farther and HigherAlthough Jacob had initially harboured dreams of becoming a chemist, he was no stranger to shipping thanks to his shipmaster father. Even his unusual birthplace, a coastal town in the US state of Washington, was the direct result of his father’s line of work. It was where Michael Jebsen (IV) had taken refuge with his family, ship, and crew during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871).

The family returned to Aabenraa after the war. That was where a young Jacob spent his childhood watching his father go from managing the steamer fleets of Alfred Krupp, the German ‘Cannon King’, to setting up the M. Jebsen Shipping Company. In his early 20s, Jacob completed an internship at his father’s company and a commercial apprenticeship with Adolf Deppe in Antwerp, Belgium before coming to Hong Kong.

O U R P E O P L E | 9

Heinrich Jessen:

A Shipowner’s Son with the Mind of a BusinessmanHeinrich was barely six years old when his captain and shipowner father died. He was raised largely in the care of his uncle Jes Nicolay Jessen, who was married to Jacob Jebsen’s aunt Marie. With seafaring blood in his veins, and his eyes opened to the world of trading from accompanying his uncle on short business trips, Heinrich grew up with dreams of becoming a merchant.

His first step towards realising this dream was a commercial apprenticeship with a trading firm in Hamburg that operated sailing vessels plying Europe and South America. Though young and relatively inexperienced, Heinrich’s keen business acumen caught the eye of China-based German trading house Gipperich & Burchardi. He was offered a job in Shanghai and, in August 1888, arrived on Chinese soil for the first time.

Jacob Jebsen

Heinrich Jessen

Heinrich Jessen and Eva Jessen, née Bourwieg.

Heinrich Jessen with five of his children.

Johann Heinrich Jessen

Born: November 14, 1865 in Aabenraa, Denmark

Died: February 19, 1931 in Hamburg, Germany

Wife: Johanne Jessen, née Jebsen (d. 1907) and Eva Jessen, née Bourwieg

Children: 3 sons (Johann Heinrich “Heinz”, Uwe, Arwed Peter) and 3 daughters (Christa, Elke and Eva)

“My goal of doing business independently and on my own account was achieved with the founding of the company. However, the preparations for this had brought me to the age of 29 and I had learned that anyone seeking to carve out a professional path must overcome obstacles with patience and endurance before the way ahead is clear. When I look back today on the years which were devoted to building up our company, the memory of this life’s work fills me with pleasure and satisfaction.”

An excerpt from Heinrich Jessen’s memoirs (1918).

when Jacob Jebsen asked him to found a company together

in late 1 894, it matched Heinrich’s ideas perfectly.

The year 1 899 marked Heinrich’s first trip home after

more than ten years in East Asia. Paying the Jebsen family in

Apenrade a visit, he met Jacob’s sister Johanne there and fell

in love with her. They married in December 1 899 and

returned to Hong Kong. Marital happiness was only to last

for some years; in 1 907, Johanne Jessen unexpectedly died

on a sea voyage from Shanghai to Hong Kong, leaving

behind her husband and two young children.

The grieving Heinrich Jessen decided to move with his

family to Hamburg which from that point on became the

base of his professional activities. Together with Jacob

Jebsen, he established the company Jebsen & Jessen in

Hamburg in 1 909, which would act as agents for Jebsen &

Co. in Hong Kong.

Heinrich Jessen with his wife Johanne née

Jebsen, 1 899

Heinrich Jessen with his second wife Eva née

Bourwieg, late 1 920s

25

JEBSEN AND HONGKONG

10 | O U R P E O P L E

A Roaring Start Jebsen & Co. was off to a good start with sole agency of the M. Jebsen Shipping Company but the co-founders were ambitious and keen to diversify the business.

Heinrich, with his experience in China trade, led the establishment of a goods department. The company most notably acquired the agency of BASF indigo dye in 1897, and went on to boost BASF’s annual sales in South China by 10 times within 10 years. The scale of the BASF agency grew so large that it warranted the setting up of a separate department, headed by Heinrich himself.

In 1899, Heinrich made his first trip home after more than a decade in China. After stopping by Ludwigshafen to call on BASF, he returned to Aabenraa, where he visited the Jebsen family. There, he met, fell in love, and married Jacob’s sister Johanne. Sadly, this marital bliss came to an abrupt end in 1907 when Johanne died unexpectedly on a sea voyage from Shanghai to Hong Kong.

A grieving Heinrich decided to relocate his family and his work to Hamburg, where, with Jacob, he co-founded Jebsen & Jessen Hamburg in 1909 as a purchasing office for Jebsen & Co.

The World at War1914 saw the outbreak of the First World War and by autumn that year, all German residents in Hong Kong were interned – including Jacob who became “Prisoner of War No. 247” – and their businesses liquidated.

…and indeed, a telegram with the cheerful news

arrived in September 1897 in Hong Kong. The

business relationship between Jebsen & Co and BASF

was soon established, becoming one of the main

pillars of Jebsen & Co and for many decades to come.

At this time, the sales territory covered South China,

stretching from Yunnan to Fujian and was later

expanded to the whole of China after the Second

World War.

Initially, the bulk of the business was the sale of

synthetic indigo to small dye works and paper

manufacturers. Convincing the dyers and

manufacturers to use the new, artificial dye instead of

the traditional indigo was a challenge of its own. The

sales organization proved to be exceptional as the

customers, who were often hard to reach, had to be

assured of the quality of the new dye.

“Technical travellers” showed how to apply the

dye and in the beginning, it was often Heinrich

Jessen himself who travelled with Chau Yue Teng

across the country and personally forged links with

dyers. Together with BASF, Jebsen & Co created dye

works (for example in Foshan) to demonstrate the

benefits of the new product. The special promotion

of the BASF dyes was also important: the colourful

and eye-catching labels had to be recognisable even

to the illiterate.

In the 20th century, the results of politics,

scientific research and higher living standards

brought about a rapid increase of the Chinese

population. With a rising population came greater

demand for fertiliser and Jebsen & Co answered this

phenomenon by increasing imports of artificial

fertiliser which had just been invented a decade

earlier. But customers had yet again to be persuaded

of the benefits of artificial fertiliser. For

15

JEBSEN AND HONGKONG

JEBSEN & CO. AND BASF

« [. . . ] I have asked our friend Vortmann to write to you as soon

as they come to a decision because ofthe local agency ofthe

Badische Anilin- and Soda Factory. Could you please telegraph

us the word “Anilin” ifthey decided to take us as agents so that

we can make the necessary preparations [. . . ]«

Jacob Jebsen to Michael Jebsen, 18 August 1897

Chau Yue Teng (far left) and

Heinrich Jessen (centre, sitting)

visiting indigo-dyers in Foshan,

1 91 2

Chau Yue Teng (far left) and Heinrich Jessen (centre, seated) visiting indigo-dyers in Foshan, late 1900s.

demonstrational purposes, test fields were

installed, so that sceptical customers could see

the advantages with their own eyes.

In the following eventful years, Jebsen &

Co introduced a diverse range of BASF

products to Hong Kong and China. While dyes

and fertiliser continued to take up most of the

business, other products such as plastics, raw

materials for synthetic fibres, pharmaceutical

products and vitamins, magnetic tape, plant

protective agents and raw materials for surface

coatings also gained importance. The

relationship between Jebsen & Co and BASF

positively impacted the living standards of

many people in terms of food, textiles, and

housing.

The long-lasting partnership came to an

amicable end in late 1981 when BASF decided

to establish themselves in Hong Kong and

China.

Did you know…?

During the First World War, German (aniline) dyes

became an object of speculation. Those who were

lucky enough to have dyes in stock before the war

broke out, could sell them at excessively high prices.

Even private individuals, who had nothing to do with

the business, acquired some cans and resold them at

a high profit..

A barrel of BASF Indigo

Heinrich, being in Hamburg at the time, escaped internment and continued to keep in touch with Jebsen & Co.’s Guangzhou office until it was wound up in 1917.

In 1916, Jacob was transferred to Australia, where he was held until the end of the war. While he was fortunate enough to return home, four long years of captivity had robbed him of many things, including his life’s work — Jebsen & Co.’s offices were all closed and its entire shipping fleet had been lost. They were back at square one.

From Commitment to Enduring SuccessJacob and Heinrich had spent close to two decades building Jebsen & Co. into a successful business, only to have it toppled in one fell swoop. Nevertheless, they remained committed to the company and to China, and old connections were quickly rekindled. In 1919, Jebsen & Co.’s former comprador, Chau Yue Teng, loaned them US$40,000 to restart their business in Guangzhou. Gradually, they regained their foothold in China and the Hong Kong office was re-opened in 1923.

The 1920s and 1930s saw further business diversification: shipping and dyes were handled alongside fertiliser, motors, and motor accessories. These popular, high-quality products helped sustain the company even during the hardships of the Great Depression and the Second World War.

Courtesy of BASF Archive.

Dieter von Hansemann, Michael Jebsen (VI) and A. P. Jessen with bags of BASF fertiliser, c. 1951.

Mr Lai Pui was just 21 years old when he started working for Jebsen in Hong Kong. When he passed away 67 years later, at the ripe old age of 88, he was still officially in employment. This is a man who dedicated his entire life to the Group and seemed to relish every moment.

“I started working as a messenger at Pedder Building. Within two years, the company expanded from one floor to one and a half floors. At that time, there were only 20 or 30 employees, but now we have more than 1,200 staff,” said Uncle Pui with a hint of pride when interviewed by the Jebsen Bulletin in 1994.

As the Group’s longest-serving staff member, Uncle Pui journeyed with Jebsen through thick and thin — even during the Second World War. At a time when people were fleeing to Portuguese-ruled Macau, he was one of just three staff members who remained in Hong Kong and helped keep the company going. In turn, the Group offered Uncle Pui and his family safe refuge by housing them in its office premises.

“I was so pleased that the company allowed me to live in [Pedder Building with my family],” he was quoted as saying.

The Group further expressed its gratitude for Uncle Pui’s commitment in 1995, when he was presented with a small 24-carat golden pig by then-Group Chairman Mr Michael Jebsen (VI). This held special meaning as 1995 was the Year of the Pig and both men were born in the same Chinese Zodiac year. Two Zodiac cycles later, in the 2019 Year of the Pig, we are pleased to honour and remember Uncle Pui.

O U R P E O P L E | 11

“My late father had been proud of his service to the company. We are deeply grateful for all the friendships and experience he had gained during his many decades working for Jebsen.”

Ms Lai Suk Yin, daughter of Uncle Pui, after his passing in 1999.

Uncle Pui (circled) in a Jebsen staff photo taken on the roof of the Pedder Building in 1953.

Mr Michael Jebsen (VI) presents a 24-carat golden pig to Uncle Pui.

REMEMBERING LAI PUI (1911-1999)

A tribute to the late ‘Uncle Pui’, the longest-serving staff member

12 | O U R G L O B A L F O O T P R I N T

About Jebsen GroupJebsen Group is a Hong Kong-headquartered company representing quality products, services, investments and solutions across the beverage, consumer, industrial, motors, and logistics industries, which enables some 200 of the leading product companies and their brands to successfully market their products throughout the Greater China region. Brands are attracted to Jebsen because it has a track record of adding value to their presence in Greater China and because it has built consumer trust in its company and partners. Jebsen’s success in Greater China is complemented by the demonstrated commitment to being a responsible business partner, employer, and corporate citizen. Outside the region, the Jebsen Group enjoys close ties with sister companies in Southeast Asia, Australia, Germany and Denmark. For more information, visit www.jebsen.com.

A New Global Head Office for GMA Garnet

Sister group GMA Garnet has moved its Perth-based global head office to larger premises at 108 St Georges Terrace to accommodate a rapidly growing team.

Explaining that the company has outgrown its home of more than 10 years at Exchange Tower, Chief Executive Officer Mr Stephen Gobby said: “In the last five years alone, we have expanded from around 200 to more than 430 people globally as we have opened new processing and recycling plants and widened our distribution channels throughout Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and the USA.” GMA Garnet Group now has 13 offices providing the highest quality technical solutions and sales support to customers in more than 80 countries.

With contributions by Stephanie Cheong

Jebsen & Jessen Group Announces Company Name Change

Effective January 1, 2019, sister group Jebsen & Jessen (SEA) Pte Ltd has changed its company name to Jebsen & Jessen.

As an independent entity within the Jebsen & Jessen Family Enterprise, Jebsen & Jessen Group is headquartered in Singapore and has its home and key activity base in Southeast Asia. The name change aligns Jebsen & Jessen Group with other members worldwide, which likewise do not attach a geographic descriptor to their names.

The sister group assures all stakeholders, including business partners and clients, that the name change does not affect operations and services. With more than 50 years of experience in Southeast Asia, Jebsen & Jessen Group remains committed to serving the regional market with global solutions.

With contributions by Anthea Ho

MHE-Demag Revolutionises the Customer Experience

MHE-Demag, a regional business line of Jebsen & Jessen Group, has become the first in the crane industry to run a roadshow with a scaled-down but fully functional mobile version of its new Demag V-type crane in Australia.

“When customers are procuring heavy machinery, they often have to finalise their buying decision based on engineering drawings or 3D images, unless they travel to the manufacturers’ premises or project sites to see the ‘real thing’. To overcome this, we are taking our new crane to our clients, and giving them the opportunity to experience it in action,” said MHE-Demag Australia Managing Director Mr Vince Di Costanzo.

The roadshow started in Perth, and will visit Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

With contributions by Anthea Ho