NOTHING SUCCEEDS LIKE SUCCESS

PAL ?Process Automation International Ltd ?is seeing an ever-increasing level of business for its automatic electroplating equipment in the surface finishing industry.

"We are certainly reaping the benefits of our strategy established some 18 months ago of forming a separate group concentrating solely on this important business segment and its particular needs," explains Geoff Paterson, Managing Director of PAL. "We have really seen our surface finishing business take off in recent months, with machines being designed and built for customers in China, Iran, India, Australia and the United Kingdom for a wide variety of surface finishing tasks.

"We are delighted that the reputation we have established in the printed circuit industry, where over 1200 of our machines have been delivered to customers in 36 countries, is being replicated in the surface finishing industry. We are in every way a truly international player, able to think globally but act locally ensuring that every one of our customers has good support during every stage from early development of the project to the day to day running of their machine. We take pride too in the fact that our expertise has helped several global players establish themselves in China."

PAL is based in Hong Kong and Shenzhen in China with subsidiaries and agents based all around the world.

"We love challenges," adds Geoff Paterson. "Indeed, the diversity of the machines we have built bears testimony to this! Very often we have been faced with technically demanding engineering that requires an innovative, flexible approach ?this is when our large team of skilled and experienced staff in Hong Kong and Shenzhen and the new product development and engineering teams excel. We know too that cost is an important factor with projects often geared to a maximum capital investment and are able to work with customers on the design of their machine to ensure that quality is achieved at a price that they can afford.

"I would like to pay tribute to the Surface Finishing team led by Tony Evans. Their hard work, dedication and determination to work with our prospective and existing customers to translate their hopes and aspirations into superbly engineered machines has led to the dramatic increase in our SF business. Thanks to them we are building on our initial success and going forward just as smoothly as one of our automatic transporters!

"It is features like ergonomic and efficient load and unload, those smooth running transporters, excellent plating quality, the Henig barrel drag-out recovery/reduction system, in-line barrel drying, reliable and efficient cathode agitation and sophisticated OSST (Ordering System for Surface Treatment) software that are impressing, not just our customers, but their customers and prospective customers too. Indeed, we know that many of our customers find their new PAL equipment is a great sales aid and revel in inviting prospective customers to see their new lines at work producing top-quality plating. Our sophisticated and hard-working machinery is helping to change the face of the surface finishing industry; and we are thoroughly enjoying working with an ever-wider range of customers to help them achieve their objectives."

PAL’s SURFACE FINISHING "FAMILY" ENJOY THE SUN From left to right: Chris Wong (Assistant Project Engineer), Ronald Yeung (Project Engineer), Amie Leung (Dept. Secretary), Tony Evans (International Marketing Manager), Jimmy Lau (Assistant Sales Engineer), Scott Chan (Assistant Manager), Dickson Chan (Sales Engineer), C. L. Chui (Project Engineer)

PAL’S SURFACE FINISHING TEAM

The Marketing Team for PAL’s Surface Finishing enterprise was set up to concentrate on this specialised area of business. Prime objectives are:

• Promotion of Surface Finishing equipment sales worldwide ?in conjunction with the appropriate Regional Manager
• Preparation and dissemination of marketing material, sales tools etc.
• Market research and identification of potential markets and market segments
• Technical training of sales force including subsidiaries and agents
• Providing guidance to project engineers and design and manufacturing personnel in Shenzhen
• Keeping updated on technical and market trends

"The team is managed by Tony Evans and Scott Chan, who work closely with our Surface Finishing consultant Peter Salmon, developing our involvement in this industry sector," says Geoff Paterson. "We have always supplied equipment for Surface Finishing applications but because of the rapid growth in the PCB industry, particularly in Asia, throughout the 1990s, Surface Finishing tended to take a back seat. Our results already in the 21st century are proving that PAL has some innovative technology to offer and the time is indeed right to seriously get into this large and challenging market. We look forward to increasing involvement in the coming years."