1. development team seems to be running Has your technology taken you to an the process of testing, machining, and
on hyper-clockwork, always steps ahead incorporating Autium materials into their
international level (i.e. working with
in the market with exciting inventions. companies’ products. They are all very
This excitement doesn’t come cheap. international brands/designers)? sincere in the creations process.
Approximately S$500,000 to US$1
million is spent annually on research and Yes. There are several high-end watch What are the biggest challenges
development. companies, experts in fine watch making ever in the marketing process?
and materials selection, who’ve taken
How does this young SME sustain its interests. Internationally renowned
drive on the bumpy and costly road Convincing your customers in several
designers have established ours as the de
to innovation? We posted Loh some aspects, such as costs, product value and
facto standards in functional designs for
questions on being innovative, creative, aligning their interests.
the consumers.innovations that can bring
revolutionary, and profitable. value to final users. Do innovative products have to be
Some people say that there is As a SME, do you think it is more expensive? Why?
nothing “new” left to create now. difficult to innovate, because you
Mostly it’s just a combination of No. Price is generally subjected to the cost
might have lesser resources? of the goods, quality and economies of
old things to create something scale. In our case, is the high quality gold
seemingly new. Innovation is a concept that is independent we purchase.
from resources. But I will have to innovate
There are many technologies that can be within the framework set by different Most companies would want to place
commercialised and in fact very novel. This customers’ requirements. a premium into their innovations. But
explains the increasing number of patents eventually, as it permeates into the industry,
Working with an expensive metal like gold it will become less expensive.
applied. However, the industry is not quick doesn’t make things easier. Many times, we
to adopt such technologies so consumers try not to run trials on real gold in order to How do you convince your trade
are not able to detect the “newness”. save costs. But it is difficult to convince our partners that your innovation/
It is much easier for a company to combine inventor, Loh Peng Chum, to do so. He has
technology is worth the money?
existing technologies and make slight previously dipped gold into sulphuric acid
changes to launch products that are in an attempt to test its surface properties.
That was 10 grams lost (S$500++) in a We are very fortunate to work with the top
sellable. The inevitable war between the
millisecond. watch companies in the world that have a
researchers and marketers starts here!
special department in Innovations/ R&D.
What does being revolutionary In what ways are these investments The department are open to creative
worth it? works. The Swiss have an exceptional
mean? ability to identify novel methods and
materials that can finally benefit their
We use the term “revolutionary jewellery” for Research cannot always be valued into
company and stay competitive. Every
Autium’s line of jewellery products, because tangible worth.
year there are improvements, every year
we have made a dramatic change in the I do not require my R&D team to create a there is something new to showcase.
perception of jewellery through materials. product that gives Autium a final monetary Less convincing is needed here. But
value. I encourage them to innovate with being present to their needs and request
To be revolutionary, first, create visual
the thought of bringing benefits to the always helps.
shock with prototypes. Then, surprise with
good design. After that, repeat. society. This way, the consumers can see
value and use it eventually. Do you partake in joint marketing
If you had to attribute five main activities to promote better
What are the biggest obstacles ever understanding of your products?
qualities to the word “design”, what
in the innovation process? Examples?
would they be?
Working with suppliers, sub-contractors Yes, we did a couple of road shows with
Uniqueness; functional; translatable (to and my staff in the organisation. Challenging local firms for the wedding industry, in
production); interchangeable (for various them on what they previously think as which we are the official wedding bands
uses); aesthetic. “impossible”. and jewellery brand.
Do you have a company mission/ Also, the willingness to take on a stance This year, we are collaborating with two
vision in relation to innovation? to do things differently: Most people Swiss companies in designing our jewellery
generally do not want to change. We stay collections for a niche clientele of our
Our vision for innovation is: Revamp the in our comfort zones due to the fear of the networks.
perception of materials and introduce a unknown.
They are: Tarditi, a 30 year-old brand in
new era in its engineering applications. Every person involved in the innovation Geneva that makes high-end jewellery, as
Our mission: To apply technology to raw process must have willingness to be well as DAI, an architectural design firm that
materials to enhance materials value. passionate and immersed into improving uses their keen eye in aesthetics to create a
These advanced materials will be suited for the product, its packaging and quality. range of Autium/Dai accessories.
use in high-tech applications. Also, to roll I very often tell them to think about the
out patentable innovations that can bring persons interacting with the technology
value to final users. – perhaps your buyer, who might be
a watchmaker. They are committed to
MAY 2010 FURNITURE AND FURNISHING 47
Furniture & Furnishing May 2010 (Page 28-57).indd 47 5/12/10 5:32:04 PM