Transforming customer needs into real solutions

 In today's increasingly knowledge and information shaped societies, the capability to network and integrate with customers and suppliers, as well as technology and business partners is playing a decisive role. And this applies to national and international levels. Founded in 1945 in Germany, HARTING's portfolio of products and solutions ranges from connectors to device connection technology, network components and readymade connection cables.
 S?ren Montag, Managing Director of HARTING Singapore Ptd Ltd met with International Metalworking News for Asia (IMNA) in Singapore during the MTA show.

IMNA: Tell us about HARTING Singapore.
Montag: HARTING in Singapore was set up in March 1998. It draws on the group's strengths to develop customised solutions and products for energy and data transmission and networking, mechanical engineering, rail technology, wind energy, factory automation and the telecommunications sectors.

IMNA: What is your main product highlight for this particular show?
Montag: For this particular show, we are highlighting our latest connector series: Han-Yellock? and Han-Eco? especially for the machinery market. The concept is actually taking an existing product and coming up with new technical features. Even the design has changed including the material, providing customers with more options.
 In this case of course we are focusing on the machinery market, but these products are not specific to only one market. The function of the Han-Yellock? interface is that it makes connections and disconnections safe, simple and quick – even under harsh industrial conditions, while the Han-Eco? is a versatile use, light weight and lower costs but combines the high processing quality, safety and reliability of the entire HARTING portfolio.

IMNA: What made you join MTA Singapore?
Montag: We are definitely here to show that HARTING is global but also local. Of course, we are already meeting a lot of well-known customers here coming from the U.S., Europe and Asia. But at the same time, this is HARTING Singapore and HARTING Singapore is responsible for the whole South East Asian region. So there are a lot of machinery auxiliary contractors and sub-suppliers who may not yet one hundred percent aware of our new solutions and products. We want to make sure that HARTING is definitely visible in South East Asia and in the machinery market.

IMNA: Please tell us about your presence in Asia.
Montag: In addition to the headquarters and warehouse in Singapore, HARTING operates in Malaysia and has business partners in Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. HARTING's commitment to do business in South East Asia remains strong. The well-known, customer-facing HARTING brand remains unchanged and steadfast in South East Asia and provides professional and customised service to our esteemed customers.
 In the last several years, the focus is here in Asia, not only for HARTING but for quite a lot of companies. Actually, our Hong Kong office is founded since 1989. We entered the China market around that time. What happened in the past is that a lot of our activities in Asia were linked to our Hong Kong headquarters.
 Over the years, HARTING now have local subsidiaries in Singapore, China,Taiwan, Japan, Korea, India and Australia to take stronger control about the developments and trends in the country specific markets. If we really go by country-to-country, we are present almost everywhere in thAir Max Flair KPU