Creating an empire out of a family workshop

KELVIN TAN, 51
CSE Transformers

You probably don't think much about transformers, those grey metal boxes humming away on power lines or tucked away in electrical gadgets. But without them, our modern world would grind to a halt.

These unsung heroes are the essential link between power sources and everything we plug in. And a Singapore company is behind a lot of the transformers that ensure our lights turn on, our phones charge and our factories run smoothly.

Mr Kelvin Tan, alongside his 52-year-old sister Joyce, is the driving force behind CSE Transformers, a local company supplying essential equipment to some of Singapore’s biggest names including Singapore Flyer and Sentosa.

Driven by a relentless pursuit of improvement and a passion for their craft, the siblings propelled their father's traditional transformer workshop into the 21st century, creating CSE and expanding their operations dramatically.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do. What drew you to this path?

We actually supported our dad in his business, making transformers since 1962. But it was very old-style. Things weren't fantastic, space was tight, no computers, no design software.

We started working with him in 1996, but realised things had to improve. There was some resistance to our new ideas because the OGs were very old-school. So we started CSE Transformers in 2000, still under the old company, but with new ways.

We changed the whole system, brought in more instrumentation, more marketing and tried to reach more people. Now we are building some of the biggest transformers in Asia.

What's the biggest challenge you face in your day-to-day work?

The hardest challenge now is to tell people that it's not that we are expensive, but that we are trying to maintain something good for you.

People want things cheap, but sometimes they don’t realise that quality matters. You pay for what you get. Our cost is always there, we don’t compromise quality for profit. That’s the difference.

It’s the challenge. The bigger and more complex the problem is, the happier I feel.

Our product is one thing that supports everybody in Singapore and even in the world.

Transformers are everywhere. Even your home is supported by transformers. This is a product that is actually serving the lives of people. Without it, nothing works.

So we are proud to be behind the scenes, making sure things run smoothly for everybody.

In 2008, there was a small electrical fire at the Singapore Flyer. Everything was down, the system failed and the backup was also gone. I got a call because someone who saw how we work in our factory recommended me to the owner.

When I got there, the meeting room was full of people – contractors, consultants, TUV SUD, the owner – talking for two or three hours, but I just sat there and listened. After the meeting, the owner asked me for my opinion and I told him I’d need to take a look for myself.

I spent one whole night at the Flyer, climbing up and down, and understanding how they run the system. My proposal to them to safeguard the backup was to build another system behind their current set up so that if all else fails, this system will kick in.

I was given one month to do it. After a lot of long nights, I managed to do it.

When the Flyer started moving again, I just sat there alone, watching the Flyer slowly turning, people going in and out. It's very iconic, very Singapore. Something Singapore should be proud of.

I eat the same thing every day. For breakfast, it's bee hoon and eggs. In the afternoon, if I eat, it's cha shao rou with two eggs. I go to the coffee shop and say “hi”, they immediately know what I want. Only dinner gets a variety. But my favourite meal is breakfast.

What makes you the proudest about being Singaporean?

Where in the world would you allow your children or family members to walk on the streets at 3am?

Singapore is safe. When you walk in the streets anywhere outside of Singapore, there’s always this thought in your head that something is going to happen. Singapore is transparent, easy to do business and it’s safe. That’s what makes me proud.

Make our education system more holistic, not just academic. I think that will be good for the future, good for the children.