A Glimpse into Creativity
During the pandemic, a nationwide lockdown was enforced, leading to the closure of offices, courts, shops, and restaurants. Despite these challenges, ongoing development projects in our country continued. Maintaining our supply chain during this time was exceptionally difficult, but we persevered by implementing innovative strategies.
One critical moment occurred at 11 pm when our client, working at the Matarbari Power Plant, urgently requested a consumable item, specifically welding rods, to avoid a work stoppage the following day. We faced a dilemma when our regular vendor (importer) declined to supply, citing the regulations of their business center market and the pandemic-related rules of the city administration. The gravity of the situation was clear to us; even one day of work stoppage could result in project delivery delays.
Determined to provide the necessary supplies, we decided to explore unconventional business approaches. With the assistance of local administration and public representatives, we engaged with the market authority to influence their decision. We also offered assurances to the vendor (importer). Through these efforts, we managed to open the market, secure the required product, and deliver it promptly to our client.
This incident garnered praise from our client, reinforcing our commitment to delivering dedicated service.
One of our clients operates as a prominent civil construction and engineering company, specializing in steel structure buildings. They approached us with a significant request for Shear Studs (Shear Bolts), crucial components for their steel structure projects, and the demand was substantial.
Our dedicated sourcing team conducted an exhaustive search in the local market, only to find that Shear Studs were not readily available. It became evident that importing them was the only viable option. Our importing team, however, informed us that a Chinese supplier would require a lengthy 60-day period for delivery to Dhaka. Given the recent post-pandemic circumstances, meeting the client’s deadline of 30 days seemed unattainable.
We communicated this challenge to our client, who expressed the urgency of the situation. The product had to be delivered within 30 days to ensure the project stayed on track. Facing this daunting task, we decided to take matters into our own hands. The primary obstacle we encountered was sourcing an 8-grade metal product, in line with our client’s specifications, from the local market. Expert opinions revealed that locally available aged ship iron typically rated at a minimum of 6 grades. However, we saw a glimmer of hope in the possibility of enhancing the metal quality through extensive heat treatment after manufacturing.
Consulting with our client, we embarked on this unconventional path. Our key vendor worked diligently, producing samples that were then rigorously tested in the lab. To our immense joy, the results showed that we had achieved nearly the desired product quality, with a rating of 7.6. Armed with the sample and lab report, we met with the client, who not only expressed satisfaction but also praised our unwavering dedication. This endeavor became a success story in our team’s career, as we managed to deliver the goods against all odds.
In the middle of September 2018, an inquiry came to our sales team. The client was Penta-Ocean Construction Co., Ltd., a Japanese company. They were working as one of the contractors for the Matarbari Ultra Super Critical Coal-Fired Power Project. They informed us they needed winter jackets for all their local and foreign employees. The previous year, they had purchased jackets from Singapore. This time, they wanted to give local companies the opportunity to participate, along with Singapore and Malaysia.
Their requirements were for a jacket that could be used both in the construction field and in the office. Additionally, others in the entire project area would be able to easily identify Penta Ocean employees by looking at this jacket. In other words, the jacket would also be a branding tool.
We understood that we needed to create something that would meet their needs while also being fashionable. We contacted the design studio of our own garment company “Kankabati Production”. We told the fashion designers our requirements. The jacket would need to have safety reflective tape, like traffic police or workers’ uniforms in working conditions. However it should not make them feel like they are only wearing work clothes. Even workers and officers should be able to wear it for outings. Two fashion designers created four designs for us.
We saw that all four designs were unique and met the safety purpose. The reflective tape was used in such a way that a human figure stands out from a distance or in the dark. Additionally, the jacket looks very beautiful and fashionable.
We sent the client samples of two designs. The good news came that our design was liked by the client’s project office and head office (Japan), beating out the designs of eight other companies from Singapore, Malaysia, and the local market. We began production of the jackets.
Since then, we have been supplying winter jackets, coveralls, office uniforms, and event T-shirts to all local and foreign employees of Penta-Ocean Construction Co., Ltd. Every year. The client’s satisfaction with the design and quality inspires us to be more creative.