Weststar soars with developments of the future
Diversification has driven Malaysia to unprecedented growth rates in the past few years. From commodities to non-commodities and from raw commodities to processed goods, the economy has diversified horizontally and vertically. Non-resource sectors were particularly strengthened by welcoming foreign investments and talents, while new, hi-tech manufacturing plants have been established to complement infrastructure for traditional industries such as oil and gas.
Diversification has driven Malaysia to unprecedented growth rates in the past few years. From commodities to non-commodities and from raw commodities to processed goods, the economy has diversified horizontally and vertically. Non-resource sectors were particularly strengthened by welcoming foreign investments and talents, while new, hi-tech manufacturing plants have been established to complement infrastructure for traditional industries such as oil and gas.
Apart from raising the nation's chances against volatile market conditions and currency exchange rate fluctuations, the increased diversity also boosted the competitiveness of Malaysia's goods and currency exchange rates.
Mirroring the robust economic atmosphere in Malaysia are the country's key industry players - but few reflect such dynamism better than homegrown conglomerate Weststar Group of Companies.
On land, in the air, on the vanguard of defence and at the forefront of the construction industry, Weststar has grown alongside Malaysia over the past 10 years to become among the nation's most valued revenue generators.
Equipped with its own diversification strategy, Weststar quickly grew from a single company to a family of niche product and service providers - thanks to the strong vision of founder and group managing director Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim.
"I saw the opportunity in catering to a high-potential market that had yet to be served by a reliable and accessible supplier. That was the luxury vehicle market 10 years ago; today it is aviation, defence and commercial vehicles," Syed Azman says. "These are the businesses of the future, which I have come to learn to be the best investments forward-looking entrepreneurs can make."
Staying true to his business acumen, Syed Azman has built Weststar into a recognised symbol of excellence and uncompromising quality in Malaysia and globally. The group today consists of nine corporations: Weststar Aviation Services, Weststar General Aviation, Weststar Maxus, Weststar Maxus Distributors, Weststar Auto, SAFZ Auto, Global Komited, Weststar Construction & Property and Weststar Insurance.
Foundations of a homegrown giant
What the industry has come to know as a Malaysian icon of excellence and high quality began as a humble - yet ambitious - vehicle company. Incorporated in 2002, Weststar Auto is an award-winning and consistent performer among authorised Honda dealers and after-sales service centres in the country.
Carrying Honda's full range of models, Weststar Auto has also earned the title as a "Honda 3S Centre" for being a one-stop sales, service and spare-parts hub.
"Much like Honda, Weststar Auto has grown to become synonymous with high-quality, top-performing vehicles," Syed Azman says. "Its record of servicing as many as 1,700 cars on a monthly basis proves how much our clients enjoy our reliability, professionalism and customer care."
Weststar's success in the automotive field has spun off related companies: SAFZ Auto for high-end imported cars, Global Komited for specialised vehicle manufacturing and bodywork engineering, and Weststar Maxus and Weststar Maxus Distributors for customised commercial vans.
From streets to the skies
Taking off from the streets to the skies became a natural progression for Weststar, following Syed Azman's business principle of serving a niche, high-end market. Just more than one year after it began operations, the company launched Weststar Aviation Services.
"Weststar Aviation Services thrived as soon as we got a licence from the Department of Civil Aviation. We began chartering for news and television stations, and other private companies," Syed Azman says. "It started with a single helicopter in 2003 and now has a fleet of 45 helicopters operating from Malaysia, Mauritania and Thailand."
The company has since been divided into two specialised areas - charter operations under Weststar General Aviation and offshore operations for oil and gas companies under Weststar Aviation Services. Weststar General Aviation boasts a fleet of seven Eurocopter helicopters, two Boeing B727-VIP aircraft, a Boeing B737-VIP and a Gulfstream II twin-engine business jet. Apart from providing transport services for corporate VVIPs, Weststar General Aviation also offers chartering for timber survey, powerline/pipeline inspections, medical/emergency evacuations, personal/private tours and sling-load operations.
From mainly a general aviation business, Weststar Aviation Services evolved to providing advanced to offshore services in 2008. By 2011, it had become the largest offshore helicopter service provider in the Southeast Asian region, winning a bid to supply AW139 helicopters to Petronas Carigali, ExxonMobil, Newfield, Talisman and Petrofac.
In the succeeding couple of years, other prominent oil and gas players have joined Weststar Aviation Services' clientele. These include Petronas Carigali, ExxonMobil, Carigali Hess, Carigali-PTTEPI Operating Company, Talisman, Petrofac, Newfield, Total, Kebabangan Petroleum Operating Company, ConocoPhillips, Lundin, WesternGeco, Hess, Shell, Tullow Oil, CGG Veritas, INPEX Offshore, PTTEP and Mubadala Petroleum.
The company's commitment to quality and safety is also reflected through its award-winning track record. Weststar Aviation Services won the Silver award from Safety Award for Excellence (SAFE) in 2009. It won the Gold award the following year, and the Platinum award the year after. Honouring Weststar Aviation Services' four years of safe operations, Petronas Carigali Hess awarded the company another Platinum award in 2012.
"Safety is paramount, and offshore is all about safety," Syed Azman says. "Oil and gas companies have the highest safety standards - and we are proud to be able to fully satisfy their stringent requirements."
Recognising the oil and gas industry as among the main drivers of Malaysia's economy, Weststar Aviation Services aims to become an industry leader with a powerful fleet of state-of-the-art helicopters. Adding to its reliable, spacious and sturdy Sikorsky S76C++ fleet are Weststar Aviation Services' newly acquired AgustaWestland AW139, AW169 and AW189 lines of cutting-edge helicopters.
New bases to house the company's expanding fleet have also been established in the strategic locations of Kerteh, Kota Bharu, Kuala Terengganu, Kota Kinabalu and Langkawi in Malaysia; in Nouakchott, Mauritania; and in Songkhla, Thailand. This year, another hangar is scheduled for construction at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang, Kuala Lumpur.
"I have envisioned growing the company by at least 10 per cent per year," Syed Azman says. "We have been fortunate to exceed our targets, and that is why we feel that we owe our customers and partners to pursue even greater heights together with them."
Continuous pursuit of excellence
Pursuing excellence means constantly evolving around the equally dynamic markets, as Weststar has demonstrated over a decade. For Syed Azman, it also means focusing on the businesses of the future.
"Businesses of the future, such as aviation and specialised vehicles, will drive the growth of burgeoning economies such as Malaysia and the rest of Asia," Syed Azman says. "People used to shy away from such businesses because of niche markets and high learning and technological thresholds. Weststar, however, has proven that the rewards for overcoming these challenges are worth every bit of hard work that an aspiring global industry leader must commit to."
Setting a benchmark in their respective industries, each Weststar subsidiary is committed to attaining its vivid short- and long-term visions. Global Komited, for instance, is on the path towards a regional role as it aims to become a key supplier of defence and commercial-use automotive, aviation and electronic products and services in the Asia-Pacific.
Global Komited has several memorandums of understanding and agreement on commercial and industrial collaboration, including equipment licensing, marketing and supply and consultation on a wide range of vehicles, technologies and services.
Closer to home, SAFZ Auto is set to become the first in its field to provide a warranty of as long as three years for its refurbished luxury imported cars for the convenience and peace of mind of its customers. It will also open new showrooms in key locations such as Penang and Johor, and soon offer after-sales services.
Weststar's overall automotive business contributes about 40 per cent to the group's income, with aviation accounting for the rest of revenues. Anticipating increased demand from the defence and retail markets, it is expected to grow its contribution to the group's total revenues to as much as 60 per cent this year.
"There is always room for expansion and innovation for a passionate business," Syed Azman says. "We are proud to be developing the future - one where we see ourselves growing alongside Malaysia and our neighbours in Asia."
www.weststar.com.my