Gästinlägg från Samuel

I am now two and a half days into my new job with TAL and my wife has asked me to share some experiences. I will do so in English in absence of a keyboard with Swedish characters.

I have been welcomed with an intense and detailed orientation schedule designed to introduce me to all aspects of the business. This covers organizational setup, material sourcing, factory setup, quality, IT, outbound logistics, sales, merchandising, marketing, strategy, investments, financials, meeting structures, etc, etc. I have been taught the distinction between piece dyed fabric, yarn dyed fabric, knit and trim, the difference between “eighty double” and “forty single” and trade-offs and challenges with different material choices. I will have office based orientation for another few days before visiting two factories in Dongguang (China) end of next week (with 1.600 and 1.200 employees, respectively). Following that I will have another week of office based orientation before spending three weeks in our Penang (Malaysia) factory for basic training on machinery, mechanics, garment making, production control, factory line setup, etc. Orientation will be finalized around mid-September and at that point I am expected to have some fundamental insights into the business and overall industry.

The office is headquartered across five floors in the self-owned TAL Building in downtown Hong Kong. Both the exterior and interior is newly renovated (in a pale wood, glass and granite design) and stands out in contrast to the local chaotic surroundings. TAL is obviously a successful business and so far I have seen nothing which questions the promised high standards of integrity.

To be continued…

Sam