Reflex Winkelmann Asia Pacific

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Mr Dan Testar, Regional Sales Director, Reflex Winkelmann Asia Pacific Pte Ltd

Could you tell us more about your trade? What kind of products, services or solutions does Reflex Winkelmann offer as well as the type of customer you serve?

The majority of our business in Sin­ga­pore is related to data centres regarding liquid cooling, chillers and circulation pumps. Our equipment is installed to keep pressure in the system +/- 0.2 bar (very close tolerance) and also includes cacuum degassing which removes oxygen and dissolved gas in water. Removing these dissolved gases in the system water makes it more efficient by allowing for higher pump flow, thereby improving heat transfer on chillers and heat exchangers. Reflex Winkemann has also received the SGBC Certification Sin­ga­pore for Variomat / Servitec & Dirt Separators for our equipment. This is an agreement that dictates that energy efficiency advantages are guaranteed through installation of our equipment.  

In Sin­ga­pore, we are able to take technical discussions to any level. We are also able to select, supply, install, test, commission and maintain various faults so we are pretty self-sufficient.

I have been in Sin­ga­pore 7 years and before I began, we did not sell any pressurisation systems, but now, we supply all the major data centres and many of the key industrial or commercial projects. Some examples are Amazon, Funan Mall etc. We are also a main supplier for all chiller closed loop water cooling systems.

Could you tell us why it is important for you as a global company to have a ‘footprint’ in Sin­ga­pore?

My requirement was to grow the business of Reflex Winkelmann products in Asia Pacific. Having a technically experienced local gave us the possibility of understanding the local business trends and exact requirements. It also gave us the opportunity to meet consultants  and engineers etc. whom we could introduce our technology and methodology to. We are now featured in many projects in Sin­ga­pore, where we have a 6 year + installation reference plus many additional installations in the country.

Where else does your company have ‘footprints’ in ASEAN?

Our Asia Pacific footprint now spans from Japan down to Australia and New Zealand via distributors. We also have some employees in Vietnam to expand within the market in a technically driven way as some countries need to change their ways of thinking with regards to design and application.

How do you perceive the future to be for your business (i.e. opportunities, challenges)?

The biggest challenge is trying to grow the business during Covid times, but at present, we are growing, especially in the Data Centre market (new projects) in South­east Asia. This is due to more people buying more equipment, which then requires more storage of information, increasing the demand of Data Centres. The downside is if COVID gets worse in Asia Pacifc, where projects are stopped due to insufficient labour for construction. At present, this does not seem to be the case, however in Europe - Germany - there is possibly a third wave of the virus, so we will have to see how that progresses.

Tell us more about your development in Sin­ga­pore (and in the German Centre) and which contacts were the most helpful during the set-up phase?

It was good that we already had a distributor in Sin­ga­pore for our Expansion Tanks. This meant that we already had a basic entrance into the market for day to day business. The German Centre was also very helpful in setting up our office and it is a really good and stable location for any German manufacturer to start a business in Sin­ga­pore, particularly since there are many pitfalls and different ways of doing business.

What do you think are the advantages of being in German Centre?   

As specified, it is a good and stable platform or springboard for any German Company like Reflex Winkelmann Gmbh to have a new office in. We also have our offices at the German Centres in other parts of the world.

What advice would you give to other companies who would like to set up their business in the German Centre Sin­ga­pore?

In my opinion, there is a lot of help given to new companies at all levels and the place provides a good and stable office base to bring clients to. Within the German Centre are also many other amenities such as a restaurant, meeting or seminar rooms and exhibition areas that give a good impression to all visitors.

The German Centre has given us a strong foothold in Sin­ga­pore providing us the stability and ability to grow the local market from zero to hero in a short space of time.

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