In Vietnam, an office was set up in 1993. In Indonesia, Salcon created its own representative office in Jakarta last year after years of working through an associate firm. Indonesia and China are two new markets where Salcon wants to be, said Mr Yeo. In Indonesia, Salcon is planning to go into water treatment and palm oil mills. In China, it will take jobs in ultra-pure water treatment and waste treatment.
Nobody is indispensable but everybody is an asset.
You have to look at the company's long-term survival. Salcon's expansion is running down its funds. A public listing is on the cards, to raise more funds, though not for a few years yet. At the moment, Salcon's biggest worry is that its position at home could be threatened by the entry of American multinationals. When they come in to establish a presence, they will try to buy jobs.