By Daphne Lee

TRU-MARINE'S group managing director David Loke has a big vision for the company.

The company specialises in turbocharger servicing and maintains a worldwide network of eight service stations in Singapore, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Sharjah, Mumbai, Haiphong and Rotterdam. It also has a mobile team of 200 engineers and technicians.

But Mr Loke, 59, is not resting on his laurels.

The company was established in 1977 as a general ship repairer, and when Mr Loke took over as group MD in 1992, he refocused the business and built a niche in turbocharger repairs.

He says: 'My vision is to build Tru-Marine into a global small and medium-sized enterprise ' that is, for Tru-Marine to have a service station wherever there is a major port with accompanying shipyard repair facilities for proximity to the customer.'

Employee development is also the company's policy, as Mr Loke believes in motivating his management team and creating opportunities for it.

Some of these include mentoring, job rotation, overseas postings and career development.

Part of the company's growth strategy also includes global expansion in the United States and 'reinvention of the company's core competencies', he adds.

The company is also in discussion with some local universities for possible collaboration in the sponsorship of tuition fees, competitions and participation in the curriculum for courses on entrepreneurship.

Mr Loke says: 'The EYA accolade further affirms our reputation as a well-run company that our customers can trust.

'It also raises the bar and galvanises everyone in Tru-Marine to rise up to a new level of opportunities, challenges and expectations.'

This article was first published in The Straits Times on October 22, 2008.