Jebsen and Jessen

Capitlising on opportunities in Southeast Asia

MHE-Demag, ASEAN’s leading provider in material handling equipment and joint venture between Jebsen & Jessen (SEA) and Demag Cranes & Components GmbH, is a showcase of a rewarding partnership, forged in Southeast Asia.

Since 1963, industrial conglomerate Jebsen & Jessen (SEA) has partnered with global market leaders in Southeast Asia. Their business spans trading, manufacturing and engineering activities and partner relationships ranging from distributions agreements, manufacturing licenses, to working in joint ventures.

Jebsen & Jessen (ASIA) creates a bridge between technology partners and the varied markets of this diverse, economically vibrant region. On the ground, the company has local expertise and local facilities. At a regional level, they provide a professional, well resourced network of business and corporate service to its member companies.

The Group specializes in cost effective market penetration for high quality products that require concise, technical and customer support services. With an intimate knowledge of local markets, Jebsen & Jessen (SEA) has been a major catalyst in introducing state of the art technology from world class partners to the region.
A compelling example of a successful partnership, is the story of ASEAN’s leading material handling equipment provider MHE-Demag, a joint venture between Jebsen & Jessen (SEA) and Demag Cranes & Components GmbH.

The partnership dates back to the early 1970s when traditional trading house, Jebsen & Jessen (SEA), made a bold move: upon Demag commenting that “cranes must not be shipped around the world but built where the customer is”, Jebsen & Jessen (SEA) decided to venture into production. Subsequently, manufacturing license agreements were signed and the business set off from small factories in Singapore and Malaysia.

Today, the highly profitable joint venture, MHE-Demag operates eight production facilities, 35 service centres and an integrated regional network spanning the ASEAN region. Their range of products has expanded including dock levellers, warehouse trucks and building maintenance units, to name a few.

More than this, the Singapore based R&D team of the company, designed and developed ATEX , certified explosion proof lifting equipment for hazardous environment such as the chemical, oil & gas and petrochemical industries, where gases, fuels and vapors are emitted, forming a potentially explosive mixture when in contact with oxygen. They are now one of the leading producers of the specialized equipment and export globally.

First published in Investing in ASEAN 2011-2012, Allurentis Limited