May-Jul 2021 “Hong Kong Industrialist”

FOCUS STORY | 專題 While NASK's target customers are usually people who need to attend higher-risk environments on a daily basis, most of them become loyal customers of the brand after understanding the product's features and benefits. Nevertheless, general consumers are less likely to pay attention to differentiate NASK from ordinary surgical masks. "As our product adopts innovative technology, it takes us lots of patience and perseverance to educate consumers and win their trust. At the beginning, we gave out NASK to construction site workers for a trial. They didn't believe that such a thin mask could filter out the pollutants in the site. Only after trying it personally, together with our detailed explanation on the technology, they came to realise the advantages of NASK.” Therefore, Sarinda also plans to engage with professional public relations consultants to educate the general public on the uniqueness of the NASK brand and products, so that consumers will have sufficient knowledge to opt for NASK in situations when better protection is needed. At the beginning of COVID-19 outbreak, NASK was the only commercial mask manufacturer in Hong Kong. Seeing helpless citizens lining up outside NASK’s factory with the hope to buy surgical masks has brought intense pressure on Profit Royal Pharmaceutical. Sarinda said, "I was immersed in mixed feelings when the government announced the subsidy scheme for surgical mask manufacturers at that time. On one hand, I was thankful and relieved that many passionate individuals devote their time and resources to produce surgical masks for Hong Kong people; but at the same time, I was very worried that they would face the same challenges like us when we set up the NASK’s factory." After all, when Hong Kong’s manufacturing plants moved north, the corresponding producer service industries, especially industrial design, machinery maintenance, testing and certification professions also followed their ways. Without such technical producer services, developing the manufacturing industry will be much more challenging, especially for those intended to industrialise R&D outcomes. NASK的目標客戶都是日常有需要出入 較高危環境的人士，他們在了解產品功能 後都成為了長期客戶，但一般消費者則較 少留意NASK與一般口罩的不同之處。「作 為採用創新技術的產品，我們需要付出更 多耐性和毅力去教育消費者和取得他們的 信任。初時我們拿了NASK給工地工人試 用，他們不太相信這麼纖薄的口罩能阻擋 地盤裡的污染物。只有在試用後、加上我 們多番解說，才明白產品優勝之處。」故 此，郭姮菁亦計劃與專業公關顧問合作， 向普羅大眾教育品牌和產品的獨特性，希 望市民在有需要的情況下，懂得選用NASK 口罩保護自己。 在新冠肺炎疫情初期，NASK是香港唯 一商業口罩廠，在「口罩荒」時間，求助無 門的市民曾在工廠外排隊望購口罩，亦曾 讓盈宗製藥背負不少壓力。郭姮菁說：「當 時政府推出資助予廠家建立口罩生產線， 我一方面慶幸有許多有心人出錢出力為香 港人做口罩，但同時亦十分擔憂他們將會 面對與NASK設廠時一樣的挫折。」畢竟， 在香港工廠北移之際，相應的生產性服務 業，特別是工業設計、機械維修、檢測認 證等專業亦隨之而去。如果缺乏此類高技 術含量的生產性服務，製造業發展、特別 是科研成果的產業化也會舉步維艱。 數年來，不少鄰近地區政府均有向盈宗 製藥招手，將高增值口罩製造技術帶到當 地；但盈宗製藥一直堅持留守香港。郭姮 菁說，「我曾在國外參展推廣NASK時，外 國買家問我，香港做的科研能可靠嗎？外 國人對我們的科研能力仍未有太深認識， 希望在將來除了香港製造之外，『香港科研』 也能打響招牌。」 Over the years, many neighboring economies invited Profit Royal Pharmaceutical to bring their high value-added mask manufacturing business there with generous offerings. But the company insisted to stay in Hong Kong, "When I promoted NASK in an overseas exhibition back then, a foreign buyer asked me, are the scientific research products from Hong Kong reliable? It seems to me that the international community is still unfamiliar with our R&D capabilities. Apart from our long-standing brand of ‘Made in Hong Kong’, I look forward that ‘R&D in Hong Kong’ will also make a name for itself one day." Sarinda said. 24 | 5-7/2021