-
Sun Kin Chao
Sun Kin Chao
Founder, Kin Hip Metal & Plastic Fty. Ltd.
Sex: Male Birthyear: 1919 Age at Interview: 92 Education: No formal education Occupation: Industrialist Theme: Industry In 1948/1949, Sun Kin Chao was a part-time worker at the Ting Tai metal factory. While working at this company’s Castle Peak Road premises, he installed machines for manufacturers. In 1949, Sun Kin Chao rented half of a ground floor shop at No. 326 Portland Street behind the then ABC Bakery on Nathan Road and started Kin Hip Metal and Plastic Factory. As the landlord of the shop was previously engaged in the metal industry, the new factory came pre-equipped with machinery including lathes and planers.
Title Going through the vicissitudes: ''Have you heard about the ‘ABC Bakery’ in Nathan Road?'' Date 28/03/2011 Subject industry Duration 1m10s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-SUNS-HLT-001 Kin Hip Metal and Plastic Factory manufactured metal molds. Key customer was Gold Coin Brand vacuum flask factories. Mrs. Sun took charge of the accounts while taking care of the children at the factory. In doing so, she used an abacus to calculate costs and prepare invoices. On one occasion she undercharged $600 when calculating product prices for the Gold Coin Brand factory. Fortunately, the vacuum flask factory’s cashier was very honest, taking the initiative to inform Mrs. Sun about her mistake and repaying the underpayment in full.
Title Difficult beginning: ''One hand taking care the child, another writing invoices.'' Date 28/03/2011 Subject industry Duration 50s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-SUNS-HLT-002 After founding Kin Hip Metal and Plastic Factory, Sun Kin Chao began to recruit apprentices, eventually taking on some 40 staff in such a way. In those days, applying to learn skills by becoming apprentice to a mentor required strict etiquette. There was also a solemn ceremony where each apprentice’s parents presented snacks and the apprentice got on his knees and served tea to his prospective employer. While it was then very common for mentors to physically discipline their apprentices, Sun Kin Chao’s wife gave him a hard time whenever he tried to do so. As Sun Kin Chao was not fluent in Cantonese when he first came to Hong Kong, Mrs. Sun had to assist, standing by his side to answer questions whenever he taught apprentices.
Title Recruiting apprentices: ''I never allow him to bean others.'' Date 28/03/2011 Subject industry Duration 1m17s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-SUNS-HLT-003 In the early 1960s, Sun Kin Chao went on an overseas study trip to Europe. While there, he developed great admiration for German-made stainless steel products. Returning to Hong Kong, he developed and experimented with relevant molds. After a series of trials, he launched some square plates as Kin Hip’s first stainless steel product. Over the years, Sun Kin Chao insisted on producing own-brand products and made sure that every product made bore Kin Hip’s logo and refusing to manufacture for other companies.
Title Insisting on producing own-brand products: ''He is very stubborn! Therefore he doesn’t know how to succeed!'' Date 28/03/2011 Subject industry Duration 1m10s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-SUNS-HLT-004 Sun Kin Chao and his wife operated the business together in the 1950s when Kin Hip Metal and Plastic Factory had only a few employees. Sun Kin Chao oversaw mold development, design and production, while his wife took charge of the accounts and taking orders. They worked days and nights at the beginning of their career.
Title Husband-and-Wife co-operation: ''At that time we didn’t know about hardship, we went on to work whenever there was business opportunities.'' Date 28/03/2011 Subject industry Duration 1m48s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-SUNS-HLT-005 Sun Kin Chao and his wife believed that the development of the second generation of their business was far better than the first. Recent property development had further consolidated Kin Hip’s financial strength. Nevertheless, the Sun’s continued to feel that “No money ever comes without hard effort” and that the second generation spent more time socializing than committing to manufacturing production.
Title No money ever comes without hard effort: ''We worked for ourselves. Now they work for others.'' Date 28/03/2011 Subject industry Duration 44s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-SUNS-HLT-006