Fung Yuen Hon

Besides managing the family stores, Fung Yuen Hon also embarked upon his own business by partnering with his friends. The enterprises included a plastic bead factory in Shau Kei Wan which mainly Exhibitionrted products to under-developed regions such as Southeast Asia and Africa via import and Exhibitionrt firms acting as intermediaries. Fung Yuen Hon’s factory was responsible for production which required thinner solution that could easily cause hazardous fires.

During this time, Fung Yuen Hon also invested in a warehouse business. Having built a godown in Western District, he later rented some land in Kwun Tong from the Japanese to build a second godown. His co-operation with Japan’s Yamashita Shipping company subsequently went on to last for more than 10 years. Fung Yuen Hon then built another new godown in Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter which was originally used by the British Royal Navy. After the government re-possessed this land, Fung Yuen Hon and two of his friends rented it and carried on their business together for more than 20 years.

Before the World War II, Fung Yuen Hon was engaged in the trading and import of fluorescent lamps which were sold for $6 a piece in Hong Kong. During the Japanese occupation, speculation pushed up the price of fluorescent lamps to more than $100. After peace was restored, Fung Yuen Hon was able to ship fluorescent lamps from the U.S. to Hong Kong. In doing so, he was able to secure sales at a time when transportation by land and sea were not yet back to normal.

After the World War II, the Hong Kong Products Exhibition started again on a piece of vacant land near to the Peninsula Hotel. At that time, the government only provided reclaimed vacant land for hosting the exhibition. Before 1962, the exhibitions had also taken place on the vacant land near City Hall in Central. At that time, the land for the Exhibition venue was barren without cement cover or any facilities. As a result, the Exhibition organiser had to install lights and lay water pipes, telephone lines, drains, toilets, etc.

At first, there were no traffic lights near the Exhibition venues so the CMA had to ask the Scout Association of Hong Kong to recruit scouts to control the traffic. While on duty, scouts had to follow orders that strictly prohibited cars from entering the Exhibition venue. In one incident, even the Governor of Hong Kong was turned away by the scout on duty! After this incident, the Governor sent a letter to the scout, commending his courage of standing up against those in power!

Between 1951 and 1952, Hong Kong’s enamel industry was thriving. Many enamel factories set up their stalls in the Exhibitions to promote their products and a considerable number of local people came along to buy antimony pots, antimony slow cookers and kerosene stoves, etc. I-Fung Enameling Co. (HK) Ltd. had sponsored building the entrance façade for a few Exhibitions in the 1950s to promote its enamel wares. In the following decade, plastic products began to replace ceramics and buyers came to the Exhibitions looking for newer materials.

In the 1950s, rubber shoes and shirts accounted for a major share of Hong Kong’s industrial exports. As a result, rubber shoe and shirt factories such as Fung Keung Rubber Shoe Factory were frequent participants at the Exhibitions. Later, companies like Continental Rubber Manufactory began running more promotion campaigns during Exhibitions. Their founder even served as Deputy Chairman of the CMA.

Of the many shirt factories who participated in Exhibitions at this time, Leaf Shirt was among the most prominent.Subsequently, Union Shirt staged still more promotions and used gimmicks like “one-dollar-for-one-shirt” and “ironing- and pulp-free shirts” to promote its wares. Participating still later, the Crocodile brand attempted to promote more sales and attention from the visitors by arranging “crocodile girls” to measure customers’ collar size at its stall.