Chief Executive Officer Callum Chen is named one of 25 Notable Processors 2007 by Modern Plastics

In it's May 2007 issue, Modern Plastics (www.modplas.com) revealed it's annual roster of the 25 Notable Processors for the year 2007. Callum Chen, Chief Executive Officer of Lee Huat Plastics Industries of Malaysia made the list at number five. The list is compiled by the Modern Plastics Editorial Staff who looked for leaders who have made positive impacts within the plastic processing universe. From driving growth, training employees, helping the community or developing their own machinery, the list only confirms what many have known for a long time, that Chen is on path to help guide the high-end Malaysian housewares molder to bigger and better things in the future.

Three years ago, the mission statement of Lee Huat Plastics Industries espoused unity, trust and respect, resourcefulness, integrity, and professionalism. These now read innovative, candid, resourceful, responsive, and reliable. “Previously our core values were somewhat general nouns but now they’re adjectives that describe exactly the type of people we need to be to succeed in business,” says chief executive officer Callum Chen. “If we don’t innovate we will be out of business, and if we don’t have staff candid enough to step forward and say the boss is wrong we are in trouble too. Candidness is something alien to the Chinese business culture,” he adds.

Chen also admits to being a sucker for training, and not always of the generic type. He often invites experts in to give talks on themes that could include cartons, boxes, and labels. Every third Saturday morning of the month is devoted to training and everyone, including the accountant, attends what is a carnival-like event. “We are also actively into personal profiling to honestly evaluate our strengths and weaknesses, and view situational leadership as important,” says Chen.