29/06/2026
We are humbled and honored to be featured in Shin Min Daily News today!
Our sincere thanks to Mr. Andy Hoon for visiting Sunray and taking the time to share our story. We are grateful for his thoughtful reflections on our journey over the past 38 years.
Full Article:
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The True Strength of a Company
Some companies are just a name before you visit them. After you leave, they become a mirror that reflects what a company truly is.
This time, the destination of the Entrepreneurs' Association company visit was Sunray Woodcraft Construction Pte Ltd, a Singapore company that has been deeply rooted in the building and interior fit-out industry for 38 years. Founder and CEO Connie Wu personally welcomed us and openly shared the company's journey; from having nothing in the beginning to becoming a respected leader in the industry today.
That confidence wasn't something she was born with. It was earned through years of perseverance.
Few people would imagine that the company now capable of delivering iconic projects such as Marina Bay Sands, Changi Airport and Jewel Changi Airport began as nothing more than a small carpentry workshop.
There was no influential background, no strong network, and no capital. What they did have were hardworking hands and an unwillingness to give up.
Starting as a small subcontractor specializing in carpentry, Sunray gradually expanded into an integrated company providing design, manufacturing and project ex*****on. Over 38 years, the company steadily moved from the industry's sidelines to its centre. The journey was never easy, but it was solid, purposeful and built on resilience.
Under Connie Wu's leadership, Sunray completed the crucial transformation from being a subcontractor to becoming a main contractor. This was not just a business decision, but a shift in mindset from merely executing work for others to becoming a builder capable of leading projects independently.
What impressed me most during the visit wasn't the impressive portfolio of completed projects, but Connie's calmness when speaking about difficult times. She neither glorified the past nor avoided discussing the struggles. She simply said that the hardest periods were often when the company experienced its greatest growth.
Sunray's transformation did not happen overnight through one major strategic move. It came from continuously building capabilities with every project and choosing responsibility during every crisis. From carpentry to renovation, from renovation to integrated construction, and from local projects to regional competitiveness, every step represented the strengthening of the company's overall capabilities, not merely business expansion.
That made me ask myself, and everyone present:
Are we simply "running a business," or are we truly "building a company"?
The two may sound similar, but they lead in very different directions.
You rarely see a company's true character during smooth times. It is during crises that everything becomes clear.
When the pandemic struck, the construction industry almost came to a standstill. Many companies immediately focused on cutting costs and laying off staff to protect themselves. There is nothing inherently wrong with that; it is a normal business instinct.
However, Sunray made a decision that was perhaps less "commercially rational."
They chose to protect their people first.
They provided additional living support for affected employees. Management maintained transparent communication instead of leaving the team to struggle with uncertainty. Even more remarkably, they led teams to participate in the construction of national quarantine facilities. At the most difficult moment, they chose to move toward the challenge instead of avoiding it.
Employees were willing to stand alongside the company during that period, not because of salary or contracts, but because of trust.
And that trust was built little by little over many years.
This, to me, is where the true strength of a 38-year-old company lies.
After leaving Sunray, one thought stayed with me:
Buildings can be copied. Technology can be replicated. Capital can be raised. Projects can be won.
But one thing is extremely difficult to imitate:
The trust and sense of belonging that a company builds over decades with its people.
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企业真正的底气
有些企业，走进去之前只是一个名字；走出来之后，却成了一面镜子。
这一次，老板联谊会企业参访的目的地，是深耕新加坡建筑与室内工程行业逾38年的 Sunray Woodcraft Construction Pte Ltd。创办人兼首席执行官胡秀根 (Connie Wu) 亲自接待，毫无保留地分享了她一路走来的心路历程。从一无所有的起步，到今天在行业中站稳脚跟的从容。
那份从容，不是天生的，是熬出来的。
很少有人会想到，今天能承接滨海湾金沙、圣淘沙名胜世界等标志性地标工程的企业，当年的起点，不过是一家小小的木作工坊。
没有背景，没有人脉，没有资本。有的，只是一双愿意做工的手，和一颗不肯认输的心。
从专注木作的小型分包商，到整合设计、生产与现场执行的综合工程企业，Sunray 用了38年，一步一步把自己从行业边缘，走到了行业中央。这段路，走得并不轻松，但走得扎实，走得有底气。
在胡秀根的带领下，公司完成了从“二包”到“主包”的关键跨越。这不只是一个商业决策，更是一种自我要求的提升：我们不只是执行者，我们要成为能够独当一面的建造者。
参访当天，让我印象最深的，不是那些辉煌的项目照片，而是胡秀根谈起低谷时的那份平静。她没有美化过去，也没有回避曾经的挣扎。她只是说：那些最难的时候，反而是公司真正成型的时候。
Sunray的转型，不是一次豪赌式的战略转向，而是在每一个项目里持续累积能力，在每一次危机里主动选择承担。从木工到装修，从装修到综合工程，从本地项目到具备区域竞争力。每一步，都是系统能力的升级，而非单纯业务的扩张。
这让我不禁想问自己，也想问在座的每一位老板：我们每天这么忙，到底是在“找生意”，还是在“做企业”？
这两件事，看似相近，方向却可以差得很远。
一家企业平时是什么样子，其实很难看清楚。真正能看清楚的时刻，往往是危机。
疫情来袭，整个建筑行业几乎陷入停摆。那时候，很多企业的第一反应是削减成本、裁员自保。这无可厚非，这是生意人的本能。
但Sunray做了一个不那么“商业理性”的选择。
他们优先选择稳住人心。为受影响的员工提供额外生活支持，管理层主动保持沟通透明，不让团队在黑暗中摸索。更难得的是，他们带领团队参与国家隔离设施建设，在最艰难的时刻，选择走向人群，而不是躲开风险。
员工们愿意在那段时间冒着风险并肩而战，不是因为薪水，不是因为合同，而是因为信任。而那份信任，是平时一点一点存下来的。
这，才是一家38年企业真正的底气所在。
能走远的企业，最终拼的是什么？
离开Sunray那天，我一路都在想同一件事。
规模可以复制，技术可以追赶，资金可以融资，项目可以竞标。但有一样东西，是真的很难被模仿。那就是一家企业与它的人之间，长期建立起来的信任与归属感。
29 June 2026
