Endless rows of vegetable plants and fruit trees line the sides of the mountain roads of Cameron Highlands, Pahang. Farmers take advantage of the pristine weather conditions to grow some of the freshest fruits and vegetables for the nation. Strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, and leafy greens are amongst the popular harvest in the greenhouses and farms in Cameron Highlands. Despite the competitive environment, one farmer, K.C.Kwang & Sons Sdn. Bhd., managed to stand out to be one of Malaysia’s Agricultural Ministry’s models of a successful farmer.

K.C.Kwang & Sons Sdn. Bhd. started in 1976 by Kwang Keh Chong. He moved to Cameron Highlands with his wife and two sons and began growing vegetables on an acre of land. The company grew at a rapid pace under his leadership and was passed on to his two sons, Kwang Ee Fu and Kwang Ting Woon.

K.C.Kwang & Sons Sdn. Bhd. is now striving in both the local and international market with more than 100 acres of agricultural cultivation. The company supplies to hypermarkets such as Tesco and Giant within Malaysia and exports to Singapore and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

Kwang Ee Fu took charge of the company in 1992 as the Managing Director and promoted further growth for K.C.Kwang & Sons Sdn. Bhd. The company’s success is tied directly to the daily transportation of the product. It is crucial that the products are delivered on time and remain fresh during the process.

Peace of mind during daily operations

After previous bad experiences with several truck companies, Mr. Kwang turned to Scania to provide a truck that is reliable and has great uptime. Scania delivered as KC Kwang and Sons which now owns three Scania trucks: two of which travel on a daily basis to destinations as far as Johor Bahru, transporting fresh produce to its business customers.

“The quick response by Scania team on any queries as well as the great performance of the truck provided me with minimum downtime and peace of mind, I don’t need to worry about Scania trucks breaking down while transporting the time-sensitive and perishable produce our customers,” commented Mr. Kwang.

“For example, one of our star products is the Kyoho grapes that we export to supermarkets. We are the only supplier of these premium grapes in Cameron Highlands so we cannot afford any delay or spoiled products due to one of our trucks breaking down during transportation. This is why I have full faith in Scania because I know it is a brand that I can rely on,” added Mr. Kwang.

He also stated that the Scania trucks have been good investments for the company as Scania provides great after-sales service, and the right support services such as the Fleet Management System and Scania Ecolution to complement the trucks.

Keeping the business sustainable

Being in the agriculture sector, sustainability plays a crucial role in KC Kwang & Sons Sdn. Bhd. The company spends a great amount of resources in research and development towards having a sustainable business by turning leftover and rejected crops into compost, using better water management using better crop planning cycle to maximises harvest, as well as increasing efficiency and initiating sustainable practices in various aspects of the business.

One of the key aspects of efficiency in the business that not only helps to lower operating cost but also contributes to the company’s profitability and sustainability is the transportation of the business. KC Kwang & Sons Sdn. Bhd. is the first company in Cameron Highlands to sign up as a partner of Scania Ecolution in its efforts towards achieving a sustainable business. The company is targeting a five per cent fuel economy that will lead to the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission into the environment. Within the first month, improvements were already evident. Within six months, KC Kwang & Sons Sdn Bhd. was able to reduce its CO2 emissions by more than 13,000kg, this is similar to planting approximately 590 trees that have been flourishing for the past one year.

KC Kwang & Sons Sdn. Bhd. is also leveraging on the Scania Ecolution partnership to improve its drivers’ performances by harsh braking, idling time, and overall fuel consumption in order to gain better fuel economy while driving without jeopardising delivery and transportation time. This will result in an overall improvement of efficiency in the company’s transportation and the logistics aspect of the business.

“Efficiency and sustainability are the two aspects that can be the catalyst for a successful business. Scania Ecolution is the perfect partnership that will help us improve our business through cost savings and a further reduction in our fuel consumption while minimising our impact to the environment. We are very pleased that we have been able to reduce our CO2 emissions on a monthly basis and we will continue to work with Scania to find better ways of working in order to achieve a more sustainable future,” stated Mr. Kwang.