Journey of Lian Huat Founder- From Coffee Shop Boy to Machinery Mastermind

From Coffee Shop Boy to Machinery Technician
In 1936, AB Law was born in Malacca, Malaysia. His father ran a small coffee shop, and with the arrival of fourteen children, the family faced increasing financial pressure. As the eighth child, Mr. Law had to drop out of school at the age of 10 to help his father serve coffee. Despite working hard for three years, the family's situation did not improve, which inspired him to go to Kuala Lumpur in search of a better future.

In 1956, Mr. Law arrived in Kuala Lumpur with simple belongings and high hopes for the future, starting work at a machine factory. This was the beginning of his journey in the machinery industry. At first, he knew nothing about machines and had to start as an apprentice. Each day, he worked with oil-stained hands, disassembling machines and cleaning parts, earning a daily wage of just 80 cents. Despite this, he firmly believed that every disassembly and repair was a stepping stone to future success.

After building a solid foundation, Mr. Law moved south to Johor, where he worked as a technician in a machine factory in Batu Pahat.

An Entrepreneurial Start with RM800
A few years later, Mr. Law used his savings of RM800 to rent half of a small shop in Batu Pahat, officially starting his entrepreneurial journey in machine repairs.

Recalling those early days, Mr. Law expressed great emotion. Back then, he worked 16 hours a day just to make ends meet. His main focus was repairing bread machines. Due to a lack of funds, incomplete tools, and difficulty purchasing machinery, he could only provide basic repair services.

Mr. Law's interest in bakery machinery stemmed from the urgency that arose whenever bread machines broke down, often during critical production times. If the machine couldn't be repaired promptly, the bread would not be baked on time, and over-fermentation would result in failure. Without timely supply to the market, the public would have no bread. Every time he managed to repair a machine quickly, he felt a great sense of satisfaction, and the gratitude from his customers greatly encouraged him.

In the 1960s, the majority of Malaysia's bread industry still relied on semi-manual production, with relatively simple machine designs. With economic prosperity and social progress in Malaysia, bread factories appeared in various towns, and bakery tools gradually evolved—from traditional wood-fired ovens to electric ovens; from manual kneading to mixers; from manually slicing bread to using bread slicers. Mr. Law kept pace with these changes, diving deeper into the bakery machinery field.

In addition to repairing and manufacturing machines, Mr. Law began modifying machinery, innovating designs based on market demands to make his products more competitive. From the humble beginnings of a small workshop, Mr. Law's products have grown to be well received not only locally but also in international markets.

Lian Huat packaging machine video filmed in 1996

Continuous Learning, Never Satisfied
Mr. Law firmly believes that the marketplace is like a battlefield, ever-changing, and one must keep moving forward or be left behind. Therefore, he set extremely high standards for his products, constantly challenging himself, innovating, and ensuring that each machine underwent rigorous quality checks to guarantee its reliability.

To keep up with the times, Mr. Law not only studied locally but also traveled abroad to attend international machinery exhibitions. In 1969, he went to Germany for the first time to attend an international exhibition, where he saw the most advanced technology, inspiring him to incorporate those innovations into his own products.

Since then, Mr. Law has gone overseas annually for research, learning advanced technologies, and incorporating them into his designs for product upgrades. He believes that only through continuous learning and adoption of new technologies can a company maintain its competitive edge.

Hard Work and Learning Lead to Success
Mr. Law understands that the key to success lies in continuous learning and hard work. He often tells his employees that work is not just about making money, but also about improving their skills and abilities. He hopes that every employee will continue to grow on the job and become a better version of themselves.

Today, Mr. Law's small workshop has grown into a large machinery manufacturing company with over 150 employees, occupying four acres of land. The company's products cover more than thirty different varieties and have achieved significant success both in domestic and international markets.

Mr. Law says: "As long as you keep working hard and hold on to your desire for a better future, your dreams will surely come true."