Royal Selangor firm with 132 years of history

PETALING JAYA: Royal Selangor International Sdn Bhd has come a long way since its inception some 132 years ago, as one young pewtersmith Yong Koon started his business in the colonial Malaya.

Yong, who hailed from Shantou, China, arrived in Kuala Lumpur in 1885 and joined his two brothers to work as a tinsmith. Together, they made ceremonial items for the ancestral altars of the Chinese community.

The proverbial saying of “behind every successful man there is a woman” proved to be precise in the young Yong’s case, as he established his first pewter business, Malayan Pewter Works, with the personal savings of his wife, Loh Pat.

Following the Japanese occupation, his sons started the Selangor Pewter and began making sake sets for the Japanese military.

In 1962, Selangor Pewter moved to a modern factory in Setapak, run by about 70 staff.

Coupled with perseverance and hard work, the company started to expand its operations and brand name. The rest is history.

The pewter business, which started as a humble enterprise, received one of its highest recognitions in 1979 after the Sultan of Selangor conferred Selangor Pewter the warrant of “Royal Pewterer”.

Now, helmed by the fourth generation, the Royal Selangor which was previously known as Selangor Pewter, has marked its presence globally. The family-owned entity holds the foremost name in quality pewter and a brand synonymous with design and craftsmanship.

Royal Selangor has standalone stores in top retail capitals worldwide including London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing, Melbourne and Sydney. Its products are also carried by top department stores such as Wako in Japan, Harrods in London, and Hudson Bay in Toronto.

Apart from its traditional pewter business, Royal Selangor has also diversified into other segments through its sister companies. One of them, Comyns, is famed for fine silverware as well as for its interpretive works, particularly those of Paul de Lamerie, which is one of the leading silversmiths of 18th century England.

Another sister company, Selberan, specialises in creating 18k gold and diamond jewellery that follows the European approach to craftsmanship. It was one of the first Malaysian companies to design and make European-style jewellery.