60 Glorious Years
The Story of E&E: In the Beginning
An old proverb states, “From small beginnings come great things.” That is the story of Singapore, as well as Electronics & Engineering Pte Ltd. As the nation of Singapore built itself from the ground up, overcame many challenges, pioneered new endeavours and excelled to new heights; so did Electronics & Engineering, a company that has established it’s true identity and legacy.
Nestled on a small block of pre-war buildings along Outram Road where they are still located to this day; the story of Electronics & Engineering begins here, a story that continues to grow 60-years on. For six decades, E&E has stuck by its roots in business and continues to live upon the principles vested by its founder, Mr Goh Kiok Chuan. Mr Goh was no stranger to overcoming challenges and pioneering new endeavours. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, he had already begun laying the foundation for the future of E&E.
Even at a young age, Mr Goh had a hard work ethic. He was already the bread-winner of the family consisting of five brothers and a sister at a young age in Pontian, a small town in Johor. He always wanted to be an entrepreneur. As a young man, he opened a small photo studio in Benut, 25 km away from Pontian and took on the Singer Sewing Agency and rode his bicycle from villages to villages to service Singer sewing machines and also taking photographs with his camera. He develops the rolls of films when he reached home and delivers the photos when he went on his next round.
Possessing a true spirit of a Singaporean pioneer, he worked hard in many jobs, and faced many challenges, not the least of which is his own fears and insecurities. He got married at a young age of 20 in 1938 to his sweetheart whose family came frequently to his photo studio to have their family photos taken by him. When the Japanese Army invaded Malaya in December of 1941, life was difficult during these turbulent times and he decided to move his family to Singapore in 1942 and stayed in a rented house along Outram Road.
After the Second World War, Mr Goh managed to secure a job with Shaw Brothers as a cinema projectionist and later with Rank O’Connor’s as a service engineer. Subsequently, he joined Hong Kong United, a film production and distribution company which owned cinemas around the region. He became their technical manager and rose through the ranks. During this period, Mr Goh had assisted his boss, Mr Chan Kum Yuen who was from Hong Kong, to produce a Hokien movie which was shot in the film studios in Singapore.
The advent of the 1950s saw Mr Goh leaving the familiarity of film studios and sound stages to be an entrepreneur and runs a new business venture, a business that would forever change his life and his legacy. It began when Mr Goh and two close friends had an idea to start a company to cater to the popular mediums of that time by specialising in two main areas: Radio and Cinema.
In 1951, Electronics & Engineering was born. The company began importing portable electronic tube radios, radio parts and WISI antennas from Germany. However, the radio business did not do well and after a few years, Mr Goh decided to go back to his love of the movie projection industry and business. His other two partners were not interested in the Cinema business and bought themselves out which left Mr Goh to run E&E by himself.
By the late 1950s, E&E was renowned as a specialist in refurbishing 35mm cinema projection systems and had become a main supplier for the local cinema industry including Cathay Organisation. In April 1959, E&E secured the exclusive agency of their first product, National Carbon, which manufactures carbon rods, the light source for the cinema industry at that time.
Entering the 1960s, the development of sound system products for the cinema industry and the Public Address systems were getting to be more and more sophisticated. E&E began to face an escalation of sound reinforcement installations in schools and auditoriums as well as in nightclubs, hotels and restaurants. No one could ignore the fact that professional sound reinforcement systems were in high demand.
Mr Goh’s eldest son Ronald was born into the business and has been helping out his father even when he was studying in the Queenstown Secondary Technical School. After school, he would put his school bag away and be at the beck and call of his father. In 1965, E&E had installed a new Altec sound system for the 2-year old Singapore National Theatre.
Young Ronald, graduating from Singapore Polytechnic joined the company full time in 1968. As cinema was very close to his heart, Mr Goh senior concentrated his efforts on cinematographic projection equipment while Ronald turned his attention to the new and exciting technologies in professional sound reinforcement.
As E&E entered the 1970s, Mr Goh Kiok Chuan, with his son Ronald, had the courage to embark on even bigger projects including the huge 35mm projection system with the largest carbon-arc lamphouse available for Cathay’s Jurong Drive-In Cinema with a 47 x 100 ft outdoor screen. But the company’s first real “big break” came in 1972, when E&E won the tender to install the outdoor and indoor sound reinforcement systems designed by renown acoustical consultant , Dr Jacek Figwer from the firm BB&N for the Singapore National Stadium. It was E&E’s first opportunity to work with an International consultant and they learn quickly. After their successful installation at the Singapore National Stadium, E&E moved on to win more equally prestigious contracts such as Malaysia’s Stadium Negara, and the Selangor Dewan Jubilee Perak Auditorium and Banquet Hall, also designed by BB&N.
Around this period of the 1970s, Indonesia was experiencing a huge boom in its movie industry because of the introduction of the 5.1 cinema surround sound system. This created a huge demand for 35/70mm film projectors with 5.1 or 6-channel magnetic sound tracks and E&E was called upon to install one or two cinemas every month in the region and especially in Indonesia. This pace went on for many years and covered most major cities in Indonesia.
The professional audio market also continued to expand into the 1980s and more defining moments for the company soon followed. E&E won bids to be the first to design and install sound systems into many glamorous nightclubs like the Golden Million Nightclub chain and Hotel ballrooms and quickly became to be recognised as a leading provider of turnkey audio visual solutions - a service that was a first of its kind in the region.
Continuing its growth into the 1990s, the company’s reach had encompassed more than a dozen countries. With so many acclaimed projects including the fame Hard Rock Cafes under its belt, the E&E brand quality was recognised all over Asia including China.
Rising to the New Millenium
The beginning of a new millennium heralds of new things to come; and it seemed well timed when Ronald’s son Gary, a graduate from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, decided to follow in the generational footsteps of his father - just as Ronald did with his father - and continue the legacy of the family business.
E&E have raised the bar many times and worked extensively in the region, everyone who knows pro audio from India through South East Asia to China knows just how much the company stands true to its mission statement:
For E&E, the next level of greatness is just one step away. Through the years, this pioneering company has had to overcome much, but through hard work, diligence, and perseverance, they have tackled the great. As the company celebrates its 60 glorious years of legacy, it celebrates its roots in a business that operates as it always has – To deliver excellence in everything they do, to the complete satisfaction of its customers without fail.
Projects: Cinema
Towards the end of the 1950’s, Electronics & Engineering had established its presence as a main supplier to the local cinemas from the 60s and was a specialist in refurbishing 35mm film projection systems. The decade of the 70s was a golden age for the cinema industry in the region and especially in Indonesia where the craze was for 70mm movies with magnetic 5.1 cinema surround sound systems. In 1975 when Dolby Stereo first made its mark, and later with Dolby 5.1 decoded surround sound tracks, E&E was constantly approached by cinema owners to upgrade their cinema installations and undertake many such projects especially in Singapore and Malaysia for many years up to the present.
Mr Goh Kiok Chuan had a great interest in the cinema industry from a very young age, having been a cinema projectionist and later a service engineer for the cinematographic equipment and constantly drives E&E to pursue to be the best in this industry to this day. E&E became an equipment vendor and service provider to the Cathay Organisation since the 70s and continues to this day. When Cathay built the first Drive-in Cinema in Jurong in 1972, E&E was appointed to provide the turnkey contract for the 35mm projection system with the largest carbon arc lamp houses available to provide a good illumination to the permanent 47 ft by 110 ft outdoor screen and with the sound distributed through special in-car weather proof speakers which the user would remove them from its cradle and hook onto their car windows to enjoy the movie. With their experience, E&E was called upon to install the Drive-in Cinema in Surabaya in 1978.
E&E has installed more than 200 screens to date since they installed their first cinema hall in the early 1960s.
Projects: Hotels, Resorts & Malls
Electronics & Engineering has been providing high-end audio and visual solutions to the hospitality industry for over four decades, and has a keen understanding of customising an audio and visual system for any of the hotel’s amenities in order to generate the most appealing atmosphere possible, be it in the Lobby, the Ballrooms, Conference and Meeting Rooms or in the Restaurants and Lounge Bars.
It doesn’t seem that any project is too large for E&E to handle, which is why Marina Bay Sands Singapore entrusted E&E to provide much of the major audio systems throughout the entire facility. The MBS project was an undertaking on a mega scale with E&E performing all the AV and MATV systems, as well as the supply and installations of 7,000 units of ceiling and wall mounted speakers for background audio portions which set a new E&E record for the most number of speakers and equipment racks installed in a single project.
Projects: Performing Arts Theatres
As Electronics & Engineering entered the 1970s, the company began to take on even bigger projects. E&E was chosen to upgrade and install the sound system for the Singapore National Theatre. Since then, many conventional and historic theatres in Singapore and around the region, have called upon E&E’s proven experience to provide only the best sound systems.
E&E is very proud of their recent accomplishment - The Esplanade Theatres-By-The Bay, the symbol of the modern theatrical, music and arts scene in Singapore. E&E was awarded the contract to provide the sound reinforcement systems into five venues for this project: the 1,600-seat Concert Hall, the 2,000- seat Theatre, Theatre Studio, Rehearsal Studio, and Drama Centre. It is a crowning achievement which has strengthened E&E’s reputation as a leading provider of audio and visual solutions in the region.
The latest feather in their cap is the two Performing Arts theatres at Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort, called the Grand and Sands Theatre. The larger Grand Theatre has 2,000 seats and the Sands Theatre, the resident theatre for the Disney Lion King Musical seats 1,600.
Projects: Clubs & Restaurants
Electronics & Engineering holds the honour for the design and installation of the sound system for the first truly discotheque in Singapore, called “Gino’s-a-Go-Go.” The disco fad was just beginning in the late 60s and E&E was called upon to design and install high end sound systems into many of the country’s trendiest nightspots, such as the Barbarella Discotheque in Ming Court Hotel, and the Lost Horizon at the Shangri-la Hotel.
As a pioneer in providing customised system solutions for the entertainment industry, E&E continues to provide the highest level of pre and post sales support for all their customers, whether it is for a dance club, a live music bar, a sophisticated theme restaurant like Planet Hollywood or Hard Rock Cafes or just a simple restaurant foreground or background music sound system.
Projects: Stadiums
For almost four decades now, Electronics & Engineering has been involved in the proper planning and coordination for sound systems in outdoor sports stadiums and indoor arenas. In 1972, E&E had its first “big break” when it won the tender to supply and install the outdoor and indoor sound system for the Singapore National Stadium. Due to the great success of their National Stadium project, E&E went on to win many more contracts to install larger sound system installations and more sound systems for stadiums and indoor arenas in the region. E&E carries the highest quality selection of professional audio products so owners and designers can have better options, and to deliver the best solution for the customer.
Projects: Places of Worship
Electronics & Engineering is a highly reputed professional audio and visual system integrator with a profound expertise in providing comprehensive solutions for audio, video, lighting, and broadcast systems for use in today’s churches, temples, and other places of worship where the interior acoustics is challenging. E&E has always manage to provide a good working solution and has installed sound systems into more than 180 churches to date, with customised solutions being engineered for use in many of Singapore’s large-size and historical churches and to the complete satisfaction of the congregation.
Projects: Educational Institutions
With our many years of experience in designing and installing professional audio and multi-media systems into public and private educational institutions, Electronics & Engineering can offer the very latest in AV technology, equipment, training, and services for universities, junior colleges, and primary and secondary schools. E&E prides itself on surpassing every expectation when it comes to fulfilling a school’s AV needs.
Projects: Hospitals
Electronics & Engineering offers the most advanced, compliant, and electrically safe nurse calls, intercom and sound systems for hospitals, other medical office buildings and facilities. E&E provides complete turnkey packages from design to installation, with having over 25 years experience in engineering audio solutions for hospitals, using high performance products such as loudspeakers designed for applications that require excellent speech intelligibility when used as part of a hospital’s paging or intercom system, and in any other areas designed to increase a hospital’s efficiency.
Projects: Country Clubs
With the explosive growth of Country and Golf Clubs sprouting all over Asia, E&E has a keen understanding that the success of a facility lies not only in visual splendour of its architecture and interior furnishings, but also in having flexible and reliable audio and visual support to ensure a flawless execution of any size event. At E&E, we are ready to fully equip your facility with state-of-the-art audio and visual solutions and by careful planning down to the very last detail we ensure your event to have the greatest success.
Projects: Community Centres
Electronics & Engineering has over 25 years experience with providing complete turnkey packages from designing, supplying, and installing the most advanced compliant and safe audio and visual systems for use in Community Centres, Libraries, and other public buildings and facilities. E&E carries an extensive range of product that produces sound quality in keeping with the facility’s expectations for excellent speech intelligibility especially when used in the main PA system in a multipurpose hall or as an overall paging and background music systems that cover public circulation areas, offices, and rooms.
Projects: Rentals & Events
During the 1970s to 1980s, Electronics & Engineering began to provide sound engineering services and rental systems for many of the major international concerts that were held in Singapore, such as sell-out concerts by music legends, David Bowie, Air Supply, and Leo Sayer, to name a few, along with live events by famous Christian missionaries as Billy Graham and Luis Palau. One of the most satisfying rental projects undertaken by the company during that period was when E&E was commissioned by Citibank to design and supply the sound system for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra at the National Stadium.
And the next level was just right around the corner, as E&E geared up to undertake a new challenge - Audio for the F1 Races – when it supported Valerio Maioli SPA, for the supply, installation and operation of the audio systems in four main areas of the pit building, including the Media Centre, Paddock Club Suites, Press Conference Room and the Podium area, for the Formula 1 Night Race in Singapore, the number one race in the Southeast Asian Grand Prix calendar, and the highlight to an already successful business.
Projects: Special Projects
There is no job too big or too little for Electronics & Engineering, and the list of successful installations are as long and diverse as the company’s experiences gained over the last 60 years, to include; places of attractions, museums, financial institutions, corporations, retail spaces, design houses, residential condominiums, police and military academies, ice skating rinks, shipyards, a cruise ship, and even on an offshore drilling platform.
