Participants explore procurement opportunities with Sands China
MACAO, April 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sands China Ltd. held a Local SME Supplier Open Day Wednesday at Sands® Cotai Central, aimed at providing procurement opportunities for prospective local SME suppliers.
The event was an initiative of Sands China's Local Small, Medium and Micro Suppliers Support Programme and its F.I.T. initiative (Financial Support, Invitational Matching, and Training and Development) for local SME suppliers.
Co-organised with the Macao Chamber of Commerce, the SME Open Day focused on the three types of local businesses targeted by the programme: local small, medium and micro suppliers; "Made in Macao" companies and Macao young entrepreneurs.
"The Macao Chamber of Commerce has always been committed to promoting economic development and providing services to its members," said Chui Yuk Lam, vice president of the board of directors of the Macao Chamber of Commerce. "In accordance with the Macao SAR government's initiative to support SME development, Sands China was the first integrated resort operator to jointly launch an SME supplier programme with us. Initiatives like their SME Open Day help them explore more local business opportunities amid a business environment full of opportunities and challenges."
Wednesday's Open Day provided procurement information to prospective suppliers, including information on Sands China's purchasing process, the supplier registration process, purchase categories, and other relevant information from Sands China's procurement team.
It gave potential suppliers a chance to connect with Sands China procurement representatives and learn about procurement opportunities in various departments. Several categories of procurement booths were set up: food and beverage; operational supplies; facilities, furniture and lighting; development and construction; technology and gaming; marketing; and outside services and logistics. A Sands Procurement Academy booth let potential suppliers enrol in its training programme, which helps local SMEs prepare for working with large international enterprises like Sands China.
Bank of China (BOC) and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) also had booths at the event. As part of the financial support element of the company's F.I.T. initiative, Sands China has been communicating and working together with six local banks to offer a special financing programme to assist local SMEs: BOC, ICBC, Bank of Communications (BOCOM), China Construction Bank (CCB), OCBC Wing Hang, and BNU.
In support of young entrepreneurs, Sands China worked with the Macao Young Entrepreneur Incubation Centre and the Macau Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Cultivation Committee prior to SME Open Day to invite Macao young entrepreneurs to the event.
Dr. Wilfred Wong, president of Sands China Ltd., said: "Sands China remains committed to supporting local SME suppliers. Macao young entrepreneurs are one of three types of local suppliers that we target in our local procurement efforts, and we were very pleased to see so many young people among them attending our SME Open Day. We will continue to create procurement opportunities for local SME suppliers, so that our success and their success can go hand-in-hand -- in line with the Macao government's initiative to 'buy local.'"
Chad Forster, vice president of global procurement for Las Vegas Sands Corp., attended Wednesday's event, along with Sridhar Kandhadai, vice president of procurement and supply chain for Singapore's Marina Bay Sands, demonstrating the company's commitment to supporting local SME suppliers.
Forster said: "It is my pleasure to be in Macao and to support Sands China's Local SME Supplier Open Day. Looking to local enterprises first when searching for suppliers is our worldwide policy, and I'm very pleased to see Sands China's success in local procurement. Our company is committed to being a valuable partner, both for the businesses we work with and the communities where we operate."
Sands China's total procurement spend in 2018 was approximately MOP 10.9 billion, 77 per cent of which was with local suppliers.
In addition to Dr. Wong, Chui and Forster, guests of honour at Wednesday's event were director of the Economic Services Bureau (DSE) Tai Kin Ip; director general of the Macau Productivity and Technology Centre (CPTTM) Shuen Ka Hung; deputy director of the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) Anthony Leong; director of the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR Zhuo Xianghua; manager of the business development services division of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) Sanna Leong; Kandhadai; senior vice president and chief financial officer of Sands China Ltd. Dave Sun; and vice president of procurement and supply chain for Venetian Macau Limited Charlie Cai.
Sands China's Local Small, Medium and Micro Suppliers Support Programme is in line with the Macao government's initiative to "buy local" and demonstrates Sands China's commitment to supporting local enterprises as part of the company's corporate social responsibility efforts. It is part of Sands China's supplier relationship management strategy, which guides the company's long-standing effort to support local suppliers, whom it views as its strategic partners.
About Sands China Ltd.
Sands China Ltd. (HKEx: 1928, Sands China or the Company) is a Cayman Islands registered company and is listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. Sands China is the largest operator of integrated resorts in Macao. The Company's Cotai Strip portfolio is comprised of The Venetian® Macao, The Plaza® Macao, Sands® Cotai Central and The Parisian Macao. The Company also owns and operates Sands® Macao on the Macao peninsula. The Company's integrated resorts contain a diversified mix of leisure and business attractions and transportation operations, including large meeting and convention facilities; a wide range of restaurants; shopping malls; world-class entertainment at the Cotai Arena, The Venetian Theatre, The Parisian Theatre and the Sands Cotai Theatre; and a high-speed Cotai Water Jet ferry service between Hong Kong and Macao. The Company's Cotai Strip portfolio has the goal of contributing to Macao's transformation into a world centre of tourism and leisure. Sands China is a subsidiary of global resort developer Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS).
For more information, please visit www.sandschinaltd.com.
Media contacts:
Corporate Communications, Venetian Macau Limited
Mabel Wu
Tel: +853 8118 2268
Email: mabel.wu@sands.com.mo
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