The 1940s saw Teo Thye Chor along with his younger brother, Teo Thye Hong migrating from Fujian, China, to Singapore in search of something more than they had back home. Right after the Second World War, the brother managed to found Tong Eng Brothers, a firm that dealt with the trade of electrolytic tin plates that were then used to produce cans and bottle caps. As the post-war rebuilding started in the 1950s, the brothers realized a growing potential in demand for accommodations and property development. Jumping at this golden opportunity, they decided to venture together in this industry. Even back then, ThyeChor sees the potential in the Paya Lebar district and purchased land in the area. Tong Eng then went on to develop this as the first industrial estate in that locality.
This trend continued with the brothers acquiring land in the suburbs, particularly green land in areas the likes of which include Changi, Upper Serangoon Road, Yio Chu Kang, and Pasir Panjang. These amounted to nearly 40 hectares of land. Tong Eng then developed these areas into residential areas fit for the living of British forces deployed in Singapore during that time. Since Tong Eng had already established itself as a big name in the tin can business, it involved dealing with large companies that included Shell, Esso, and Mobil. The brothers proved their mettle in the business by selling land to these major oil companies for their use as petrol stations, which would then become a further cause for roads to be built and civilization to shift. This also helped offset most of the land costs.
In 1968, the next generation of Tong Eng brothers took the reign in their hands as Teo Tong Wah took over the company together with his uncle. His preferences included developing the company’s land bank that had always been the vision of the founding fathers. It was Wah who oversaw the completion of the Tong Eng building, a 26-story office complex where the company’s head office is now located.
Over the next few years, the company continued to develop real estate across different sectors comprising landed housing, condominiums, apartments, offices and retail malls. Some of these projects are Green Meadows, Trendale Tower, Greenbank Park, Stratton Park, Belgravia Park, Serenade Garden, Eminent Plaza, Kew Cottages, Treasure Place, Serangoon Plaza and Poshgrove East, to name a few.
Right now, under the helm of Group Managing Director Teo Tong Lim, the family business continues well into its third generation. The group continues to inspire, and with projects like the Belgravia Green and Belgravia Villas at hand, it is a perfect assurance that the aim of the company is not net profit, but providing quality housing to the citizens of Singapore.
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