“We invest in R&D to continually enhance the functionality, reliability and design appeal of our products,’ says Tee. only later to venture abroad for expansion, INTRIX Group took the reverse route when it started operations 20 years ago.

The water purifying company’s founder and managing director Tee Tone Vei tells StarBizWeek typically, SMEs tend to start operations locally and then explore opportunities in the export market once they achieve local success. INTRIX, he says on
the other hand, followed a reverse path.

The company established itself first in the overseas market by exporting its research and development (R&D) services to the United Kingdom, he adds.

“After building a solid reputation abroad, we spun off into the local market and expanded our operations,” Tee explains. Instead of relying on overseas sources, he says the company is focused on acquiring technology locally, ensuring a strong foundation for its operations.

“We also employed the reverse investment strategy. While many SMEs begin with manufacturing and gradually allocate funds towards R&D, we adopted an alternative approach.

“Our initial focus was on providing R&D consulting services in the UK, exporting our technical expertise. Only after achieving success in the UK market did we venture into manufacturing for the local and export market,” Tee says.

The Petaling Jaya-based company’s overseas market currently is the UK but this year it will expand its wings to Australia and Singapore.

He adds that the group is also currently in discussions with relevant parties from various Asean countries and hopes to make its presence felt there soon.

The group’s water purifier comes under the brand INTRIX One Tap, a homegrown technology using multi-usage taps filtration system.

INTRIX Group was founded in 2003 by a group of passionate and experienced engineers led by Tee, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning expert. R&D has always been his utmost passion.

He founded the company so he could build, innovate, design and change the world in the process. “One of the fundamental issues faced globally is access to clean water. At that time, in the UK, there was demand for R&D services, particularly in the area of heatingsolutions.

“Together with his band of engineers and innovators, the company tapped previous contacts and networks to secure a design project for the largest heating company in the UK and the top water heating company in Germany,” he says.

The company grew its reach in the overseas market and got a big break in 2012 when it installed 1,000 units of hand-washing machines in the Olympic London Stadium.

The success of the commercial projects boosted Tee’s confidence, and they entered the non-commercial segment. Based on its success with multi-usage taps in the UK, the group started developing a similar product that catered to the local market.

The group introduced INTRIX One Tap, a multi-usage water purifier tap, aimed at making healthy water accessible and affordable to all Malaysians while preserving its natural minerals.

Today, the group has been touted as a revolutionary organisation, and has developed some of the most innovative inventions in water and heating technology, gathered some of the finest local engineers, and has come up with revolutionary inventions and designs that have been recognised around the globe.

His team has also accumulated 19 patents, and their technology is currently being used by the largest brands across Europe and the UK.

Tee says post Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a noticeable rise in the demand for water purifiers.

Unlike other home appliances that experienced a surge in demand during the lockdown but are now facing a significant drop as people have already made their purchases, he says water purifiers have a unique situation.

“The installation of water purifiers requires on-site setup, which means that the demand did not experience a sudden surge during the lockdown period. Consequently, the demand for water purifiers is now higher, resulting from the delayed installation or individuals moving into new homes.

“We are committed to meeting the increased demand for water purifiers in the post-pandemic scenario. By focusing on production scaling, efficient distribution, enhanced customer support and product innovation, the company aims to ensure that individuals and households have access to safe and clean drinking water,” he points out.

As for the prospect for water purifiers for this year, Tee says the water purifier industry as a whole is experiencing steady growth, with an annual growth rate of approximately 8.5%.

For INTRIX One Tap, he says it has shown remarkable progress in recent times. Over the past 12 months, sales of the product have tripled, indicating a strong market demand and customer preference.

Tee says this significant growth demonstrates the value and appeal of the company’s water purifiers, mainly due to the sleekness of look and usability.

He says the company targets a specific segment of the market that values not only the functionality of water purifiers but also places importance on kitchen design, aesthetics, space-saving, safety, sustainability and overall quality of life.

The group’s strategy, on the whole, revolves around delivering innovative and high-quality products that meet the requirements of this target market.

“We invest in R&D to continually enhance the functionality, reliability and design appeal of our products. By focusing on the upper end of the market, we differentiate ourselves from competitors and aim to capture the attention of customers who prioritise both functionality and aesthetics,’ Tee notes.

In terms of projects, he says INTRIX has recently successfully completed the installation of One Tap water purifiers in 300 Marks & Spencer stores across the UK. This collaboration demonstrates the group’s commitment ta providing safe and clean drinking water for employees in a renowned retail chain, he adds.

He says it has also equipped every floor of the new Menara UOB in Kuala Lumpur with the water purifiers. This installation covers all 23 floors and serves about 3,000 employees.

“By implementing our advanced water purification technology in a prominent commercial building, we showcase the quality and reliability of Malaysian engineering.

“Thanks to all these successful partnerships, we now have a stronger advantage to increase our footprint in the consumer segment,’ he says.Lee also explains the misconceptions pertaining to the multi-usage taps as a form of water filtration and purifier.

The first misconception is that tap water is not clean to drink directly. Due to concerns about incoming water quality, he says many people have been taught from a young age to avoid consuming water directly from the tap.

However, Tee says with INTRIX One Tap users can enjoy high-quality purified water as the filtration effectively removes 99.99% microbes up to 0.01 micron.

The second misconception is that tap water is not entirely safe. “Homeowners with children may be concerned that a multi-usage tap would suffer malfunction, such as while washing dishes and the hot water sputters.

“Ours features a unique push-to-activate technology, and it dispenses hot water of up to 98°C that minimises unwanted accidents and keeps young hands secure,’ he says.

The third misconception is that such water purifiers require high frequency of maintenance.

“People believe that because a multi-usage tap has several features, it requires regular maintenance, such as once a month. INTRIX One Tap requires only one filter cartridge replacement per year and no further maintenance, whereas other water purifiers

require up to seven filter cartridge changes per year and continual cleaning,’ Tee adds.

This water purifier has become one of the most frequently used appliances in kitchens across the country, he says.

Sharing some trends on water purification in the South-East Asia (SEA) market, Tee adds: “There are notable trends emerging in the region in relation to products like concealed and hidden multi-usage taps.

“While these specific types of taps are not yet common in the region, there is a growing emphasis on modern kitchen designs that prioritise both functionality and aesthetics. The focus is on creating clean, sleek, and space-saving kitchen environments.

“One significant trend is the integration of appliances into the kitchen design. Modern kitchens are moving away from standalone and bulky appliances. Instead, appliances are being built-in or integrated seamlessly into cabinets and countertops. This design approach ensures a clean and cohesive look in the kitchen.’

He says one appliance that still occupies a large amount of countertop space is the traditional water purifier.

However, he says this trend is gradually changing. In Europe, the UK, and Australia, it is common to find households that drink water directly from the tap, often using water purifier multi-usage taps that offer additional functionalities.

Tee says the SEA market being a few years behind in terms of trends, is now starting to witness a similar shift towards drinking water directly from the tap and incorporating multi-usage taps into kitchen designs.