Adding a sustainable, personalised touch to their father’s woodworking legacy
The brothers behind Roger&Sons are on a mission to elevate the profile of carpentry as a craft and have sustainability at the heart of their trade.
Ryan Yeo (left) and Morgan Yeo took over their father's carpentry business after his death. Photos, video: Porsche
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Reviving a dying trade is no mean feat but for one family, it’s a labour of love. The Yeo brothers are not only keeping their father’s dream alive, they’re taking the family business to greater heights.
In 1999, Mr Roger Yeo founded JR&P Industries, which manufactured system furniture for offices. In 2014, he passed away from pancreatic cancer.
“We saw first-hand how much the business meant to him, and there was no question we would take over the company,” recalled Morgan, the eldest of three sons. “Crafting furniture is hard work, and it took us a while to warm up to it and eventually fall in love with the craft. As kids, we were constantly exposed to our father’s work and we picked up woodworking skills from him along the way.”
FROM MANUFACTURING BY THE NUMBERS TO BESPOKE LUXURY
The brothers renamed the company Roger&Sons, as a tribute to their father. They also took the company in a new direction, focusing on creating fine furniture and thoughtful objects, a shift that was more attuned to customers’ evolving needs.
Today, 34-year-old Morgan is in charge of business development and sales while 27-year-old Ryan takes care of production and the company’s day-to-day operations.
Eight years since taking over the reins, it appears the shift in strategy has paid off. Roger&Sons now boasts a prestigious roster of corporate clients that includes Singapore Airlines, Facebook, Google, W Hotels and The Warehouse Hotel. The company’s extensive portfolio also includes custom furnishings for several popular bars and restaurants like Atlas, Odette, Cloudstreet, Employees Only, and PS.Cafe.
TRUST, PASSION AND IMAGINATION
Running a family business has not been without its fair share of challenges. Like most families, the brothers have “friendly disagreements” and don’t always see eye to eye.
“But we trust one another deeply and this trust keeps us moving forward together,” said Morgan. “Whether it may be the right or wrong decision, we know that we each have the best interests for the family at heart.”
While passion plays a vital role in the continuation of the family business, there are times when setbacks may douse the flame.
“We always remind ourselves what we are fighting for. At the end of the day, we are all brought back together by the desire to make our late father proud and continue the path he started, which we are proudly following and reshaping,” shared Morgan.
Imagination, he added, is another key element in the brothers’ journey.
“It started from the desire to continue our dad’s legacy. From there, we started imagining how we wanted the business to be; how we wanted to be good, responsible carpenters. Our crazy imagination allowed us to take those first few steps to get to where we are today,” he reflected.
SUSTAINABLE CRAFTSMANSHIP
For the brothers, being responsible carpenters also means putting sustainability at the heart of their trade. Believing that each tree they work with has a story to tell, the brothers’ passion for woodworking led to the birth of The Local Tree Project in 2018.
According to Morgan, the project is Singapore’s first such sustainability initiative that salvages trees that have been felled for urban development. These abandoned logs are transformed into durable objects and furniture.
Through this ethical furniture initiative, every part of the tree – including by-products such as sawdust, shavings and wood chips – is used to minimise wastage. These logs – mainly of the angsana, African mahogany and raintree variety – are given a new lease of life.
“Our intention is to be more sustainable and reduce our carbon footprint. We want to rely less on imports and use our own local natural resources whenever we can. We are happy to share that today, about 60 per cent of the timber we use is local,” Morgan explained.
SUSTAINING THE TRADE
Recognising that carpentry is a “dying trade” that is less likely to attract younger workers, the brothers are also focusing on education to help reinvigorate the industry via public woodworking workshops and partnerships with local tertiary institutions.
At Nanyang Technological University, for instance, students visit Roger&Sons’ workspace, wood suppliers, and the sawmills in Sungei Kadut.
“In addition to showing them our creative process from conceptualisation to the final product, we impart practical knowledge such as how to reduce costs,” said Morgan.
“We are on a mission to continue raising the profile of carpentry as a craft and we hope that by telling our story, we can inspire others to follow their dreams. Who knows, maybe their dreams will lead them to the world of carpentry.”
The brothers behind Roger&Sons have followed their dreams and created their own narrative. Their story is part of Porsche Asia Pacific’s Dreamers. On. campaign, which highlights ordinary people who have overcome extraordinary odds to blaze their own unique paths.
The campaign is rooted in the pioneering spirit of the brand’s founder, Ferry Porsche, and how he brought the vision of his dream car to life. Anchored on the brand purpose, “Driven by Dreams”, the campaign explores the topic of dreams through inspiring and educational stories of the past and present.
Find out how Porsche continues to inspire others to dream big and push boundaries.
