Chung Mei Manufactory (中美製造廠)
York Lo: Chung Mei Manufactory (中美製造廠)
Chung Mei’s joint booth with Chiap Hua in the 1948 HK Products Expo with Chung Mei on the left and Chiap Hua on the right; Right: Cheng Chek-chee
Chung Mei Manufactory was a leading manufacturer of pressure lanterns, hurricane lanterns and kerosene stoves from the 1940s to the 1960s, although it was lesser known than firms in the same space such as World-Light which was covered earlier and other firms such as Union Metal Works and Lea Hin to be covered later.In the 1940s and 1950s, Chung Mei appeared to be an affiliate of the famous Chiap Hua group founded by Cheng Chek-chee and his brothers and in fact they shared a booth with Chiap Hua at the 1948-49 HK Products Expo.
Article about Chung Mei Manufactory in 1955 (Ta Kung Pao, 1955-1-22)
By 1955, Chung Mei had two plants – one at 312 Un Chau Street in Cheung Sha Wan and the other one at 256 Shun Ning Road in Sham Shui Po with combined workforce of over 300 workers and monthly production of 5000-6000 dozenspressure lanterns and over 1000 dozens hurricane lanterns. Its Star and Eyes pressure lanterns were mainly exported to Singapore and Indonesia with some shipments to Iran while its Butterfly and Sailboat brands of hurricane lanterns were primarily exported to Africa. Its Butterfly brand of kerosene stove were sold for $20 each for the one burner version and $40 each for the two burners version.
Over 1000 guests including actress Ng Kwan-lai and Lo Yim-hing joined the Chung Mei Manufactory party at the King Wah restaurant in Mongkok in 1963 (WKYP, 1963-1-4)
By 1963, Chung Mei appeared to have grown as shown by the big party mentioned in the article above and by 1964, its address was listed as 58 Pau Chung Street in To Kwa Wan. The firm’s leadership also appeared to have changed by the 1960s with Cheung Yu-kuen (張宇權)and Chan Pak-chun (陳柏津) at the helm and the Chiaphua Cheng brothers no longer were in the picture. When manufacturers such as Law To (羅濤) of Cheoy Lee Shipyard and Lee Kung-po (利功甫)of Tung Fong Hat Factory formed the Ngau Tau Kok Manufacturers Association(牛頭角廠商協進會), Chung Mei’s Cheung Yu-kuen was elected chairman of the group.
Chung Mei factory in Ma Tau Kok, To Kwa Wan in 1965 (HK Land Use Survey, HKU Collections)
As a firm, Chung Mei Manufactory was incorporated in 1963 and was renamed Chung Mei Co Ltd in 1990.
This article was first posted on 10th September 2018.
Related Indhhk articles:
- The World-Light Manufactory (光宇製造廠)
- Hong Kong Iron Works Companies – information needed
- R E Dietz Company Ltd – established in Hong Kong 1956 – manufacturer of hurricane lanterns
- From Bicycles to Lamps and Stoves: Union Metal Works (合衆五金廠) and the two illustrious families behind the firm
- Glory Metal Works (光榮五金製品廠)