Lee Tai Textile Company Limited (联泰纱厂有限公司)
Carles Brasó Broggi includes a brief mention of this company in his article, Shanghai Spinners: Pioneers of Hong Kong’s industrialization, 1947-1955, linked below.
“… a small company, Lee Tai Textile Company Limited (联泰纱厂有限公司) also started to operate in August 1948 with 5,000 spindles in Shatin. The company was founded by T. C. Ying (Ying Dingcheng) a Shanghai spinner from the region of Ningbo.”
Ming Ho added this comment, “My grandfather, who also immigrated to HK from Shanghai, was involved in Lea Tai Textile (here noted as “Lee Tai”), alongside Kenneth Fang of Fang Brothers Knitting. Neither are named here, but do you know anything further about the development of this company? It still exists today, but I know little about it. Would be interested to learn more. Thanks.
Carles added, “I’ve checked “40 years of Hong Kong Spinning Industry” and there is some information about Lea Tai: It started in 1948 with 5,040 spindles and in 1973 had 31,248 spindles and 544 looms.”
This 1963 advert comes courtesy of IDJ:
Carles continues, “After some difficulties in 1978, the factory was moved from Sha Tin to Fo Tan and had to curtail production. The company was run by Fang Shao-chow (that may be Kenneth Fang) and produced the brands pine&bamboo and pine&crane.”
HF: This reference from 1992/93 (2) links Fang Brothers Textiles Ltd, Lea Tai Textile Company and Fang Shao Chow.
This article was first posted on 15th June 2015.
Sources:
- The Hong Kong Spinners Association : 40 years of the Hong Kong Spinning Industry, 1988, Hong Kong.
- Major Companies of The Far East and Australasia 1992/93: Volume 2: East Asia, J. Carr, Graham & Trotman
Related Indhhk articles:
- Shanghai Spinners: Pioneers of Hong Kong’s industrialization, 1947-1955
- The Hongkong Cotton-Spinning, Weaving and Dyeing Company Ltd 1898 -1914
- Textile industrial terms used in Hong Kong Cotton-Spinning…Co 1898-1914
- A History of the Wong Family Textile Business – Part One: Life in Shanghai
- Nan Fung Textiles – founded 1954 – mill to be re-used
- South Sea Textile Manufacturing Company Ltd
- Tai Hing Cotton Mill 1957-2014
- About Nanyang Cotton Mill Ltd.
- Eastern Cotton Mills
Kenneth Fang is the eldest son of Fang Shao Chow. Lea Tai still exist but I don’t think the spinning business is active anymore.
SC Fang passed away in the early 1990s and his 4 sons and grandchildren has expanded the family business significantly – (2012 Forbes article at below link provides the details). Third son Vincent Fang is probably the highest profile since he is also a politician and Legco member.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/russellflannery/2012/03/22/what-slowdown-china-textile-retail-pioneer-kenneth-fang-still-sees-growth/