Media Resources

05 Jun 2012

Towngas 150th Anniversary Exhibition Opening Ceremony

The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas) launched its 150th Anniversary Exhibition today at International Finance Centre, Central. Officiating guest Edward Yau Tang Wah, Secretary for the Environment of Hong Kong, joined Dr the Hon Lee Shau Kee, Chairman of Towngas, Alfred Chan Wing Kin, Managing Director of Towngas, and James Kwan Yuk Choi, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Towngas, at the opening ceremony of the exhibition. 

Building around the theme of "warming everyday life", the ceremony featured a catwalk review of the classic uniforms of Towngas over time, taking the audience into a journey through the company’s 150 years of formidable development into the future as warm and bright as the Towngas flame. 

"Founded in 1862 with a start-up capital of only £35,000, Towngas started operating in the early colonial Hong Kong with just a gas plant, a 24m gas pipe and 500 street lamps dotting the Central and Western districts of the island," said Towngas Chairman Dr the Hon Lee Shau Kee, tracing the footsteps of the company. "Towngas grew substantially in the 21st century, with our business horizons expanding into Chinese mainland. Currently, we have 142 projects across 21 provinces and municipalities throughout the country. We owe these remarkable achievements to the commitment and creativities of Towngas staff. But most importantly, it is the long-standing support from Hong Kong people that drives us towards excellence."

"We will be organising an array of events to celebrate our 150th anniversary," Towngas Managing Director Alfred Chan Wing Kin explained. "In addition to the Towngas 150th Anniversary Exhibition, the celebration campaign will include the Towngas Rice Dumpling for The Community campaign, an exhibition of the winning entries of the Street Art x Pit Cover Design Contest, the Towngas pit cover photography contest, dedicated website and Facebook page for Towngas' 150th anniversary, a brand-new TV, print and online advertising campaign and the 150th anniversary cocktail reception to conclude the celebration." 

"We would like to share the joy of our 150th anniversary with the community and look forward to a bright future with people in Hong Kong. Concurrent with the launch of our latest built-in-hob and water heater, a grand lucky draw will be staged. The “City WOW” Campaign! Jetso coupon promotion, on the other hand, will present more delightful offers to the public," Mr Chan added.

"With the staunch support from Hong Kong people, Towngas has been thriving over the past 150 years. Looking into the future, we will continue to be a part of Hong Kong, providing Hong Kong households with safe and reliable supply of energy, while working to promote sustainability by developing clean energy, as well as caring for the needy. We will remain loyal to our historic mission to provide quality services, thereby warming the everyday lives of our customers."

Categorised into five zones entitled The Flame of Hong Kong, Fun Advertising, Low Carbon Action!, 150 Years of Glory, and Towngas the New Era, the exhibits of the Towngas 150th Anniversary Exhibition tell the success story of the company over the past one and a half century in different aspects, including brand history, advertising, environmental education, business and product development, etc. 

The Flame of Hong Kong zone showcases the evolution of early Towngas products, some of which are publicly displayed for the first time, including gas-powered vehicle, fan and iron. Also on display are vintage gas heaters and cookers from the 1920s and 1930s. Visitors will also have chances to pose for photos with Towngas street lamps from different eras, experiencing at first hand the remarkable growth of Towngas and its home city.

At the kick off ceremony of Towngas 150th Anniversary Celebration and Exhibition, Towngas Chariman, Dr the Hon Lee Shau Kee gave a welcome speech, highlighting the development of Towngas, and expressing his gratitude for the committed work of Towngas staff to build 150th years of glorious history.

Alfred Chan Wing Kin, Managing Director of Towngas expressed his sincere wish for a prosperous future of Towngas. The company shall continue with its mission to warm everyday life of the people in Hong Kong.

At the Towngas 150th Anniversary Celebration and Exhibition Kick Off Ceremony, officiating guest Edward Yau Tang Wah, Towngas Chairman Dr the Hon Lee Shau Kee, Managing Director Alfred Chan Wing Kin and Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer James Kwan Yuk Choi joined the rest of the Board of Directors in the cake cutting ceremony. (From left to right: Towngas Independent Non-executive Director Leung Hay Man, Non-executive Director Lee Ka Kit, Non-executive Director Lam Ko Yin, Managing Director Alfred Chan Wing Kin, Chairman Dr the Hon Lee Shau Kee, Secretary for the Environment of Hong Kong Edward Yau Tang Wah, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer James Kwan Yuk Choi, Independent Non-executive Director Dr the Hon David Li Kwok Po, Independent Non-executive Director Profession Poon Chung Kwong, Non-executive Director Lee Ka Shing.)

At the Towngas 150th Anniversary Celebration and Exhibition Kick Off Ceremony, Towngas Chairman Dr the Hon Lee Shau Kee joined hands with the Secretary for the Environment of Hong Kong Edward Yau Tang Wah, Managing Director Alfred Chan Wing Kin and Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer James Kwan Yuk Choi in lighting up the first Towngas Lamp of the exhibition.

A catwalk show features the classic uniforms of Towngas over time.

The Towngas 150th Anniversary Exhibition showcased Towngas’s early appliances, featuring genuine exhibit items such as Towngas water heater, cooker, gas iron, gas meter and service set for water heater that is rarely to be seen.

In the Towngas 150th Anniversary Exhibition, the Fun Advertizing zone exhibits a series of promotion materials from the old days, with the oldest one traced back to the early 20th century. Visitors may also review classic Towngas commercials with the famous Towngas jingle to refresh your childhood memories.

Also exhibits in the Fun Advertizing zone in the Towngas 150th Anniversary exhibition is one of a genuine item, a vintage vinyl record dated back to the year of 1977, which features the Towngas jingle originally sang by The Wei Zhen.