Only a handful of small local businesses can boast that they have withstood competition from the big boys, and climatic, social and political upheavals and still remain in the game today.
One of those is the Fiji Rubber Stamp Company. For the past 80 years, the business has provided companies, individuals and all those in need of one – rubber stamps of all shapes, designs and sizes.
Managing director Naveen Singh said the company was established when Fiji was still a British Colony, 30 years prior to Independence. Currently located in the Hotel Suva Building along Mark St, Suva, he said the shop was borne out of the need to provide rubber stamps way back in 1941.
Mr Singh said the shop was initially set up by his grandfather Babu Ram T Singh, who arrived in Fiji from India.
“After coming from India, my grandfather went to Taveuni after which he came to Suva,” the 50-year-old said.
“In Suva, he saw the need and opportunity to open a rubber stamp business as there was no other business as such, so without delay he acquired a rubber stamp machine from England.
“Luckily, he had acquired enough knowledge in India about printing and making the stamps and that helped him.”
He said over the years, the shop has proudly maintained the title of “leading stamp makers” because they literally were.
Mr Singh said the Fiji Rubber Stamp Co began operations at a shop located in the KW March Ltd building along Mark St, near the Century Theatre (now Rup’s Big Bear).
“We moved around in the ‘70s when the owners of the building wanted to do renovation works and relocated to the Hotel Suva Building and have remained there to date.”
He said the business has been passed down through three generations and one of the biggest challenges and also progresses were the transition from the manual production of stamps to more technologically advanced methods.
“The first machine required a lot of manual work and man power where we had individual alphabets and when we received orders, we would have to painstakingly arrange them, compile them and then compose them.
“After compiling, we had to make the moulds and then turn those moulds into stamps.
“It was very time consuming, however, as time progressed we got a new digitised machine.”
Over time and as his grandfather began to age and get sickly, Naveen’s father Ram Bali Singh took over the running of the shop in the ‘60s. “In 1990 when I took over, the suppliers of the old machine stopped providing the raw material to us.
They said there was less demand for its production. “It was a very difficult time for us as even though we had the machine, we did not have the material to make stamps.
“After many unsuccessful attempts to get the material, I asked for assistance from my sister in Australia and she arranged for a modern machine where everything was done via a computer.
“Now we have the polymer system of stamp making which is something similar to laser printing.”
Mr Singh said apart from the everchanging technological advancements, competition was one of the major challenges they faced over the past few years.
“There are now so many people making stamps so we have to continue to move with time and new designs. “COVID-19 did not spare us too as we had to work from home and it was really challenging.
“Over the years, the price of raw material has also increased so we had to change our product prices. However, we try to accommodate all our customers.”
He said they did not consider the need to establish more shops around Fiji as they only had one machine.
“We did not think about opening other branches in Suva because of high rent and there are only three or four companies doing this business.
“And in business, you have to be involved in it so I prefer to work with my workers and stay in the shop to oversee the daily operations.
“Stamps are not that fast selling product as one stamp can last up to five years.”
Mr Singh said one advantage they had over their competitors was being able to provide stamps within few hours of an order.
“In business, you need dedication, you need to give your customers their products on time and never lie to your customers.
“Our products are not required by everyone so we need to meet their deadlines too and we are the only stamp making company which makes stamps on a daily basis.
“When we say ‘same day service’, we actually mean it.”
He said that was one feature of the Fiji Rubber Stamp Company that attracted customers. The shop which started with just one worker currently supports three employees.
“My future plan is to explore laser printing because that will produce more sharp and hard rubber for our stamps.”
