Sports enthusiast John Patkin has found in Hong Kong the support and encouragement necessary to turn his hobby into an international business.

The Australian journalist-turned-entrepreneur was at a surfboard factory in the Chinese mainland researching a story for a sports magazine when the idea for a business opportunity dawned. “The guy who ran the factory said I should give up journalism and be in business because I talk so much. He said I should sell his products.”

Taking the concept one step further, Mr Patkin decided to manufacture and sell his own range of surfboards. His company, Benpat International Limited, was founded in 1995.

Later Mr Patkin diversified into his main product, skateboards, as well as snowboards and body boards, all under the Xnetal brand. He now produces sporting goods from 12 factories in China and exports to over 20 countries, including Australia, Europe and the Americas. In Asia, Xnetal products are marketed in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Guam and Sri Lanka.

From his two-person office in Hung Hom, Mr Patkin explained the support he received when establishing his enterprise in Hong Kong.

“Hong Kong is encouraging of new business and when you explain what you want to do, people are very helpful and you are taken seriously.

“The banking system is one of the best in the world; it is so easy to use foreign currency and to transfer money in and out.

“Being in Hong Kong you can sell to the world. The city is geared up for export, with so many shipping companies to choose from, and the invoicing and paperwork is at international standard. This is really important, as there can be nothing more disastrous for a business than having a container stuck on a wharf. That doesn’t happen in Hong Kong.

“The technology is the latest, with great back-up support and web services. And this is one of the few places in the world where if you work hard you will get ahead. Unlike in some countries, you don’t get social pressure for working past 6pm.”

Benpat is a trading company acting as a gateway to the manufacturing facilities in the Chinese mainland. It operates both as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) creating goods to customer requirement, and as an original design manufacturer (ODM), selling from its own brand range. This allows it to be many things to many people, which Mr Patkin says is the company’s strength.

“The key to manufacturing in the Chinese mainland is buying power through economy of scale, and as a small business I achieve this by keeping the range small, but adaptable. Factories don’t have to re-invent the wheel in order to produce my goods. I know the exact capabilities of all the factories we work with. I have taken the best things and put them into my own product range.”