Established in 1985 as a four-person business retailing leather goods, the company branched out into manufacturing in 1989 and has grown steadily ever since. The management team, which has expanded from 30 to 55 in the past two years, will relocate from a

25,000 square metre factory in Dongguan to one six times the size by the end of next year.

Director Eric Wong Chun-pong said it was necessary to strengthen the management team further during the next 12 months, with the addition of department heads and assistant heads responsible for quality assurance, production management, purchasing, sales and warehousing.

Candidates must have a high level of initiative, a strong work ethic and be open to new ideas. They should have at least five years of experience in a factory producing seasonal goods, such as apparel or accessories, which requires a particular mindset.

'Product lines change throughout the season so you need a good eye for detail,' Mr Wong said.

'It's not like an electronic goods firm where you might make the same thing year after year.'

He added that the company especially needed people with ideas on how to improve processes. The success of the business depends on making high-quality products in an efficient manner, which takes professionalism, precision and responsiveness when dealing with customer inquiries.

York Star has already put several service improvement initiatives in place. These include assigning teams from different departments to handle one group of clients or one product line. As a result, new recruits could expect to work mainly on one luxury brand, allowing them to develop a close relationship with the customer and build the business.

Candidates should expect to work in China an average of three days a week, but this would depend on individual responsibilities. Salespeople have the chance to visit overseas clients every year.

Remuneration packages will include a competitive salary, fair leave entitlements and access to recreation facilities. In terms of job satisfaction, Mr Wong said manufacturing and dealing with the company's products was a pleasure in itself. 'Staff actually enjoy manufacturing the products,' he said. 'They seem to enjoy making things like handbags and leather goods because they are beautiful and the styles often change during the year.'

The company offers good promotion prospects for people who join as assistant department heads and makes sure that outstanding performers are given the chance to move between departments if they want to.

York Star works closely with the Hong Kong Productivity Council on training issues. In this way, they can maximise the benefits for staff and share ideas and problems with other SMEs.

Mr Wong said the co-operation had gone well, enabling staff to network and take specialised external courses.

'It is very hard to study in the workplace because your mind is on other things,' he said.

'People tend to pay better attention when they are taking external courses with the peers from other companies.'

Like many employers, York Star has had some problems in recruiting and retaining quality employees at all levels.

The company has therefore gone out of its way to make a pleasant working environment and a good living environment for workers who stay in dorms near the factory.

Mr Wong said there was a commitment to staying in Guangdong, and that a public listing in the next five to 10 years was possible.

BRANCHING OUT

The company is seeking up to 16 department heads and assistant heads

Sales staff will go on overseas trips once a year to meet clients

Assistant department heads have good prospects and a clear route for promotion

Plans for major corporate expansion between now and 2009