The Legacy Lives On

The beginning

MANILA, Philippines - When Tiu Tek Kian and his wife Urgoña Chua started a life together, little did the couple know that their simple but happy family life would one day give birth to a chain of appliance stores close to the heart and home of millions of Filipinos scattered in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Gifted with seven children, Tiu, an ideal father and provider, knew that the home was the best place to raise up a well-knit family where each was well taken care of and an atmosphere of comfort both relational and physical was the norm. For him, there’s no better way to maintain physical comfort than having those basic appliances that are part of every day life.

Typical couples, specially younger ones, make their first investments buying appliances for the home. More than that, Tiu knew that appliances are there too in our offices, workplaces, and in every place where people live and conduct business. Tiu had a vision. That vision of an appliance store he worked on to fulfill.

Thus in 1974, Tiu founded Imperial Appliance Corporation, opening up its first store, Vic Imperial Appliance Center the same year at Iznart street, Iloilo City, the family’s home province. Supported by famous and trusted brands that have brought ease and comfort to every Filipino home — Sony, Sharp, Sanyo, Panasonic, La Germania, GE, Carrier, Samsung, etc., Imperial opened a second branch, Madison Appliance Center, the following year, 1975, at Delgado street. It didn’t take long before a third branch, Imperial Appliance Plaza, served more customers beginning in 1982. Tiu passed on to his children his vision which they embraced and carried on even after he had left this life.

Expansion frenzy

Like a fast-growing family, Imperial soon crossed the islands, at the same time putting up Technoflex Marketing (outlet for repossessed appliances) and a seven-story appliance showroom in 1988 and 2001, respectively in Iloilo City.

Between 1989 and 2004 Imperial built seven stores in Roxas, Kalibo, Antique, Guimaras, Sara, Miag-ao and Passi —all in the provinces of Panay and Guimaras.

The expansion frenzy was happening all at the same time elsewhere in the country:

Southern Luzon — San Pedro, Laguna, 1996; and San Pablo, Laguna, 1997. 

Negros Occidental — Bacolod, 1990; Cadiz, 2004, and San Carlos, 2006.

Central Visayas — Cebu, 1993; Lapu-Lapu and Dumaguete, 1995; Tagbilaran, 1996; Talibon and Danao, 2004; and Bogo, 2006.

Eastern Visayas — Tacloban, 1996; and Ormoc, 2003. 

Northern Mindanao — Cagayan, 1993; Butuan, 1994; Valencia, 1996; Gingoog and Surigao, 2003; and Iligan, 2004.

Southern Mindanao — General Santos, 1994; Marvel and Davao, 1995; Agdao, Tagum, Tacurong and Kidapawan, 1996; Digos, 2002; and Panabao and Calinan, 2003.

The mushrooming of branches necessitated the construction of a warehouse in Iloilo City and another regional warehouse in Davao, plus a suppliers’ display and service center in Molo, Iloilo City.

Imperial soon made its mark in the appliance industry. Consistently it stayed among the Top 10 appliance dealers nationwide. Sony named Imperial recipient of its “Outstanding Brand Performance Award”, “Top Sales Contribution Award” and “Outstanding Dealer Award”; “Presidential Award” from Sanyo Phils.; “Most Outstanding Area Sales Performance” from Sharp Phils.; “Best Business Plan Achievement Award” from Concepcion-Carrier for two consecutive years; named among Industries “Top Five Dealers” by Concepcion Industries, Inc. and Sharp Phils., and many more.

Pursuing and managing change

For Imperial there’s nowhere to go but forward. Regional offices and warehouses are sprouting in the country’s three biggest islands. Already owning 80 percent of all real estate where its branches are housed, Imperial is constructing new buildings in place of existing ones and more modern showrooms befitting its line of world-class brands.

Added to this, Imperial is upgrading its business process by employing the services of XCEL Solutions Corp. in the implementation of SAP’s (Systems Applications and Products in Data Processing) Proprietary Business One Software, which will make Imperial’s business processes fully automated. SAP is the world’s largest business software company today.

Tiu legacy

All these 35 years Imperial has sustained its progressive performance despite increasing competitive challenges and the economic crisis. Reason: the Tiu legacy.

Now managed by chief executive officer Rodolfo C. Tiu, who is celebrating his birthday today, Imperial is being managed through the same sterling values handed down by the Tiu patriarch, plus the keen business acumen of the man at the helm.

Married to the former Alice Co with whom he has five children, Rudy, as he is fondly called, never fails to spend time with his family watching movies, “malling” or just staying at home spending precious time with them.

Until now, though all of the Tiu siblings have their own families, they remain closely knit as in the old days, with the tiu matriarch as their inspiration.

Among Imperial employees the Tiu family, especially Rudy, is looked up with admiration and serves as inspiration. On the other hand, suppliers are considered as “extended family”, ever reliable with their all-out backup and consistent support of Imperial.

As always, family is top priority. Imperial intends to continue bringing ease and comfort to the customer’s family through its superior products and excellent service. As it has done these past 35 years — it’s the Tiu legacy — and Imperial is committed to make the legacy live on.