R. M. Saeed
11 September 1927 - 19 November 2010
In loving memory of Rizwani Mohammed Saeed, known to his family and close childhood friends as Saeed; and formal acquaintances or business associates as R.M. It was very rare an instance when anyone would ever refer to him by his first or second name but on occasion R.M. Saeed was an acceptable norm.
Early Years
Born on 11 September 1927 to Khadeeja Bibi (mother) and Chaudhry Atta Mohammed (father) in Rahim Yar Khan (Southern Punjab) with the entire family settled and originating from Jalandhar (Eastern Punjab). The family had been posted in Southern Punjab as Chaudhry Atta Mohammed was at the time appointed as head civil engineer to develop the water routes and causeways to better link, manage and irrigate the rich fertile soil of Punjab (also known as the breadbasket of the world). At a time when travel was difficult most people tended to stay in areas for years at a time and develop their surroundings to feel more at home hence the family put down roots in Rahim Yar Khan and the sons R. M. Saeed and H. M. Sohail (my uncle) grew up under the guidance of their father whilst the women of the home namely Khadeeja Bibi and her daughters remained in Jalandhar at their family home. It wouldn’t be until 1947 that the immediate family would all live together in Rahim Yar Khan as the borders between India and Pakistan were formed.
Childhood
Through the years R. M. Saeed and H. M. Sohail had many mischievous adventures in their local environment whilst their father was away from home to inspect remote sites. A great number of the adventures have been narrated in the most colourful and humorous details from learning how to drive (without guidance), to harvest festivals by the lake and horsing around (quite literally).
Professional Years
Motivated, focused and headstrong young R. M. Saeed was different and wanted to be his own man and hence decided to enter an entirely different field than his father. He started his first business (a hardware store) by the name of “Saeed Akhtar and Company” that supplied local builders with raw materials. Not content with this enterprise and hearing about the newly formed capital in Karachi (Port City) decided to move there for fresh opportunities. The move was a tough decision and the real adventure was about to begin. Without a penny to his name R. M. Saeed moved to Karachi and initially became a door to door sales man working in Saddar (commercial district) selling clocks. On most days he didn’t even make enough money to eat but that didn’t deter him. Instead it made him more determined to succeed especially because a great part of the family didn’t believe in him.
His first break came with a press tender that was inviting bids for the supply of components for a local government steel press. The General Manager of the plant called R. M. Saeed who at the time was the only sole trader bidding against the giants of industry. He asked R. M. Saeed why he should get the contract whilst he didn’t have any reputation as compared to any of the other bidders and the reply was “all the bidders are big and I’m small therefore I can only grow whereas they can only stay where they are or shrink”. It took the General Manager a while to absorb the statement but ultimately he awarded the contract to R. M. Saeed. This very pivotal event was the founding corner stone to the change in R. M. Saeed’s fortunes. In October 1950, R. M. Saeed founded Engineering Equipment with his first real contract that paved the way forward. Initially, as work was overwhelming R. M. Saeed took on a partner Mr. Jakova, an Armenian origin businessman who was settled in US but wanted to explore the industrial boom of recently founded Pakistan. The business was flourishing and suddenly Mr. Jakova wanted to move back to US. He offered R. M. Saeed his share of the business for all the monies the business had made to date or to wind-up the company. This meant the hard work that R. M. Saeed had committed to establishing the enterprise would have to start from scratch. Hence they negotiated a mutual middle ground and he bought the business back. He learnt that partnerships don’t work and are damaging in the long run, he used to say “if you can avoid it, avoid it like the plague”.
Incorporation
In 1960 R. M. Saeed formally incorporated his company opening up numerous doors to move forward as a private limited company and thereby paving the way forward for Engineering Equipment (Private) Limited (known as EEL). Throughout the 1960’s E. E. L. evolved its customer base with a specialisation into refineries with an increased focus on plant process automation and support infrastructures. Numerous business associations were founded and agency type involvement evolved with dedicated firms that EEL represented initially in Pakistan and then in neighbouring countries. EEL offered solutions to customers that were looking for entire turnkey packages with minimised overhead costs and handling. Through the 1960’s and 70’s numerous relationships were formed with some of the industrial pioneering firms in process automation from compressors, turbines, valves, process monitoring and control solutions to locomotive and offshore dredging . These unique relationships formed the basis of EEL’s formula of cooperation of multiple vendors working on a common goal of customer focused solution building. During this time the company focus increased towards the petroleum industry that further built on the specialisation of industry process and control.
In the early 1970’s with the change in economic situation in Pakistan that was leading to stagnation of industrialisation and business opportunities; R. M. Saeed, realising the increasing limitations that were ahead was quick to react and moved to England to further pursue his business development that had more scope. Forming Spantech (short for Spanning Technologies) and strategically locating the business in Holborn (London) R. M. Saeed opened up business opportunities for his firm to play a global role in offering industrial solutions to a wider audience in Asia as well as the Middle East. Through the 1970’s business grew and evolved rapidly and allowed for greater innovation in business practices with localised visualisation and staging that allowed customers to envisage their solutions that would meet and surpass their requirements. Supplying entire process plants to governments and consortiums allowed Spantech to truly live up to their name.
In the mid 1980’s with the loss of his sister to cancer and then his son Ali in a hit and run accident (in Karachi) R. M. Saeed returned to Pakistan to be with his family. With all the memories that Karachi held R. M. Saeed and Najma Saeed decided that they needed a change in environment to raise their children hence moved to Islamabad in November 1985. Through the 80’s and 90’s business was continuously evolving and companies increasingly looking for localised support and plant modernisation and EEL offered these solutions that would continuously evolve with the local market but remained dedicated to quality.
In the early 90’s Najma Saeed developed cancer and R. M. Saeed would often accompany her for the specialist treatments to England. The 90’s brought the family closer together through a series of events that brought happiness and sadness but always bringing each other closer with commonality of bonding. In December 1993 after completion of his graduate education, Osman joined his father full-time to assist him further develop the family business that had evolved into an Oil & Gas solution development business, which offered refineries through to pipeline systems. As with any period of evolutionary development came diversification into the fields for energy and water with new market sectors identified and service orientation geared towards these industries.
Foundations of the Next Step
One quiet day sitting at the family farm in Islamabad, R. M. Saeed and Osman were discussing the long term desire and aspirations of Engineering Equipment from the time of the original founding in 1950. It was revealed that both father and son were thinking about one common development that they both wanted to do.
Over the years R. M. Saeed had helped and assisted numerous companies to develop unique products that facilitated their growth and supplied their solutions to EEL’s very own customers over the years. The most unfortunate and frustrating fact was that these companies over time showed lack of sincerity and commitment. R. M. Saeed at the cost of his own company committed to engineering solutions that end users needed and these international firms took all IP recognition from the actual solution innovator as well as hiding international sales keeping them royalty free. Also, through years of commitment R. M. Saeed had pledged his own name and reputation to build up brand commitment and loyalty for international firms and once these firms had formed their presence they left without any remorse and only returned when they were in trouble and needed to be bailed out. It was time for a change, time to fulfil their long term aspiration of manufacturing “since we do so much for others, why don’t we do the same for ourselves”, i.e. establish our own line of products but of international and high quality standard.
With another change in national government and policy shift in 1999 R. M. Saeed decided that an overseas presence for the company had again become important and hence formulated Spantech International LLC in Middle East. The main reason for this new company was to facilitate a localised supply chain for clients within the region that required bonded storage and a consolidation facility that was a focused JIT supply but as back-end Kit Consolidation Service. The greatest advantage that this would allow for was to move into the unique field of product development and in-house engineering. The Middle East offered a great logistical base for consolidation operations but lacked all infrastructure for innovative development, testing and certification. With increasing costs of operation, highly speculative nature of government policy and the viability of business turnover the firm didn’t have a long term benefit therefore operations were wound up.
The aspiration of product development and branding solutions remained. R. M. Saeed felt it was time to handover this goal to his son Osman Saeed to continue with his legacy of in-house engineering and so moved operations to England. Together, R. M. Saeed and Osman Saeed came to England in March 2008 to formulate how this vision would move forward. Upon their return to Islamabad R. M. Saeed’s health started deteriorating and over the course of the next two years his health did not allow him to stay active in the business. This turbulent time of repetitious sickness lead to hospitalisation and on 19 November 2010 R. M. Saeed’s fight for his health came to an end.
A proud and self made man that refused all the luxuries found at home and fought all his life to progress and give as many comforts to his family that he himself forewent. A great man and mentor to many; a son, family man, husband, father, grandfather, successful business man, and friend to many. Always helping others with a keen eye on the needy to facilitate them with work as they may need from time to time. He always used to say that if a man is going hungry, see what you can do to help him but don’t give them money for nothing as this will encourage them not to work but instead to beg and lower their own self-esteem. Instead (if you have the resources) give them skills, tools and work that will help them to grow to be better people.
Now with his passing we all miss him deeply and the void that we’re left with can never be filled. Fondly remembered and greatly missed…we all love you very much and life really just isn’t the same without you.
New Directions
Today, Osman Saeed continues with his fathers’ ambition, vision and legacy and is trying to further grow the original family businesses in newer and more dynamic directions.