ST Singaporean of the Year 2020: Building a boutique PC builder from scratch

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Brothers Marcus and Joe Wee started Aftershock PC in a small Serangoon Road shophouse back in 2012. Today, Aftershock is Singapore’s biggest boutique PC builder and has almost 150 staff on its payroll.

SINGAPORE - Twin brothers Marcus and Joe Wee took their common passion as kids - gaming - and turned it into a thriving business.

Their childhood love became the foundation for Aftershock, the biggest boutique PC builder in Singapore.

Marcus, 36, had been tinkering with computer systems since his early teens and loved gaming laptops.

He felt there was room for disruption by offering customised PCs and laptops using quality components with complete after-sales support at lower prices.

The company began with just Marcus and a friend in a small shophouse in Serangoon Road in 2012.

Aftershock now occupies nine units in a light industrial building in Bendemeer and employs about 150 staff.

Joe came on board in 2013 while Marcus's original business partner exited after a year.

The company has also expanded operations to Malaysia and Australia with showroom and production lines in both countries.

Aftershock is looking to expand to two more countries in the next year, said Marcus.

Fraternal twins Marcus (back) and Joe Wee, two gamers who started Aftershock, a pioneer of custom-built laptops and computers, in 2012. PHOTO: ST FILE

Its products have received critical acclaim, such as Best Gaming Notebook and Best Compact PC from leading media such as Hardware Zone, The Straits Times and Geek Culture.

Sales have gone up 30 per cent amid the pandemic as more people work from home and pick up gaming.

Despite success, the company is not resting on its laurels.

"One of the real trials for a PC company is to keep going after it reaches a certain scale. As we expand, we have to maintain stability," said Marcus.

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