Beluga director Nicholas Yum on the everlasting power of print and the future of paper
In a world that believes technological advancement will leave paper in the dust, Nicholas Yum swims against the tide with Beluga—the creative arm of Hung Hing Printing Group, which is proving that paper is here to stay.
The birth of Beluga
Beluga was established by Nicholas Yum in 2011 when he joined his family’s enterprise Hung Hing Printing Group, Asia’s leading printing giant, which first opened its doors in 1950 as a small local shop in Hong Kong.
“After I graduated from university with a business degree, I worked at an auditing firm. I have always been a creative person, however, and I liked art and enjoyed building things,” he says. “We were witnessing a technology boom, so my father told me to come to Hung Hing and explore how technology could add value to a traditional printing business. My passion lay in design. I didn’t think twice when I quit my job.”
Having grown up amid a digital revolution, Yum knew heritage and tradition could only take his family business so far. And so, Beluga was born—an innovation hub under Hung Hing that marries the printer’s expertise with creative technological solutions that examine the versatile power of paper through fresh lens.
Innovation and connection
In today’s digital era, many suggest that we are moving towards a paperless world. Standing at the helm of Beluga, Yum begs to differ. “I don’t think print is a dying industry,” he states. “There are a lot of things that still require printing. A lot of our business comes from children’s books, as parents still value hands-on, interactive learning, as opposed to having their children stare at a screen. Packaging will also still be around for a long time. We are constantly exploring sustainable packaging solutions with FSC-certified material.”
In the same way that the power of paper lies in its ubiquity, the strength of a business lies in its connections across fields and industries. By working with the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), Yum was introduced to many start-ups specialising in areas such as app development and sustainable material manufacturing. “HKSTP helped us a lot in networking and forming connections,” he says. “HKSTP also aided us with market expansion, in the sense that we were able to gain more knowledge and insight through conferences on topics such as artificial intelligence.”
The future of paper
Looking to the future, Yum believes that Hong Kong will move towards embracing a more conscious lifestyle. With sustainability at its core, Beluga is innovating with paper products that are made in Hong Kong, for Hong Kong. “Paper is a luxury item,” he says. “For the paper products we produce, we use washable kraft paper—a special kind that is waterproof and sustainable, and that can be used as a replacement for leather. We use it to produce a lot of wallets and bags.” Also, working from HKSTP’s Tai Po InnoPark provides Beluga with the space to explore the development of innovative paper products.
For aspiring entrepreneurs who wish to build their businesses, Yum has one piece of advice: think like a traveller. “When you travel, your awareness of your surroundings heightens. Everything around you can inspire you. Ask questions and be curious.”