Leong Heng Keng, the eldest son of the founder of Axe Brand Universal Oil, has passed away at the age of 89, on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018.

He leaves behind his wife, four children, five grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

Family behind Axe Brand

Axe Brand is sold by Leung Kai Fook Medical (LKF Medical), and its history goes way back to the 1920s.

In the 1920s, Leong's father, Leung Yun Chee, emigrated from China to Singapore, and met a German physician here.

This physician shared with him a recipe for medicated oil, and touted it as a cure-all.

Impressed by the medicated oil and its universal uses, Leung founded LKF Medical in 1928 and began selling the remedy.

In its early years, the business struggled with stiff competition from more established companies in China and Hong Kong.

But by the 1960s, business started to flourish with increased awareness of the Axe Brand oil.

Bringing Axe Brand oil overseas

Founder of Axe Brand oil, Leung Yun Chee, passed away in 1971, and his eldest son Leong Heng Keng took over the reins of his father's company.

Leong junior was known for being a shrewd businessman and instrumental figure in building upon his father's company by expanding its markets overseas.

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Breaking into the Middle Eastern market

Notably, Leong helped to popularise the oil in the Middle Eastern market during the 1970s.

In an interview with Business Times, Leong Mun Sum, one of Leung's younger sons, said:

"Many people in Singapore and Malaysia went to the haj (pilgrimage) in Saudi Arabia by boat at that time. They suffered from seasickness and headaches and found the oil very useful."

The eldest Leong subsequently came up with an idea to market the oil to the pilgrims: He went to Singapore's harbour to board the ships before they set sail, and distributed a few thousand free bottles of Axe Brand oil each time.

Word spread about the medicated oil, and LKF soon began exporting Axe Brand oil to Middle Eastern countries, such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

Today, Axe Brand Universal Oil is one of the leading brands of medicated oil in Asia, and is sold in over 50 countries worldwide.

Top photo composite image, photos from St John Ambulance Singapore Zone 10's Facebook post & Redmart