Seeing a growing trend after World War I, Tan first rented, then bought boats and ran a shipping business, as well as converting his canneries and rice mills into rubber processing plants, optimizing operations by bringing everything together as Khiam Aik Co. Third is the long climb to the top (1918-1928).
他根據第一次世界大戰爆發後的形勢，先租船、後買船經營航運業；將黃梨（即菠蘿、鳳梨）罐頭廠和米廠改作橡膠加工廠，優化了自己創立的謙益公司的事業組合。三是跋山涉水，登峰造極階段（1918-1928 年）。