Sunhuan Holdings 2014
From Humble Beginnings to Construction Prosperity Singapore-based construction contractor, Sunhuan has grown exponentially from an initial $4,000 investment, to become one of the industry’s leading lights Writer Chris Davies Project Manager Arron Rampling Founded in 1993, Sunhuan Holdings is a Singaporebased construction contractor that has completed almost 60 projects, built more than 6,000 homes and achieved a contract sum of over SGD $1 billion throughout its existence. Initially a sub-contractor, the company started off with just 15 members of staff, but today employs around 700 people.With a mission to “provide sustainable and cost-effective methods to all our projects and ensure customer satisfaction”, Sunhuan keeps the local community’s best interests at heart, but understands the importance of remaining competitive and profitable, which is backed up by its vision. “We pledge to provide quality construction services to our clients, and emerge as a reliable construction company,” notes Sunhuan. Visionary LeadershipSunhuan’s rise to construction prominence in Singapore would not have been possible without the visionary leadership of Sun Lai Fong. After leaving China to support his aging parents and five younger siblings, Sun soon found work at a construction company in Singapore aged 26. Earning just $13 a day or $400 a month, he gained invaluable industry experience and even attended night classes to improve his expertise. With his newly acquired knowledge and modest savings of around $4,000, Sun decided to start his own business, as Singapore’s construction industry was booming at the time. He was well aware of the risks, but started with small-scale projects to gain a solid reputation…
Chip Eng Seng
Making Dream Houses their Pride Chip Eng Seng has expanded its range of services and operational markets from the private sector to public housing, becoming one of Singapore’s leading construction companies in the process Writer Matthew StaffProject Manager Ben Wigger Chip Eng Seng believes that each small step helps build the foundation for a stronger tomorrow, following Confucius’ principle of “the man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones”, and has stood by that belief over the past 50 years. Founded by Executive Chairman, Mr Lim Tiam Seng, the Group started as a humble subcontractor in the 1960s before evolving into the leading property and construction group it is today, with core businesses in areas of property developments, property investments, construction and hospitality across Singapore, Australia and Malaysia.Through competitive pricing and delivery of superior work quality, Chip Eng Seng scales new heights year-on-year, making its mark in the public housing market following its appointment as the main contractor for its first Housing and Development Board (“HDB”) project in 1982.With the expertise and ability to comply with the HDB’s stringent requirements, Chip Eng Seng has since completed many projects, including the award-winning iconic Pinnacle@ Duxton, and can be regarded as one of the leading public housing contractors in Singapore.In 1999, the Group reached yet another milestone by undergoing a successful listing on the Mainboard of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (“SGX-ST”). Today, the Group has a market capitalisation in excess of $500 million, compared to $88 million as of listing date.Post-listing, the Group made…
China to Build $31 Billion Worth of New Infrastructure
China's economic planner has approved the construction of 192 billion yuan ($31 billion) of roads and an airport in the latest government effort to increase investment and support a slowing economy. Five roads will be built in the southern and central region and provinces of Guangxi, Guangdong and Sichuan, the National Development and Reform Commission said on its website. China's economic planner has approved the construction of 192 billion yuan ($31 billion) of roads and an airport in the latest government effort to increase investment and support a slowing economy. Five roads will be built in the southern and central region and provinces of Guangxi, Guangdong and Sichuan, the National Development and Reform Commission said on its website. It said that 80 billion yuan would be invested in Beijing to build a third airport in the capital city.Investment is a crucial driver of the world's second-largest economy, but it has slowed this year as authorities try to re-engineer the growth model by reducing inefficient state spending and encouraging domestic consumption. Official data showed investment, which accounted for nearly 42 percent of China's economic growth in the first nine months of this year, grew at its slowest pace in nearly 13 years between January and November at 15.8 percent. Listless growth in investment and a sagging housing market have led some analysts to predict that China may slip into its worst economic cool down in nearly a quarter of a century this year as annual growth hits a 24-year-low of 7.4 percent.SOURCE: http://www.cnbc.com/id/102270776
TG Development
Redefining Urban Luxury Housing in Singapore TG Development has completed an extensive amount of property projects as well as signing many lucrative joint ventures that have culminated distinct architectural masterpieces on the singapore landscape Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Ben Wigger TG Development develops premium residential properties in Singapore and is an integral player in shaping the country's exclusive housing landscape, contributing to its architectural and design achievements on the international stage. TG Development has completed an extensive amount of property projects as well as signing many lucrative joint ventures that have culminated distinct architectural masterpieces on the Singapore landscape. From terrace houses to semi-detached homes, good class bungalows to apartments and condominiums, the company has a wealth of expertise to support these quality development projects. TG Development is committed to delivering excellent spatial designs with trustworthy quality and services, by working closely with acclaimed architects and interior designers to bring about a unique architectural perspective that is both in harmony with the surroundings and is sensitive to the needs of discerning city dwellers. The end creation is an ideal home that marries exclusivity, luxury and modern comfort. Founded by Mr Ong Boon Chuan in 1987, with the ambition of developing luxurious residences reflecting exquisite taste and superior design, TG Development believe that the ownership of a house is symbolic of a commitment to the family and provides a sense of fulfilment. This drives the company to provide better quality living spaces, especially in the land-scarce Singapore, where they are important assets to own and serve…
Raimon Land PLC
Thailand's Leader in Luxury Raimon Land is Thailand's premier luxury real estate developer with strong Financial performance and turnaround. With its unique positioning in luxury real estate market, the company expects to experience a strong and consistent growth despite any short-term concerns over Thailand's Politics Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Ben Wigger Raimon land is Thailand's premier luxury real estate developer, with an impressive portfolio of landmark developments, such as the River and 185 Rajdamri. Since 2003, the property giant has completed 10 projects worth THB 37 billion (us$1.15 billion), all of which command unique selling points reflected through their prime locations, excellent quality and craftsmanship, and after sales service offerings. In 1990, Raimon Land Development Company limited renamed itself Raimon Land Company Limited, becoming a publically listed company by 1993. Now with a 192-strong workforce, Raimon land is reaping the rewards of over two decades of hard work. Last year saw the company achieve its highest net profit for the last 10 years - THB 746 million. This was in large part due to the transfer of units at The River. Meanwhile, the net profit for the first half of 2014 was THB 795.7 million (USD 24.4 million), or 107% of its total net profit for 2013. "Meanwhile, The Lofts Ekkamai has proven to be a success, having sold about 80 percent of its units within a short period of time. Furthermore, our retained losses have been completely eliminated and our Interest Bearing Debtto-Equity Ratio now stands at 1.40. This figure has dropped dramatically from…
China and Russia in New Seaport Talks
China and Russia will build one of the largest ports in northeast Asia on Russia's Sea of Japan's coast, reports said, in a further sign of the powerhouses' growing alliance. The seaport is expected to be able to handle some 60 million tonnes of cargo a year, China's state-run People's Daily Online reported late Wednesday (Sep 10) - comparable to Britain's busiest port Immingham or Le Havre in France, according to European Commission statistics. The new facility will be located in far eastern Russia, just 18 kilometres (11 miles) away from the Chinese border. The region is also close to North Korea. Chinese and Russian leaders inked a deal on the port at May's Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Shanghai, the report said. The move represents the latest step by Beijing and Moscow to boost their energy and infrastructure ties. Resource-hungry China is seeking to diversify its sources of energy amid booming domestic consumption, while Russia - at odds with the West over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula - is seeking to refocus its gas and oil exports towards Asia. Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli attended the groundbreaking of a gas pipeline that will help Russia supply China under a huge energy deal. After a decade of tough negotiations Chinese and Russian leaders inked a 30-year deal, US$400 billion agreement in May that will eventually involve 38 billion cubic metres of gas annually. "We are today starting the biggest construction project in…
China’s Oil Producers up Capital Spending
Flagship Chinese oil producers are preparing to ramp up multi-billion dollar capital spending plans squeezed amid a Beijing probe into industry graft, offering a lift for oil services firms that suffered from belt-tightening in the first half. State-controlled majors PetroChina and Sinopec delayed investing in project launches in the first half as China's government deepened its corruption investigation in the state sector. Project tendering in China has been riddled with graft amid a culture of officials at state firms accepting bribes to award contracts to companies run by relatives or friends. Oil industry executives say the probe hasn't ended but may have peaked, having ensnared at least 11 former senior executives at PetroChina and its parent company China National Petroleum (CNPC). That's enough to trigger new spending at the majors as they switch focus to meeting operational targets. The oil services business is one of many sectors roiled by President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption drive. While the clampdown may hurt state spending in certain areas in the short term, analysts say it would help the economy in the long run, boosting transparency in tendering and boosting major independent service providers' chances of winning projects. "The crackdown bodes well for mid- to long-term development of the economy as it would undermine state monopolies and improve investment efficiency," said Zhu Jianfang, an economist with CITIC Securities in Beijing. Over the past 12 months PetroChina, the country's dominant oil and gas producer, and CNPC were at the center of one of the biggest corruption investigations into the Chinese state sector…
Hock Lian Seng
45 years of construction success Celebrating its 45th year of operation, Hock Lian Seng are proud to continue providing significant contributions to the thriving Singapore economy Writers Emily Jarvis Project Manager Ben Wigger Hock Lian Seng (HLS) Group was established in Singapore in 1969 by Mr Chua Leong Hai, who gladly continues to retain his position as CEO today. The company's core focus has always been on the construction of infrastructure projects including roads, highways, bridges, land reclamation, wharves, airport taxiways, aircraft parking aprons and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations, tunnels, viaducts and depots. In December 2009, the company converted into a Public Limited Company, taking the name Hock Lian Seng Holdings Limited, and were successfully listed on the SGX Mainboard in the weeks that followed. Celebrating its 45th year of operation, Hock Lian Seng are proud to continue providing significant contributions to the thriving Singapore economy. "We have contributed to the construction of every MRT line throughout Singapore since the early 1980s. We were involved in the North South Line, the East West Line, the North East Line, the Circle Line, the Downtown Line, and now the Thomson Line. We will be looking forward to contributing as one of the builders for the upcoming Eastern Region Line, the Jurong Region Line, the Cross Island Line and also the North-South Expressway," explains Deputy CEO David Chew Tuan Dong, who is excited by what the future holds for HLS. HLS have a disciplined focus and extensive experience in their core business, and this deep understanding of Singapore…
Construction Boom Affecting Worker Safety
The construction boom and a shortage of workers to handle demand could be among the reasons for a spate of safety lapses and accidents in the construction sector, industry players have said. Apart from fatigue from working overtime, they pointed to the higher monthly foreign worker levies which have not only reduced the manpower at companies' disposal, but also contributed to a rush to finish jobs in order to keep a lid on project costs – potentially compromising workers' safety. Other reasons include new workers' unfamiliarity with the job. The Manpower Ministry said on July 3 there were 17 construction-related deaths in the first half of the year. The figure includes eight fatalities in January alone and is an increase from the 11 fatalities during the same period last year. The number of incidents with major injuries in the first five months also jumped 15 per cent from the same period last year to 71. Asked about possible reasons behind safety lapses, Singapore Contractors Association (SCAL) president Ho Nyok Yong pointed to the boom in construction demand, which he believes would match the historical high of S$35.8 billion last year. Speaking at SCAL's Construction Safety, Health and Security Campaign event on Thursday, which was held to recognise industry efforts to make worksites safe, Dr Ho said many developers request for their projects to be completed earlier, putting pressure on contractors. Any job that is rushed into will affect the safety of workers, he said, adding that new workers are always arriving in Singapore and some may…
China Studies Possibility of Floating Gas Plants
Chinese energy giant CNOOC Group is studying the possibility of building a multi-billion-dollar floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) vessel, as-yet untried technology that would likely be used to produce gas from the deep waters of the South China Sea. While the state-run company has made no public announcement, a pre-feasibility study was well under way, CNOOC and other industry officials said. CNOOC was already talking to global engineering firms about possible joint design of the vessel, two industry officials added. FLNG ships are ocean-based liquefaction plants that can be positioned above reserves to chill extracted gas and load it into LNG tankers for delivery. That could make fields too remote or too small to develop using undersea pipelines viable for production. About 10 FLNG facilities are being planned globally with a handful under construction, among them the biggest, Prelude, owned by Royal Dutch Shell and due to be producing from an offshore Australian field by 2017. Shell has shied away from offering estimates of Prelude's likely cost, but analysts say it could be more than US$12 billion. While a Chinese FLNG plant might be some years away, industry officials said such vessels could become an important component of Beijing's strategy in the South China Sea - including in disputed waters - as the country looks to boost its offshore energy output. Learn more at: http://www.cnbc.com/id/101843143
