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
SosaJB Property Management
Preferred property managers in the Philippines SosaJB Property Management says that investing in their staff is one of the key components for success Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Arron Rampling Sosa JB Property Management Corp. is a 100% Filipino-owned and family-run, management company, formed in 2010. The company's deep understanding of the culture, needs and expectations of the local market coupled with an inherent sense of Filipino hospitality, gives them a distinct edge over the competition in their ability to promptly and appropriately satisfy and exceed client expectation. Jeff Sosa, Founder and CEO of SosaJB, is keen to point out that the company is not just another property management company, but one that offers so much more to its clients: "We are committed to provide superior property management services through the unmatched value we place on service excellence, innovation and continuous improvement – all of which are values that differentiate us from our competitors." Investing in Staff As well as being proud of their customer care, SosaJB are proud of their employee care. Sosa has been instrumental in creating a new company culture by driving forward a strong commitment to human resources, and to find and train the best possible employees for the company. Now this does not mean that Sosa will only hire the best. He is a firm believer that if you are willing to spend the time and money training people to become the best, then that is exactly what they will do. "We truly care for our staff and employees. We want…
Alfa Tech VestAsia
A Vested Interest in Project Management Alfa Tech Vest Asia delivers excellent customer service and project managing capabilities for Projects in Singapore and SE Asia Writer Matt Bone Project Manager James Mitchell Alfa Tech Vest Asia (ATVA) is a vertically integrated consultancy firm that focuses on turnkey design and build projects. The company, based in Singapore, offers a service from start to finish on projects and is usually appointed directly by a client with specific needs. ATVA is part of the Alfa Tech Consulting Enterprise, first established in California's Silicon Valley in 1987; today the company has offices throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. ATVA prides itself in its excellent customer service and project managing capabilities, often going so far as to step into the Owner's Representative role for their clients in order to negotiate with the government, utilities or helping settle leases with landlords. As a representative for many companies based in the United States, ATVA is able to translate the differences in culture and lifestyle between the West and East to facilitate the move to an ASEAN base of operation. Managing Director Zach Wilson, explains that the dominant factor that differentiates the company from the competition is that: "At all levels of the company, staff are not just project managers they are technical experts who manage projects bringing high skill levels and always looking at new and innovative ways to serve our clients on their projects." Always on Hand Project managers from other companies may have to coordinate many different experts to bring…
Jian Huang
Constructing Singapore Jian Huang are delivering high quality projects for the burgeoning construction market in Singapore Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Ben Wigger Since they began operating in 1996, Jian Huang have built up a striking track record of strong construction projects, performance and have consistently delivered a high quality end-product and service to their clients. However, not only do the company work on construction projects, Jian Huang also have vast experience in project management services, rental and sale of equipment and green building material supply. Yew BC, General Manager, Construction Division of Jian Huang, believes that what sets Jian Huang apart from other construction companies in Singapore is that they do not just build the project, but rather help the design and enhance the value of the project alongside the client. "We have a team of highly skilled managers who work very closely with our clients and panel of consultants to create the perfect building project," BC states. Consultancy and Construction Jian Huang have been completing, on average, 3-4 projects in the role of main contractor each year since 2007 and show no signs of slowing down. Now this may not sound like a lot, but when you consider that one of these projects was to design and construct a multi-million dollar, 5 storey, multiple user industrial development for US semi conductor manufacturers Kulicke & Soffa - which will include areas for the company's corporate, manufacturing R&D departments- the numbers are much more impressive. Jian Huang have become a vertically integrated construction company, boasting a…
Accesstech Engineering Singapore
Access all areas Accesstech have the expertise to perform prominent engineering construction ranging from pharmaceutical, biomedical, electronics and aerospace to name but a few Writer Matt Bone Project manager Tom Cullum Accesstech began as a tool and kit company primarily working on small installations. Through an effective and professional approach, the company have seen steady growth in both business size and project portfolio. Accesstech now specialise in working with high-tech companies, including industrial and factory engineering and office buildings for Fortune-500 companies. Founded in 1998 in Singapore, Accesstech have been expanding their expertise into various projects including luxury hotels and commercial properties. The company is ISO 9001, ISO 14000 and OHSAS 18001 certified. Roy Low, CEO of Accesstech, has seen the demand for the company's expertise grow steadily and believes that Accesstech are well placed to meet the growing and ever-changing needs of the industry. "We have been in business for the last 16 years and the industry has changed a lot since then. Singapore used to be a manufacturing hub for plating, stamping plants and wafer fabs. These days, data centre, R&D facilities and biomedical science dominate the scene. Companies now want state-of-the-art equipment and services that can be technically demanding in engineering terms. We have grown and adapted our business practices, so that we can offer a service that will always be flexible and fully functional - to the highest level - which always meets the clients' requirements," Mr Low surmises. Prestigious Projects The last 12 months have been positive for Accesstech. The company…
Liebherr Singapore
Asia's Aerospace Artisans Liebherr-Singapore are proving that cost effective solutions and high quality services are the key to success Writer Matt Bone Project Manager James Mitchell Liebherr-Singapore started out as a representative office for ship and offshore cranes in 1985. In 1994, the company expanded their sales and after-sales services with a bigger diversity and range of products including earthmoving equipment, crawler cranes, tower cranes, mobile cranes and port equipment. In 1995, Liebherr-Singapore added an aerospace division to repair Liebherr aerospace components which is already in use by several companies. By the middle of 1998, Liebherr had added refrigerators and freezers to their sales portfolio. Currently, the company have more than 230 staff who are housed in a prominent five-story building close to downtown Singapore, enabling them to be close to their customers in the heart of Singapore. Albert Chua, Liebherr-Singapore's Managing Director, commented on the company's steady but positive growth: "Business has increased steadily, from a turnover of €40m in 2004 to €150m today. This is down to the timely and cost-effective solutions we provide for the customer and our constant evaluation of our core services and business structure." A Busy Year Liebherr have had a very successful and productive 12 months. Each division of the company has developed and established a positive business model and made encouraging market strides in their respective industries, ensuring the name Liebherr is the first name mentioned for its crane services. One such division of the company really excelling has been mobile cranes, where sales of the product have…
Lian Beng Construction
Home-Grown Construction Giants With its current growth strategy, Lian Beng are geared to become the largest home-grown Singapore construction group Writer Matt Bone Project Manager James Mitchell Established in 1973, Lian Beng group is one of Singapore's major home-grown building construction groups with integrated civil engineering and construction support service capabilities. The group is principally involved in the construction of residential, industrial and commercial projects and civil engineering projects as a main contractor. the company originally started with 5 supervisory staff and 20 general workers, and now have more than 400 workers with an annual revenue of about half a billion Singapore dollars. Jeffery Teo, Construction Director of the company, said of the company's diverse portfolio: "we are primarily a main contractor for general construction work, with a BCA grade a1 rating. Our construction support services also serve third parties such as other construction companies. Apart from construction, we also engage in property development, mostly through joint ventures." Lian Beng's status with the Building and construction authority (BCA) as an a1 grade contractor in general Building enables it to tender for public sector building projects of unlimited contract value, while its a2 grade in civil Engineering allows it to handle engineering projects of up to $85 million in contract value. Through its years of experience and solid track record, the group has also established a solid reputation for its ability to handle large-scale and complex projects. More Than Construction Lian Beng are an integrated construction group, with an extensive and comprehensive set of construction support service…
M&W Group
Centennial Anniversary Marks a Continued One-Stop Service M+W Group recently celebrated 100 years of providing technology-related construction solutions for international clients Writer Emily Jarvis Project manager James Mitchell M+W Group is the leading global engineering, construction and project management company in the fields of advanced technology facilities, life science and chemicals, energy and environment technologies and high tech infrastructure. From concept development to turnkey services, the company manages projects of all sizes ensuring rapid realisation, high quality standards and cost-effective completion. With its competence to link process and automation technologies and complex facilities to integrated solutions, M+W Group primarily focuses on leading companies in the fields of electronics, photovoltaics, life science, chemicals, energy, automotive, security, IT and telecoms, as well as research institutes and universities. 2012 was an excellent year for the company, generating an order intake of €3.58billion and a revenue stream of €2.38billion, in addition to celebrating its 100th anniversary; growing from a small outlet in Germany, into a major international player. M+W Thailand are a significant player in M+W Group. They are a major global international company providing a full range of consultancy services; from project inception through to concept design, site selection detail design, specialised processed designs, construction management, testing and commissioning. Asia Outlook spoke to the current Operations Manager for M+W Thailand, Brian Doyle. "The true M+W way" Over the last two years, M+W Group have re-focussed the Thailand sector of the business, moving from a more localised trade towards targeting international clients in what Doyle calls the "true M+W way."…
Merx Construction
Project Management Never Looked So Good With the project management market only just emerging in Asia, Merx are always looking for ways to achieve smarter productivity Writer Matt Bone Project manager James Mitchell Merx is an independent consultancy business formed in 2001, in Singapore. Merx is a specialist project management company that also has strong competencies covering construction management, cost management and client representation. Merx provides professional services to support clients and deliver projects across the construction and real estate sectors. Merx has wholly-owned offices located in Singapore, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur and operates throughout Asia. Since 2001, Merx has gone from strength to strength. In the early days, there were many hours spent explaining to clients that their services as project managers were necessary, as this type of services was unheard of in Singapore. Over time, Merx has built up a great reputation as a reliable provider of integrated project management and client services and have become an industry leader in Asia. Some of Merx's recent clients include global companies TAG Heuer, J.P. Morgan and Porsche Design. William Forwood, Managing Director of Merx said of the company's rise to market leader: "For me, we have grown over the last few years because we remained true to our founding ethos; independent with a 100 per cent customer focus. We make sure that we maintain our integrity, passion and drive for every project we undertake no matter the size." Building on Solid Growth 2011 provided Merx with a very good financial basis from which they have…
