Larsen & Toubro subsidiary L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering Limited (LTHE) has secured contracts worth INR11.7bn ($174M) across its various business segments.The business has won a lump-sum turnkey contract valued at INR3.55bn ($53M) from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for a coke drum system package including a 1.7M metric tonnes per annum delayed coker unit at its Haldia Refinery in West Bengal, India. Reliance Industries Limited has awarded another contract worth INR5bn ($74.4M) to L&T Hydrocarbon for its MEG, LDPE and CO shift & AGR shift of DTA units.LTHE has won an INR2bn ($29.7M) contract from Hindustan Mittal Energy Limited (HMEL) for composite mechanical works of its Low Cost Expansion Project and services for capacity expansion at Guru Gobind Singh Refinery, Bathinda. The scope of work involves the structural fabrication and erection, piping for multiple process units, tankage works, equipment erection, E&I works and shutdown works.The business has secured an order worth INR1.15bn ($17.1M) for an on-going project in Kuwait, which includes the fabrication of piping spools, to be supplied from L&T’s Kattupalli Yard near Chennai, and supply of static equipment to an Indian client from L&T’s Hazira Yard located in Gujarat.
BASF Shanghai Coatings has begun construction on a new €140M automotive coatings plant in Shanghai, China.The new plan, to be located at the company’s existing site at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park in Caojing, will expand the existing automotive coatings plant, which started production in 2014.BASF’s president and chairman for Greater China Stephan Kothrade said: “With the expansion, we continue to invest in local production to get even closer to China’s automotive industry.“As the leading chemical supplier to the automotive industry, BASF will take an active role in developing this rapidly growing business, based on our local production network, innovative power and market knowledge.”The plant is expected to commence operation in the fourth quarter of 2017.
Gammon Construction, the Hong Kong-based joint venture of Balfour Beatty and Jardine Matheson, has secured an HKD4bn ($515.3M) contract from Taikoo Place Holdings for the redevelopment of Somerset House in Taikoo Place, Hong Kong.The project will include the redevelopment of Somerset House into a 48-storey office building on top of a two-storey basement, covering a total gross floor area of approximately 94,000sq m. It will also involve the construction of the associated walkways.The development will incorporate Building Information Modelling (BIM) to define the efficient approach to design, avoid programme and utility clashes, as well as enhancing environmental efficiencies.Gammon’s CEO Thomas Ho said: “We are delighted to have been selected by Swire Properties and to be involved with this landmark project.“Gammon’s advanced technological standards and expertise in building construction was critical for the award of this project.”Construction is set to start immediately with completion scheduled for 2018. The project will create 1,400 jobs during peak construction.
Gammon Construction has secured a HKD2.6bn ($335M) contract from Chinachem Group to build a residential project in Hong Kong.To be located at Tseung Kwan O Town Lot No. 93, the project will include the construction of six 12–18-storey residential towers, and five four-storey homes that together will provide 857 new homes.Gammon — a joint venture between Balfour Beatty and Jardine Matheson — will use a range of innovative approaches, such as aluminum formwork instead of traditional timber formwork for the tower structure and 3D scanning and Building Information Modelling (BIM) to assist with detecting construction programme clashes.Gammon’s CEO Thomas Ho said: “Our team is excited to work with Chinachem Group to deliver excellent and meticulous building works that will add to their impressive and diverse range of high-quality properties.“We are looking forward to the unveiling of this new phase of development in the Southern part of Tseung Kwan O.” Construction has recently started and the project is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2017.
Johnson Controls has established a joint venture with Binzhou Bohai Piston to construct a new $200M automotive battery manufacturing plant in China.To be located in Binzhou, Shandong Province, the new facility will be the company’s fourth battery manufacturing plant in the country.Once operational, the unit will be able to manufacture 7.5M batteries annually. Johnson Controls’ president for Asia Pacific region Trent Nevill said: "Johnson Controls remains committed to serving our customers wherever they are in the world with investments such as this manufacturing plant and joint venture, which brings our leading technologies and global best practices to China."Construction of the new plant is anticipated to commence in 2017, with production starting two years later. The unit will employ 650 people at its full capacity.
Dragages Hong Kong has chosen Nicolas’ MGD G2 SPE modules for the transport of pre-cast bridge elements for the Hong Kong-Zhubai-Macau bridge project in China.The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge project, with an estimated cost of $10.6bn, will connect Hong Kong to Zhubai and Macau — three major cities on the Pearl River Delta.The on-going development involves the construction of an offshore bridge and tunnel, the Boundary Crossing Facilities Island and link roads.The combined 22.9km-long bridge and 6.7km-long tunnel are expected to reduce travel times from Hong Kong to Macau and Zhugai from more than three hours to half an hour.According to Nicolas the MGD G2 SPE modules to be used in the project are in use all around the world under the toughest conditions — including in salty air, dusty environments and poor underground areas.Jannick Mathieu, Nicolas’ area manager sales at TII Sales, said: “With the second generation of this proven vehicle we provide the specifications the industry needs, no matter if we are talking about the impressive bending moment, a multitude of precise steering modes or the sturdiness and long-term reliability of the Nicolas MHD G2.”
Jacobs Engineering Group has won a services contract for the next stage of the $5.3bn Oyu Tolgoi underground copper and gold mine in Mongolia.The firm will be responsible for the provision of engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services to implement the materials handling systems for the new underground mine and associated surface and underground infrastructure.The project, located in the south Gobi region of Mongolia, about 550km south of the capital Ulaanbaatar, is being delivered over a five- to seven-year period, with the first draw bell production from the underground mine expected in 2020.Jacobs’ president and CEO Steve Demetriou said: “We are very proud to be associated with what is a landmark project for Oyu Tolgoi, Mongolia and the global mining landscape.“The Oyu Tolgoi Underground Project is one of the largest mining projects worldwide. We are excited at the opportunity to contribute significant value to our client and the nation of Mongolia.”
A GMR Infrastructure-led consortium has secured an INR28.8bn ($432.2M) contract for the construction of a 221km road project in India.The stretch is part of the Eastern arm of the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) project and will be executed on an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis. The project, financed by World Bank, is split into two packages. The first package includes a 175km single line connecting Sahnewal and Pilkhani, passing through Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab, while the second package is a 46km double line corridor in Uttar Pradesh connecting Dadri and Khurja.Under the contract, the consortium will be responsible for the design and construction of civil, structures and track works for single and double lines.GMR Infra said that the two packages are anticipated to be complete in 44 and 36 months respectively.
Larsen & Toubro’s construction unit has secured contracts worth INR21.61bn ($323.9M) across various business segments.The firm’s transportation infrastructure business has won an INR8.47bn ($126.9M) design and construction contract from the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India.The contract, secured by L&T and Instalaciones Inabensa consortium, includes electrification works for the 417km section of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) from Mughalsarai to New Bhaupur in Uttar Pradesh, India.The work also involves the construction of seven traction sub stations, 18 switching stations, 881 track km of overhead equipment, SCADA and electrical and mechanical works along with the supply of all associated equipment. The company’s water and effluent treatment business has secured an INR7.09bn ($106.2M) engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract from the Gujarat Water Infrastructure. The scope of the work includes the design and construction of 146km of mild steel pipelines and 26km of ductile iron pipelines.The business has also won a contract from Rajasthan Urban Drinking Water Sewerage & Infrastructure Corporation Limited for the design, construction and commissioning of sewage treatment plants and sewage pumping stations along with sewer networks in Alwar, Sikar and Bhiwadi, in the Rajasthan state.The company’s power transmission and distribution business has secured EPC orders worth INR4.03bn ($60.3M) from Power Grid Corporation of India Limited for the construction of a 400kV double circuit transmission line package from Tumkur to Hiryur in Karnataka.The business also won a contract from Karnataka Solar Power Development Corporation Limited for the construction of 220/66kV substations along with the associated transmission line network.Additional contracts worth INR2.02bn ($30.2M) were awarded to the company’s metallurgical and material handling business from various ongoing jobs of this business.
Russian real estate development company LSR Group has begun construction on a new tram network in Krasnogvardeysky, St. Petersburg.The corresponding concession agreement was inked between the government of Saint Petersburg and Transportnaya Kontsessionnaya Kompaniya, a joint venture of LSR Group and Leader Investment Company. The overall project, including the upgrading of existing lines and the construction of a new tram network and its operation over the period of 30 years, is expected to cost RUB32.7bn ($488.6M).In particular, the construction and maintenance of the tram network will require an investment of RUB12.7bn ($189.7M).Construction work is expected to be complete in the fourth quarter of 2018.
The ATAL-Degremont-China Harbour joint venture has secured a HKD$3.14bn ($404M) contract from Hong Kong’s Drainage Services Department for the first phase of the San Wai Sewage Treatment Works (STW) upgrade.The project will use the latest sedimentation technology, which is more efficient than conventional clarifiers and requires less space, saving almost 40% of the land. It will also deploy the BIM technology to visualise the plant’s design with 3D images.Drainage Services Department director Edwin Tong said: “The project comprises the design and construction of sewage treatment facilities with a daily treatment capacity of 200,000cb m to cater for the projected additional sewage flow due to development needs in the Northwest New Territories after 2020.“The works will also upgrade the treatment level of the STW to the chemically enhanced primary treatment level with ultraviolet disinfection facilities for reducing pollution loads to the northwestern waters.”Upon completion of construction works in 2020, the joint venture will undertake the operation, repair and maintenance of the STW for a contractual operation period of 15 years.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a €294M loan to enhance natural gas storage and distribution in Kazakhstan.EBRD will provide €242M to Intergas Central Asia to enhance the gas storage to its full capacity of four billion cubic metres (bcm) from the current limit of 2.6bcm, and €52M to KazTransGas-Aimak for the expansion and modernisation of the natural gas distribution network in several regions of Kazakhstan. The improvement will allow the utility to connect new households and industrial customers to gas supplies, while reducing the current dependency on coal-generated electricity.EBRD’s president Sir Suma Chakrabarti said: “We have worked consistently with Kazakhstan on projects which develop the green economy. “Few approaches create such immediate progress as a switch to cleaner sources of energy. Gas is much cleaner than coal and helps to complement renewable energy.“We are very pleased to start our cooperation with KazTransGas and to continue our enhanced partnership with Kazakhstan with these two major steps towards a sustainable future.”
Dragages Singapore has secured a €100M contract for the construction of two condominium complexes in Singapore.The contract has been awarded by United Venture Development, a joint venture between UOL Venture Investments and Singland Homes.Designed by ADDP Architects, the project will include two 40-storey towers, 505 apartments and a total floor area of about 46,000sq m. Both towers will measure 140m in height.Dragages Singapore, a subsidiary of Bouygues Construction, will utilise a modular construction technique based on a reinforced concrete structure, which will enable the condominiums to meet the Singapore authorities’ stipulation that 65% of the towers’ superstructure must employ PPVC — Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction.Nicolas Borit, Bouygues Bâtiment International deputy CEO in charge of Asia-Pacific, said: “We are very proud that our customer, United Venture Development, has shown confidence in us and given us the opportunity to support them in carrying out this project in Singapore. “The experience in this market acquired by Dragages and the construction system chosen were decisive factors in winning this contract.”Construction work on the project is set to commence shortly and will last for three years, with handover scheduled for the end of the first half of 2019.
Toyota Motor has announced plans to construct a new JPY49bn ($445.5M) production plant in Malaysia.To be constructed in Klang, Selangor, the new facility will have a production capacity of 50,000 vehicles annually. The company believes that the facility is the next step in its efforts to develop competitive plants using the latest production technologies such as freely extensible lines and compact painting booths. Toyota’s managing officer Tatsuro Takami said: "This plant is another of our efforts to create new, competitive plants, following the decisions made last year to create a new plant in Mexico and a new line in China, and the opening of two new engine plants this year in Indonesia and Brazil. "In addition to introducing cutting edge production technologies, we will dedicate ourselves to developing the personnel who support the making of ever-better cars. By doing this, we will provide high quality vehicles to Malaysian customers through UMWT."
Hyflux and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) consortium’s project company TuasOne Pte Ltd has secured project financing for TuasOne waste-to-energy plant in Singapore.The project company has secured a SGD653M ($472.7M) 27-year loan facility, which will be utilized to fund the development, its construction and start-up costs.The project financing is provided by DBS Bank, Malayan Banking Berhad Singapore Branch, Mizuho Bank Ltd and The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd, which are the underwriters and book-runners for the facility.DBS Bank Ltd, Maybank Kim Eng Securities Pte Ltd, Mizuho Bank Ltd and The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd were the lead arrangers in the project financing.
Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) has inked an agreement with Indonesia-based PT Perusahaan Daerah Pertambangan dan Energi South Sumatra to build a 363km gas pipeline.Under the $600M contract, KOGAS will construct a 245km gas pipeline in South Sumatra, Indonesia and another gas pipeline, measuring 118km, in Bali. It will also operate and provide the project’s maintenance services over a 30-year period.KOGAS aims to conduct a feasibility study and assess the results before making a decision whether to proceed with the project.Established in 1983 by the Korean government, KOGAS operates four LNG regasification terminals and 4,440km of natural gas pipelines in South Korea.
TCL subsidiary China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT) is set to start construction on a Gen 11 LCD panel fabrication plant in Shenzhen, China.Expected to cost RMB50bn ($7.8bn) the facility will produce extra-large high-resolution flat panel displays targeting 45", 65" or even larger LCD TV markets.Upon completion, the new production line will exceed BOE’s Gen 10.5 — which commenced construction in December 2015 in Anhui Province — in terms of generation and investment.Currently, CSOT has three production lines, namely T1, T2 and T3, producing small and large LCD panels for TVs, smartphones and tablets.
The 35m-deep foundation for a $300M mixed-use complex in Sri Lanka is nearing completion.Designed by Gensler and developed by ITC Limited subsidiary WelcomHotels Lanka Private Limited, the complex will include about 350 rooms on 25 floors in the first phase, over 130 luxury residences on 50 floors comprising master penthouses, penthouses, four-, three- and two-bedroom apartments, banqueting and cuisine experiences, as well as retail and serviced office spaces.The project, named ‘ITC One, Colombo 1’, will generate direct employment for around 800 people and indirect employment for another 400 people in its various components. WelcomHotels Lanka managing director Arun Pathak said: "The ITC One, Colombo 1 is a very exciting development, creating an international icon for Colombo, offering the best international quality in hospitality and residences."It truly represents the splendour of gracious living. It is set to be an employment-multiplier and will undoubtedly become a vibrant symbol of Sri Lanka’s resurgent economic growth."
Honda Motor Company has completed construction and inaugurated its new plant located at Rojana Industrial Park in Prachinburi, Thailand.The 214,000 sq m facility has been developed with an investment of THB17.15bn ($484.6M) and has a production capacity of 120,000 units annually. The new plant is equipped with Honda’s highly-efficient and environmentally-responsible production technologies — introduced at Honda’s Yorii Plant in Japan — and will serve to enhance the company’s capability to deliver quality products for customers in Thailand and across the world, says the manufacturer.Honda Motor president, CEO and representative director Takahiro Hachigo said: “Thailand has increased its presence as one of Honda’s production hubs by supplying products and components not only for the home market but also for the world including ASEAN nations, which drive our global sales growth. “I am committed to making certain that the role of Thailand will become even more valuable with the completion of this all-new Prachinburi factory with full advantage of Honda’s newest production technologies.”The plant currently has 1,400 employees.
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has secured an INR16bn ($239.3M) contract for the construction of a coal-based thermal power project in Odisha, India. Under the contract, BHEL will be responsible for the design, engineering, manufacture, supply, construction, erection, testing and commissioning of the 1x250MW coal-based thermal unit at Rourkela Power Project on an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) basis.BHEL’s Trichy, Haridwar, Bhopal, Ranipet, Hyderabad, Jhansi, Thirumayam and Bengaluru plants will manufacture key equipment for the project, and the power sector division of the company will be responsible for civil works and erection or commissioning of the equipment.