CIMIC Group’s company Leighton Asia has secured an AUD320M ($240M) contract from the government of the Hong Kong to build a Columbarium and Garden of Remembrance.The company will be responsible for the construction of an eight‐storey columbarium building, a 4,800sq m garden, an access road and other ancillary facilities.The project is part of the government’s aim to meet the shortage of public spaces dedicated to the memory of the deceased.CIMIC Group’s executive chairman and CEO Marcelino Fernández Verdes said: “This contract award recognises the strength of the CIMIC Group’s diverse capabilities. Our building portfolio in Asia continues to grow and the Hong Kong government’s commitment to the development of public facilities means we are well positioned for future work.”Leighton Asia’s managing director Manuel Alvarez Munoz said: “Leighton Asia has built a strong working relationship with the Hong Kong government’s Architectural Services Department (ASD).“This will be our fifth project with the ASD, for whom we are also currently undertaking work on a hospital and border crossing facilities. We are pleased to be able to work with them again, particularly on a project so important to the local community.”Work on the project is anticipated to begin in July 2016 and will be completed in March 2019.
Pfizer is set to construct a $350M biotechnology centre in China.The new facility will represent the company’s third biotechnology centre across the world and the first in Asia and will include an advanced modular facility by GE Healthcare, based on flexible single-use bio-manufacturing technology.The centre will accommodate the Pfizer China’s biosimilars and biologics quality, technical service, logistics and engineering divisions, in addition to commercial manufacturing. It will also serve as a process development and clinical supply site.Pfizer Essential Health group president John Young said: “We believe that the Pfizer Global Biotechnology Center in Hangzhou will help support China’s aim to increase the complexity and value of its manufacturing sector by 2025, and contribute to building a truly innovative and vibrant biopharmaceutical industry.“We are encouraged by a series of important reforms introduced by Chinese government that will further stimulate the industry to meet emerging health challenges, such as the rising incidence of non-communicable diseases and an aging population; as well as attract both domestic and foreign investment in healthcare and R&D.”The facility is anticipated to be completed in 2018, creating more than 150 jobs in the region.
Leighton Asia’s subsidiary Leighton India Contractors has signed an AUD223M ($169.5M) contract to deliver phases two and three of a mixed-use development in Mumbai, India.The development, known as Maker Maxity, is located in the Bandra Kurla Complex, and its phases two and three will include the development of retail and hospitality facilities.The scope of the work includes structural and civil works, mechanical, electrical and plumbing services, lifts and escalators, façade, finishes and external works for the facilities.Leighton Asia’s managing director Manuel Alvarez Munoz said: "We are delighted to have secured our first major project with the Maker Group, one of India's most prestigious developers."Leighton Asia will bring its international experience, wealth of local knowledge and commitment to safety and quality to facilitate the timely completion of this major project."Work has commenced in June 2016, and is scheduled to be complete in mid‐2019.
Larsen & Toubro's construction unit has secured contracts worth INR24.16bn ($355.5M) across various business segments in June 2016.The building & factories business segment has won orders worth INR11.65bn ($171.4M) for a high-rise residential project from a Mumbai-based developer.The scope of work will include the civil and structural works for the construction of two residential towers, each having three basements, seven podiums, 66 floors and other ancillary buildings.The business has also secured a contract for the construction of a mixed-use development from a customer in Kolkata. The project will involve the civil and structural works for the construction of two towers of 15 and seven floors respectively, with two levels of common basement.The unit’s power transmission & distribution business has won orders worth INR11.2bn ($164.8M) in the domestic and international markets.The business has secured an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract from a customer in the Middle East. The scope of the work will include the construction of a medium voltage overhead line, which will enhance the reliability of the existing network.On the domestic market, the unit has been awarded contracts from Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Limited (PVVNL) in Uttar Pradesh. The first contract includes the construction of 33kV substations and associated lines in Ghaziabad, while the second contract involves rural electrification, including feeder separation works in Meerut.The smart world & communication business has won a contract valued at INR1.31bn ($19.2M) from RajCOMP Info Services for establishing and commissioning command & control centres at Bikaner, Bharatpur and Jodhpur cities under the Surveillance and Incident Response Project.
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.
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.”
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."
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.
Otis China has announced the construction of a new 270m-high elevator test tower as part of a new global R&D facility in Shanghai.Anticipated to be the world’s tallest above-ground test tower, it has been designed to be flexible and easily adaptable to the testing of new components and systems as they evolve.The project will support the development of new technologies for use in elevators for different market segments in order to deliver high efficiency, small footprints, industry-leading safety, comfort and convenience for passengers, says Otis.Otis’ president Philippe Delpech said: “Building our new test tower and R&D Center in Shanghai underscores our continuous commitment to satisfy customers in China and around the world.“As the industry leader that introduced safe elevator technology, this is a strong example of how we are investing to accelerate innovation and technology development for our next generation elevators and service.”The new facilities, part of a network of research facilities and test towers set to spread across four continents, are expected to be operational by the end of 2018.Otis has supplied lifts for iconic high buildings around the world, including the 828m Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the world’s tallest building; the 599m Ping’An Financial Center in Shenzhen, one of the highest buildings in China when completed this year; the 555m Lotte World Tower in Seoul, the tallest in South Korea; the 553m CN Tower in Toronto, the highest in North America; and the 324m Eiffel Tower, Paris’ iconic symbol.
Coca-Cola Beverage has broken ground on a new $185m eco-friendly plant in Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China.The new 195,632 sq m plant is being constructed in the Majinpu New Town Industrial Base in Kunming National Hi-tech Industries Development Zone to replace an existing plant, tripling the number of bottling lines from four to 12.When completed, the plant will deliver an annual capacity of 423m unit cases of beverage with both sparkling and still products, across brands such as Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Ice Dew and Ice Dew Chunyue.The new factory will adopt green building standards regarding the site selection, building environment, water-saving and energy-saving measures, air protection, material and resource utilization, indoor environment quality and design innovation. It will also adhere to the international certification system requirement for the Silver Certification of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).Coca-Cola Bottling Investments Group China CEO Glen Walter said: "The new plant will become an important production base for Coca-Cola in China's southwest region."This investment will not only provide strong support to Coca-Cola's sustainable development in Yunnan, but also boost economic development locally by increasing job opportunities and enhancing collaboration."The new plant is part of the Coca-Cola's current $4bn investment plan, which began in 2015 and will continue through 2017.
Gammon Construction, an equal stake joint venture of Balfour Beatty, has secured a contract worth HKD1.6bn ($206m) from Hysan Development Company to build the Lee Garden Three project in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.The project will involve the construction of 20 levels of Grade A offices sitting atop a five-storey retail podium of shops and a range of food and beverage establishments. It will feature a five-level basement, with about 200 parking lots.Owned and developed by Hysan, Lee Garden Three project will be built on the former site of Sunning Plaza and Sunning Court. It will be part of Hysan’s cluster of commercial buildings in Causeway Bay, fronting Hysan Avenue.The company will use latest construction technologies such as Building Information Modeling, 4D modeling and 3D scanning to enhance the project’s environmental friendliness and construction efficiency.The project is scheduled to be completed in late 2017.Gammon CEO Thomas Ho said: “We are delighted to have been selected by Hysan as the construction partner of this redevelopment project. Our team is committed to delivering maximum efficiency, a smooth running project and minimal disruption to the public.”
Goodman Group has commenced the second stage of development of the $1.5bn Goodman Business Park in Chiba Newtown, Japan.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) has signed an agreement with the municipal government of Nanjing, China to invest $3bn in building an advanced silicon wafer plant in Nanjing.The new facility in Nanjing’s Pukou Economic Development Zone will have a capacity to manufacture 20,000 12-inch semiconductors, or wafers, per month. The investment would also support the construction of a design service centre.TSMC chairman Morris Chang said: “With our 12-inch fab and our design service center in Nanjing, we aim to provide closer support to customers as well as expand our business opportunities in China in step with the rapid growth of the Chinese semiconductor market over the last several years. “We look forward to stronger collaboration with our customers to further expand our market share in China.”
Larsen & Toubro’s (L&T) construction division has secured several contracts worth INR32.05bn ($480m) across its various businesses.Of these, INR20.18bn ($302.2m) worth of contracts have been awarded to the company's buildings and factories business.These include a contract from a Mumbai-based developer for a turnkey high-rise residential project. The scope of the contract will include civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and finishing works for six towers, each rising 55 to 60 floors.The business has also secured additional orders from several existing customers for the development of commercial and residential spaces.The power transmission and distribution business has won contracts worth INR7.1bn ($106.3m).In the company's domestic Indian market, the business has secured a turnkey contract from Powergrid Southern Interconnector Transmission System to build a 400kV double circuit transmission line linking Cuddapah to Madhugiri, as well as another contract from Power Grid Corporation of India for the construction of a 765kV double circuit transmission line at Cuddapah.In the international market, Larsen & Toubro (Oman) has secured a turnkey contract from Oman Electricity Transmission Company to build 400kV reactor transformers and associated works at Sur and Izki substations.