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ENABLING COLLABORATION Hatch Mott Macdonald and Bentley tell us how they are able to reduce worker risk
SPECIAL FEATURE
The race to repair IRAQ’S MOSUL DAM
IN THIS ISSUE
EDITOR’S COMMENT
H E L L O A N D W E L C O M E to the
June edition of Construction Global. Our cover feature this month is a report of Hatch Mott MacDonald’s recent risk reduction collaboration with Bentley Promis.e, and their aims to introduce 3D modelling capabilities. Also included is the latest account of Iraq’s Mosul Dam crisis and the race to repair the dam before spring floodwaters cause the construction to collapse. Featured too is a commentary of infrastructure in Indonesia from Hill International, and our list this month features the world’s top ten most expensive building. We sincerely hope you enjoy the issue, and as always, please tweet your feedback to @ConstructionGL
Lucy Dixon Group Editorial Director lucy.dixon@bizclikmedia.com
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F E AT U R E S
PROFILE
The race to repair Iraq’s Mosul Dam
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TECHNOLOGY
Pivotal The long, slow death Hatch Mott MacDonald offshorecollaboration and isofenabling outsourcing risk reduction 4
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TOP 10 most expensive buildings in the world
Company profiles
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SCHINDLER Middle East
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AL SAFWA CEMENT COMPANY Middle East 5
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DAVISREED CONSTRUCTION INC: PENDRY HOTEL PROJECT USA
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SA DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE INDUSTRY FORWARD
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Australia & Asia
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UNIQUE URBAN BUILT Australia & Asia
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WALSH CONS LOMA LINDA USA
INFRASTRU COMMENT F
Australia
GATEWAY WA Australia & Asia
Company profiles
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STRUCTION A VA HOSPITAL
UCTURE IN INDONESIA WITH FROM HILL INTERNATIONAL
& Asia
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JOHN HOLLAND GROUP Australia & Asia
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SOBOCE Latin America
PALM HILLS DEVELOPMENTS Africa
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PARKLANDS PROJECT BY GROCON
Australia & Asia
Image copyright: Rehman Abubakr/wikimedia
MAJOR PROJECTS
The Race IRAQ’S MO
Dubbed the ‘most dange now the race is on to re Mosul Dam before spring the structure and c
Writ ten by: GENE
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to Repair OSUL DAM
erous dam in the world’, epair Iraq’s behemoth g floodwaters overwhelm cause its collapse
E V I E VE BE LMA KE R
BUILT IN 1986, Mosul Dam is a key water resource management tool for Iraq and an important strategic tool. Situated on the mighty Tigris River, it is downstream from the mountains of Turkey. The dam is also just north of the city of Mosul, an Islamic State (IS) stronghold, which complicates security and maintenance. In fact, in 2014, Islamic State briefly captured and held the structure. Though control of Mosul Dam was regained, the skilled workers who painstakingly maintained the structure’s troublesome integrity by injecting cement slurry 24-hours a day, 7 days a week had already scattered. The loss of those difficult to replace workers, along with the deterioration of the dam while IS held it, and the impending spring floodwaters of the Tigris River have combined to create a potential humanitarian and water resource crisis. Perhaps most critically, a water release valve that has been broken since 2013 could make it impossible to release the rising reservoir level quickly enough. In short, Mosul Dam could be on the verge of collapse and the race is on to make necessary repairs before it is too late. It is estimated that at least 500,000 people would die if the dam collapsed. 9
MAJOR PROJECTS It’s the perfect storm of water resource management and dam maintenance. Enter the Italians. A contingent of engineers and experts under the purview of the Trevi Spa, a division of Italy’s Trevi Group, has already begun what will amount to about 8 months of repairs. The expedited contract, signed on March 2, is worth 273 million Euros. “Specifically for this important project an intense level of drilling activities and injection of cement mixtures will take place for the consolidation of the foundations of the dam,” said the company’s top management in a statement. In April, Trevi commenced setting up more than 450 Trevi technicians
and staff in temporary housing to work at the site. The area is too dangerous for workers to live off site and travel to the dam. Around the same amount of Italian military troops will also stay in the area to protect the workers from regional threats. Trevi workers will repair and maintain the dam’s bottom outlet tunnels. They will also give specialized courses and training for technicians and local staff on the Trevi Group’s Soilmec drilling rigs. The rigs are key for repairing ongoing leakage that occurs because Mosul Dam is built on a gypsum karst foundation, which is extremely soluble and requires continuous maintenance. The foundation is drilled and the cement slurry is injected for
Opening date
Construction Cost
7 JULY ‘86
US$1.5 bn
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T H E R A C E T O R E PA I R I R A Q ’ S M O S U L D A M
stability. It is precisely this ongoing work that was neglected when IS held the dam for several weeks in 2014. Trevi won the expedited contract late last year. “The award of the contract, due to the procedure of urgency related to the conditions of the dam, will not follow the normal tendering procedures and rules of the ministry,” noted the Iraqi government in a statement in February announcing the contract. It’s not the company’s first urgent repair job. The Trevi Group has almost 6 decades of experience in soil engineering and has done dam specialized maintenance work more than 170 times around the world. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
has also been intimately involved. A semi-confidential report issued earlier this year that was partially leaked through the Iraqi Parliament, gave the findings of a very bleak Corps assessment of the dam’s condition. The findings of that report were largely responsible for sounding the alarm on urgent maintenance needs. U.S. interests in the area--military, business, and political--have also been given an evacuation and contingency plan by the U.S. Embassy in the event that the dam fails catastrophically. Rebecca Keller, a science and technology analyst for the U.S.based global intelligence company Stratfor, noted that some of the repair work will be a challenge.
Total capacity
Annual generation
11.1m
3,42 GWh
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Image copyright: United States Army Corps of Engineers/wikimedia
MAJOR PROJECTS
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“It’s going to be a little bit harder in a region that’s still in flux,” said Keller. She added that fears of total collapse might not be as imminent as they seem. “Most of what’s going through the news right now is a worst case scenario,” she said. “It is still a possibility which everyone is trying to prevent.” In the long run, Keller said that effective regional water resource management could prove to be the most daunting challenge. There is a significant scarcity of resources and a continued migration away from agricultural areas because of a lack of water. “In places of conflict you don’t necessarily think about that as the resource you can lose.” Iraq is in a particularly weak position on that front, and needs to communicate with its neighbors upstream: Syria, Turkey, and Iran. Regional instability makes that a problem. Turkey’s current construction project of the controversial Ilisu Dam, also on the Tigris River, could also complicate matters. The project will flood the the 10,000 year-old city of Hasankeyf and displace about 70,000 people, according to analysts. It could
also have unforeseen repercussions for neighboring countries. “There aren’t many countries that communicate well about water issues, even in the U.S.,” said Keller. “In general people think that water is a right. They don’t think of it as a resource. You want what’s best for your town or state or nation. It’s a global problem.” A core group of prestigious academics, who believe that Mosul Dam is under the imminent and inevitable threat of collapse, are also working to find solutions. In April, Peace Ambassadors for Iraq hosted a panel of international experts for a symposium on the topic. Aside from urging repairs, their focus has largely been on emergency evacuation procedures. Professor Lucio Ubertini, an expert on hydrological disasters, stated that the victims of hydrological disasters are “typically the victims of inadequacy.” Ubertini and others at the symposium recommended that local insight be tapped as a resource to create what would be “a highly complex engineering project” to map out buildings and surrounding infrastructure needed to save as many lives as possible if the dam does go.
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Hatch Mott MacDonald is enabling collaboratio and risk reduction Hatch Mott Macdonald and Bentley tell us how, through Bentley Promis.e’s 3D modelling capabilities, they are able to reduce worker risk during rail signal design Written by: Bentley a n d H atc h M ott M ac do nald
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T E C H N O L O G Y & E Q U I SPA M F E TE YN FIT RST
d on
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TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT GLOBAL CONSULTING ENGINEERING firm Hatch Mott MacDonald had used a conventional CAD-based system to design rail signal systems when serving its public and private clients around the world. However, this approach had serious limitations in an industry where building information modelling (BIM), the processes and standards that define it, are becoming a critical success factor. Traditional methods mean designs have no added intelligence or connections to related documents including bills of material (BOM). Designers have no way to model their work in 3D or collaborate on designs, which slows down projects unnecessarily and makes adherence to the required standards a challenge. As part of a wider BIM initiative, Hatch Mott MacDonald’s management chose to invest in a new system – powered by Bentley software – that introduced the required intelligence into the rail signal design process, significantly reducing design time and effort, improving accuracy, enabling collaboration, and driving standardisation.
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Hitting the limits of traditional design processes Traditionally, signal designers at Hatch Mott MacDonald have used an in-house design workflow. While trusted and proven, procedures are manual, time consuming, and tedious, and there are no automated controls to ensure the latest versions of CAD elements are used. In addition, design checking involves significant manual
that we must leverage industry best practice and the latest technology.” To stay ahead of the competition and meet the required Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards, Hatch Mott MacDonald invested time to create a single database for project data and owner catalogues. Henderson adds: “Promis.e has a comprehensive database and client catalogue system for electrical disciplines, but our rail signals database had to be tailored to each railway’s independent standards for CAD and design.”
effort, everyone works sequentially, and there is little collaboration. “3D design automation and the use of intelligent metadata within the design process is becoming the norm in many industries, including rail,” explains Hatch Mott MacDonald signal designer/Promis.e administrator Robert Henderson, C.Tech. “In order for Hatch Mott MacDonald to maintain its competitive edge, we understood
Harnessing the latest technologies Using a combination of solutions from Bentley, Hatch Mott MacDonald works with intelligent 3D models linked directly to the electrical schematics required for signal design, costing, and construction. The new system includes functionality to automate the creation of project workflows via templates that will also streamline basic checking processes. Leveraging the combined capabilities of Promis.e, Bentley 17
TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT
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Navigator, and ProjectWise, Hatch Mott MacDonald will operationalise its intelligent system for rail signal design as follows: Content building – Using the Promis.e for Rail Signalling database, design teams can create schematic symbols that link directly to project databases and 3D layouts. Project building – Through an application programming interface (API), custom template scripts drive individual client standards, equipment selection, tag generation, schematic creation, and layout generation. As a result, designers simply input basic client and location information to arrive at an accurate, preliminary design that’s about 75 percent complete. The solution also ensures that ownerspecific content created in the first step ripples through and is correctly used at every stage of the process. Engineering design considerations – Promis.e features automated checking tools that can be triggered by the designer. The system will perform a series of electrical circuit checks, verifying that users have not over-assigned the equipment’s electrical contacts, and ensuring that all tags have been generated.
The rules that Promis.e’s engineering design considerations are based on are integrated with the existing Hatch Mott MacDonald Quality Environment and Safety (QES) standards. SQL Server and ProjectWise integration and roll-out- A significant element of the system is its integration with ProjectWise, enabling the sharing of project drawings. Multiple users can access the Promis.e project database, the ‘single source of truth’, through the SQL Server located at Hatch Mott MacDonald’s corporate headquarters. Supporting a whole new way of working Bentley’s Promis.e adds intelligence into the Hatch Mott MacDonald’s design process using 2D schematics and 3D models, ensuring that designs conform to client standards as they progress. “As Promis.e users draw wires, they automatically populate databases with information that the software uses downstream in the design process. Users create wire tags and cable schedules without realising it,” says Henderson. The system allows designers to leverage information mobility to develop all client deliverables, and 19
TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT as a result, Hatch Mott MacDonald designs hold an abundance of information never before seen in rail signal design. With each component placed into a drawing, a bill of material is created automatically along with associated project estimates and updated budgets. The solution significantly reduces design time, improves accuracy, and enables both collaboration and standardisation across projects.
performance, and power consumption of a piece of equipment, is business critical. Henderson adds: “Eventually, all equipment will need upgrading or replacement. New components must conform to all the original requirements and current legislation. Without access to information you can trust, wherever and whenever you need it, it becomes very difficult to effectively and efficiently operate and maintain the asset.”
BIM delivers downstream value The BIM methodology also provides the potential for information gathered during the planning and design phase to feed and combine with additional project and asset data collected during construction, and deliver greater value downstream. Spatial and contextual information that might include design codes used and current legislation, can be used during construction to accurately define and record what has been built on site and therefore requires maintenance into the future. For owner operators, access to this type of information, which might include anything from size and location, to manufacturer,
Realising the benefits Hatch Mott MacDonald has started to see a return on investment in terms of quality, flexibility, and interdisciplinary operability. “Using this technology will allow us to drive our already very-high level of quality to a level that just can’t be matched,” says Henderson. “We can also react to scope and design changes with relative ease, and to a degree not seen anywhere else in this industry.” Hatch Mott MacDonald expects a 50 percent reduction in time spent on the first level of its design workflow, which will translate into a 20 percent cost reduction at modular design locations. Modular designs typically account for roughly 80 percent of
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TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT
“Using this technology will allow us to drive our already veryhigh level of quality to a level that just can’t be matched”
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the overall design plan sets on a given project. The automation tools apply site specific information and equipment virtually eliminating the human error factor associated with the repetitive work within standard CAD template. Henderson comments: “An additional 25 percent reduction in design checking time during the second level of the design process is expected, which will translate into a 28 percent cost reduction. Add in the time saved by automating a project’s BOM, and given that a large signalling project could include up to 200 design locations, the potential overall cost reduction of up to 35 percent per rail
signal design location is significant.” Integrated Apps Promote Innovative Offering Hatch Mott MacDonald also explored the use of Bentley Navigator, Navigator Mobile, and ProjectWise Worksite within the team to review, analyse, and communicate its designs through i-models. Project stakeholders can use i-models to share information across the team securely and accurately. As well as enabling greater project insight, the use of integrated apps allows Hatch Mott MacDonald to further demonstrate the value of its innovative offering to existing and potential clients using iPads for fieldwork and the potential for
new or non-traditional deliverables. Hatch Mott MacDonald’s practice leader rail and transit, Nathan Higgins, P Eng, PE, PMP, says: “Bentley’s Promis.e has enabled Hatch Mott MacDonald to make a paradigm shift in design methodology, thereby saving owners time and money while providing innovative services and ensuring quality.” In addition, by integrating rail signal designs with the 3D civil engineering design models, the company can achieve its goal of moving toward a multi-disciplinary design process in a 3D framework – and ultimately to a 5D framework that incorporates time and cost.
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TOP TEN
Top 10 most expensive buildings in the world Construction rarely comes cheap, but here are the most expensive builds that the world has to offer Written by: Tilly Sweet
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TOP TEN
ABRAJ AL BAIT, MECCA, SAUDI ARABIA US$15BN
At a height of 601 metres, Abraj Al Bait is the tallest hotel in the world, with a floor area of 1,500,000 square metres and a 100,000-person capacity. Also known as the Makkah Royal Clock Tower, the complex was designed by Lebanon based architectural group Dar Al-Handasah and features the world’s tallest and largest clock, standing at a height of 530 metres and measuring 43 metres in diameter, and said to be visible from over 30km away. The upper portion of the clock tower was designed by German architecture firm SL Rasch, and also features a 23-metre-high crescent constructed of fibreglass-backed mosaic gold.
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MARINA BAY SANDS, MARINA BAY, SINGAPORE US$5.50BN
At a construction cost of US$5.50bn, Marina Bay Sans is the most expensive resort ever built. The construction consists of three connected 55 story towers and is situated in an area of 38 acres, with the building billed as the world’s most expensive standalone casino. Construction was completed in 2010, one year later than planned due to escalating material costs and a shortage of workers, and was overseen by Ssangyong Engineering and Construction contractors, with design by Moshe Safdie. The architecture and design of the resort were all approved by feng shui consultants.
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RESORTS WORLD SENTOSA, SINGAPORE US$4.93BN The Resorts World Sentosa development, built by Malaysian conglomerate Genting Group, consists of hotels, casino, and a number of entertainment attractions such as the Universal Studios theme park. The resort’s integrated oceanarium occupies an area of 20 acres and is the largest in the world, with over 100,000 animals of more than 800 species. Although initial construction was completed in 2009, the Resorts World Sentosa has continued to expand, including the addition of The Marine Life Park in November 2012. 28
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MOST EXPENSIVE BUILDINGS IN THE WORLD
04 EMIRATES PALACE, ABU DHABI, UAE US$3.90BN Opened in 2005 and designed by British architect John Elliot, the seven star Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi serves as the official guest palace of Abu Dhabi Government and spans a total of 850,000 square metres. The palace, which was constructed as a way of showcasing Arabian culture and luxurious hospitality, reportedly includes 110,000 m3 of 13 different types of marble from China, India, Italy, and Spain, and 1002 Swarovski crystal chandeliers.
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COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS VEGAS, LAS VEGAS, US, US$3.90BN
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is a luxury casino and hotel resort on the Las Vegas Strip, consisting of two high rise towers both standing at 184 metres tall. Although built by Germany-based banking company Duetsche Bank, it was later sold to NY based Blackstone Group Corporation for US$1.73bn, less than half its original construction price of US$3.90bn. Despite its prime location and gaming credentials, the resort is still considered something of a financial failure after originally going bankrupt in 2008.
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ONE WORLD TRADE CENTRE, NEW YORK, US US$3.80BN
The One World Trade Centre in New York City, known commonly as the ‘Freedom Tower’, was completed in 2013 to replace and commemorate the twin towers of the original World Trade Centre, which fell during the 9/11 attack. As well as serving as a stark reminder of the original Twin Towers, the Freedom Tower also serves as an industrial hub, connecting to eleven NYC subways and housing 71 floors of office space. The steel and concrete frame was designed by architect David Childs, and also features a 9/11 commemorative museum and 55,000 square foot of retail space. 31
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WYNN RESORT, LAS VEGAS, US US$2.70BN Covering an area of 615 acres, the US$2.70bn Wynn Resort is the sixth largest hotel in the world. Named after casino developer Steve Wynn, the resort has won several accolades, including AAA five diamond, Mobil five-star, Forbes five-star, and Michelin five-star rating. The Wynn also features several resort ‘firsts’, such as being the first Las Vegas casino to feature a car dealership and being the first to combine both a room key and casino frequent-player card into a single card. The development, which was first announced in August 2001 and completed construction in 2005, is also set to expand in 2020 with the addition of Wynn Paradise Park at an estimated cost of US$1.5bn, including an additional hotel property and a lagoon spanning 35 acres. 32
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VENETIAN MACAU, MACAU, CHINA, $2.40BN
Located directly opposite No. 9 in this list, City of Dreams, The Venetian Macau is the largest casino in the world, and also the seventh-largest building in the world by floor area. The resort, which officially opened on 28 August 2007, features 550,000 square feet of casino space with 3,400 slot machines, 800 gambling tables, and a 15,000 seat CotaiArena for hosting entertainment and sporting events. Designed by renowned architectural firms Aedas and HKS, Inc, the resort is renowned for luxury and exuberance, particularly its Presidente Paiza 12-bay, four-bedroom suite.
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CITY OF DREAMS, MACAU, CHINA US$2.40BN The US$2.40bn City of Dreams merges hotel with casino and is styled as a podium with four towers: Crown Towes Hotel, the Hard Rock Hotel, and the Grand Hyatt Macau (which spans two towers). The three floored podium features over 200 shopping facilities and 420,000 square foot of casino space. As part of The City of Dreams development a fifth tower is currently being constructed, headed by architect Zaha Hadid, which is due for completion in 2017. The construction will span 40 floors and will include approximately 780 guest rooms, suites, and sky villas.
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PRINCESS TOWER, DUBAI, UAE US$2.17BN
As of May 2012, the 414-metre-high Princess Tower in Dubai is the tallest residential building in the world, according to the Guinness World Records. Next to the infamous Burj Khalifa, it is the second tallest building in Dubai, and features 763 residential units including one, two, and three bed apartments, duplexes, and high-quality penthouses. Construction on Princess Tower, owned by Tameer Holding Investment, began in 2006 and was completed in July 2012.
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Escalating innovation Written by: Alice Young Produced by: Craig Daniels
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SCHINDLER MIDDLE-EAST
Having grown from a company with almost 150 years of experience, Schindler Middle East is poised to dominate its target markets backed up by a number of innovations
F
or almost 150 years, Swissbased Schindler has been a world leader for elevators, escalators and moving walks. With a reach that spans roughly 100 countries and over 1,000 offices, the company has operated in the MENA region for seven years and previously with distributors. As skyscrapers were erected all across the region in the wake of the oil boom, Schindler Middle East was perfectly positioned to deliver its long-standing expertise. Far from complacent, the company is focused on fine-tuning its competitive strategy, expanding territorially and developing its talent base.
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MIDDLE EAST
Operations Schindler’s remit covers the manufacture, installation, and servicing of elevators, escalators and moving walks, as well as the added ability to modernise legacy installations. As well as delivering the most high-tech engineering in the industry, the company also specialises in providing building transit solutions in line with the latest safety and reliability standards. Through a series of offices, distributors, warehouses and affiliates, Schindler Middle East has operations in Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, Oman, and Jordan. All told, the region is served by seven main branches and six distributors, as well as training centres in Jeddah and Dubai. In order to ensure that this offering consistently delivers for customers, the company has a strong improvement programme in place, which brings together all aspects of its operations, spearheaded by the company’s R&D department.
Matteo Napoli, UAE Managing Director explains: “We have a culture of continuous improvement - we never stop looking for improvements to our operations, our processes, and our products. Mostly we are delivering input related to the field in order to provide continuous feedback on the process, material, and tools so that these can be improved and we can bring more innovation. “Sending information back to our headquarters and every branch in each territory makes us aware of these improvements. We value customer feedback because it pushes us to continuously improve our operations.” Schindler is also in the process of further aligning its distribution channels to more closely meet the needs of its customer base. Not only does a distributor need to make economic sense for the company, it also needs to meet the company’s stringent standards, which includes a particular focus on health and safety.
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Gulf Test Safety Consultancies P.O Box 133143, AbuDhabi, United Arab Emirates T: +971 2 5575244 | F: +971 2 5575883 P.O Box 184518, Dubai, United Arab Emirates T: +971 4 273 4038 | F: +971 4 273 4039
Gulf Test is currently providing Third party Inspection services of Elevators, Escalators & Loose lifting gear to Schindler UAE. GTS Third Party Inspection services are accredited by Dubai Accreditation Centre (DAC, ILAC Recognized) and ENAS. EHS training services provided by GTS are approved by ACTVET and accredited by NEBOSH, IOSH, NASP, EFR UK, SAIA USA. GTS is approved by AD EHS Centre as Grade A, EHS Consultant for the Development and Implementation of EHSMS. Mobile: +971 52 909 7149 | Web Site: www.gulftest.org | Email: sales@gulftest.org
Your imagination our design Specialist manufacturers of components and fixtures to enhance the elevator appearance inside and out, Dewhurst design and develop products that meet the strict requirements of architects, consultants and property owners.
New Product Guide can be downloaded from our website:
www.dewhurst.co.uk
For our New Product Guide or for further information please contact: Neil Gardner
Sales Director Middle East
UK +44 7584 216 759 UAE +971 55 159 8551 ngardner@dewhurst.co.uk
Dewhurst UK Manufacturing Ltd Unit 9, Hampton Business Park Hampton Road West, Feltham TW13 6DB United Kingdom UK +44 20 8744 8200
MIDDLE EAST
Philippe Boue Managing Director Schindler Middle East Philippe has been working for Schindler for the last 18 years and has served Schindler organisation in multiple roles in France, China and lately in Japan. At his current position Philippe leads the Middle East Region. w w w. s c h i n d l e r. c o m
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‘The Solar Impulse project aims to develop long-range, solar powered aircraft; 2015 saw the longest solar powered flight in history between Abu Dhabi and Hawaii’ Talent management Schindler’s industry necessitates that its 3,000 Middle East employees are not only well-trained in health and safety measures, but also a variety of essential technical skills, which is why the company has developed a robust talent management programme. Alongside its holistic training protocols, Schindler also enables its employees to progress to new levels of responsibility. Alongside pathways to senior management, members of the workforce are also able to develop their expertise across the company and specialise in a variety of fields. Philippe Boue, Schindler’s Middle East Managing Director explains: “Our business is a
people business, especially when it comes to maintenance. We developed management systems to make sure that our field technicians are safe and that they live the values of our company.” He adds that Schindler combines its years of experience with the latest best practices: “We make a distinction between technical training and general training. Everything related to technical training is done in house. We have more almost 150 years of history, expertise, and experience that is passed on in training courses but when it comes to new innovations or general training we use a mix of in-house and external. When it comes to training for our leaders and senior
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SCHINDLER MIDDLE-EAST
Do Different
Akcura MetalCrafters is one of the top Elevator interior manufacturing companies in the UAE serving UAE and Middle East markets. Our speciality is Stainless steel, Wood, Glass, Stone, wall covering and Leather interiors for the Elevators and Escalators. Tel: +971 4 2592533 Email: info@akcurametalcrafters.com akcura@eim.ae www.akcurametalcrafters.com
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executives we may often source technical training from business schools to get fresh views.� The company still bears the surname of co-founder Robert Schindler and, as Napoli explains, retains a strong sense of identity: “This is very peculiar market compared to many others in the rest of the world, because we are all basically expatriates. One of the most important
MIDDLE EAST
values is that we are a family company and we want employees to feel part of the Schindler family. “To attract, retain and motivate our employees we have a solid training plan, which encourages job rotation; we have a retention plan for loyal employees company with a rewards package.” Competitive strategy Many companies would become complacent with such an established and developed offering as Schindler, but it is keen to
remain in control of its destiny and therefore has a number of initiatives in place to keep ahead of its competition. An example of this is its willingness to utilise technology to facilitate communication; via its Field Link platform, engineers are able to utilise mobile technology to order parts and liaise with the company call centre. Napoli adds: “Technology is, of course, a clear success factor in our operations to differentiate our product and services from the competition. Lately, we have invested a lot in terms of digitalisation. “We have
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SCHINDLER MIDDLE-EAST
embraced the digital world and we now see technology as more than just tools or gadgets - we are really focused on embedding our processes to make us more efficient and more competitive.” The company, Boue explains, is also in the process of refining some of its supply chain processes in order to operate more efficiently: “We are also working on continuous improvement programs for our subcontractors in order to deliver the best quality for every single project.” Always keen to keep abreast of future technologies, Schindler Middle East is engaged in a number of innovative, high-profile ventures. Most prominent of these is the Solar Impulse project which aims to develop long-range, solar powered aircraft; 2015 saw
the longest solar powered flight in history between Abu Dhabi and Hawaii. The company has also been instrumental in the development of a solar powered elevator, which will enable businesses to seamlessly reduce their carbon footprints. Schindler Middle East has developed an already strong presence in a region that has experienced substantial growth, and it is set to continue on this trajectory. Having invested considerable time and resources in ensuring that the business is firmly in line with the demands of its customers, the company has been able to demonstrate to the world that it is home to some of the most talented and innovative engineers on the planet, and that its position is very much secured for years to come.
Number of employees
3,000
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Matteo Napoli Managing Director Schindler UAE Matteo Napoli holds a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Management, from the University “Politecnico di Milano”. In 2009, he joined Schindler in Italy. Since then, Matteo has served in various roles, starting with sales in Italy, then becoming the executive assistant to the Deputy CEO in Spain, to continue as a project manager in the UAE. He is currently the managing director of UAE.
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Cementi
ing the supply chain Written by: Nell Walker
Produced by: Heykel Ouni 49
A L S A F WA C E M E N T C O M PA N Y ( A S C C )
Riad Bestani, Supply Chain Director of Alsafwa Cement, describes the positive effect his procurement overhaul has had on the prestigious company
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2008
The year that ASCC was founded
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lsafwa is a joint venture between four partners, with half of them private and half public, the former being two industrial partners – LafargeHolcim, the world leader in the building materials industry, and El Khayyat, a red brick manufacturer. Based in Saudi Arabia, this cluster of companies has led to Alsafwa becoming a trusted and respected company across the GCC, to the point that it plans to double capacity by 2017. Riad Bestani, the CPO of Alsafwa’s cement arm, joined the company in 2013 after many years of procurement experience. This familiarity with the industry means that he is well aware of the safety issues of providing cement in a region like Saudi Arabia, even outside the company’s property. “Road safety is a real challenge in this part of the world,” he says, “and Alsafwa people need to drive back and forth more than 300km per day. One of the things we’ve done to ensure the best health and safety conditions for our staff is reducing the travelling hazards for them by
MIDDLE EAST
providing buses, in addition to adequate accommodation onsite for the majority of plant staff. Our plant is far from town, so the least we can do is reduce risks by making sure our employees get back home safe and sound. ” The processes involved in creating cement – grinding stone, burning it (up to 1400 degrees Celsius) until it’s liquefied, and grinding again into a powder – involves behaviors and practices that can be dangerous if they are not properly anticipated and secured.
The company ensures strict control of every situation to guarantee safety procedures are followed. “The quarry area we have onsite has a very tough mountain topography, and working on it is very complex,” Bestani explains. “We need to drill, to blast materials, vehicles need to go up and down, and we need excavators to ensure full control over falling rocks. Geomining experts that have visited our quarry warned us on the high numbers of hazards that have to be monitored and anticipated. We have
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As a leader in fabrication, maintenance and erection service of heavy industrial plants, INTERMAINT has the human , technical resources , the depth of know-how and experience to help clients achieve success domestically and overseas. Address: P.O.Box 325591 Riyadh 11371 | Tel: +966 11 47 622 30 | Fax: + 966 11 29 16 798. | Email: hesham@intermaint.net | Website: www.intermaint.net
WORN THE REST, NOW USE THE BEST Aceros y Suministros, founded in 1951, is a company specialized in manufacturing and supplying steel wear parts for the cement &mining industries. Offering impact, abrasion, corrosion and high temperature resistant steels, to suit different working conditions and processes such as crushing, grinding, pyroprocessing and material handling. Our products are of the highest quality and meet the most demanding technical requirements.
Contact: www.acerosysuministros.com cement@acerosysuministros.com
MIDDLE EAST
strict safety exigencies towards our suppliers working on-site, and our employees make sure health and safety requirements are being fulfilled. “We have to be very careful, so we assess suppliers to ensure they understand our safety procedures. We train them, and we refresh that training regularly. We make checks and audits across every level, and really these are basic requirements. Lives are at stake. When a safety problem appears, everyone is empowered to stop it and report it for deep analysis of its root causes. We have company-wide reviews with health and safety committees which makes sure we’re implementing the action plans.” When Bestani joined the company, one of his main missions was to create a proper process for procurement activity and build a structured procurement organisation. Due to a growing market and a high number of job opportunities, one challenge in Saudi Arabia – and across the GCC – is employees’ tendency to quickly move on, especially the younger generation, making it challenging to acquire and retain the right staff. Bestani immediately brought on board new people for his team composed of trusted connections he had made during his career, and he ensured the existing team was properly positioned for tasks they fitted into. “It’s about networking, putting together the right organisation, delegating to people in
“We are one of the very few, if not the only company to be using alternative fuel in the cement industry” – Riad Bestani, Supply Chain Director of Alsafwa Cement
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A L S A F WA C E M E N T C O M PA N Y ( A S C C )
300
The number of ASCC employees
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key areas, and building trust with people you believe can bring you the performance. The procurement team was split into three groups – industrial sourcing, general services sourcing, and performance activities, which give you the performance and evaluation of the way you’re managing your supply chain. We track a number of KPIs among the suppliers, assessing their performance, cost reduction for main strategic suppliers, and lead time between requests and orders as well as spend coverage.” Bestani spent two years implementing a task force composed of people from main interacting departments of the company – plant, finance, and IT – making sure they worked intelligently and understood what their individual responsibilities were. It has meant enormous progress in terms of procurement, but it is a continuous task to keep people trained and engaged in their job role. Bestani explains: “I had to drive far-reaching changes. It’s not easy to accept that there are hurdles to overcome and a lot of convincing that
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A L S A F WA C E M E N T C O M PA N Y ( A S C C )
needed to happen, but in the end it was worth the effort, and it’s been quite positive with results translating to some big savings. Saudi having such a high employee turnover is challenging, so you have to stick with your managers to understand how to overcome the situation and to retain the talent.” Saudisation is being heavily promoted in the country, and involves retaining as much
business as possible in the Kingdom itself. The rule in Saudi is that if a foreign company wants to invest, it has to be making a partnership with a local company. It is also required that investors procure obligations depending on the sector – for cement, there has to be a minimum level of Saudisation. “HR, for example, needs to be Saudi national,” Bestani says. “The minimum general Saudisation in our sector needs to be 12 percent, and we have 49 percent
Efficient Operation Through Quality Lubrication
C OM N ISDTDRLUEC ET A IO SN T
as of today. It gives us all kinds of advantages; there’s a sort of mileage card and the more Saudi nationals you have on board, the more you can get loans and subsidies from banks and the government. It’s a great incentive.” The company also tries hard to increase female employees number into work, since national law allows it only in specific areas. Alsafwa hired its first female employee in 2010, and Bestani is pleased to have contributed in his department last year with the first female in procurement: “I’m proud of being able to do that, because it’s challenging, since women have a long way to go to gain access to the job market. We hire most of them into entry positions and train them up for better opportunities later on.” The cement business in Saudi Arabia is enormous; the nation produces 50-60 million tons a year, compared with the US which creates 75 million tons with ten times the population. Most of the companies that produce it are 20-30 years old, and the way Alsafwa’s cement business differentiates itself is through innovation and sustainability. “We focus a lot on innovative solutions. Oil is becoming a scarcer commodity, so we’re looking at alternative fuels, and we’re working with municipalities and utilities companies who are eager to develop more environmentally-friendly use of energy through waste management
“Saudi having such a high employee turnover is challenging, so you have to stick with your managers to understand how to overcome the situation” – Riad Bestani, Supply Chain Director of Alsafwa Cement
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A L S A F WA C E M E N T C O M PA N Y ( A S C C )
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and recycling initiatives. This is one of the great advantages the LafargeHolcim group has in terms of developing solutions. “Its highly state-of-the-art research center in Lyon, France, allows different business units of the group around the world to benefit from its knowledge and experts in key practices. However, the move is very slow here, and it takes a while to get approvals. It requires a lot of involvement, patience, and commitment to achieve what we want to. We are one of the very few, if not the only company to be using alternative fuel in the cement industry.” The company’s motto is ‘think global, act local’, and Bestani is keen to stand out from other Saudi businesses with Alsafwa’s unique approach: “The support we get from the group in terms of worldwide supplier panel and Best Cost Countries solutions – a platform based in China helping to source alternatively to European brands – is definitely giving us a step ahead compared to competition, and we always need to keep that advantage. “In two years’ time, we are not going to be doing procurement the same way. Procurement evolves with the needs, and sustainability will change with it. This procurement department wasn’t always making use of all these advantages, and I’ve had to adapt it to bring it up-to-date. Business isn’t static; we’ll be improving all the time.”
500m Riyal ASCC’s annual revenue
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in DOWN
The ch
Writt
NTOWN SAN DIEGO
hallenges and benefits of the Gaslamp District’s latest luxury destination, the Pendry San Diego
ten by: Sasha Orman Produced by: Tom Venturo
D AV I S R E E D C O N S T R U C T I O N I N C : P E N D RY H O T E L P R O J E C T
Westin Desert Willow in Palm Desert, CA - surrounded by lush greens from the muni
davisREED is in the top 200 general contractors with seven locations nationwide and 14 years in the business. davisREED believes in preserving the values of a small company while having the power, breadth, and strength to match any 62
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of the larger firms. Its breadth of experience spans five-star resorts to public works, with senior leadership overseeing every project to ensure added value and flawless execution.
C O N S T R U C TUI O SN A
icipal golf course
From its shops and restaurants to Petco Park and a convention center overlooking the Marina, Downtown San Diego is a vibrant hub of culture, commerce and tourism that has expanded and modernized rapidly over the past decade. The
city is still on the rise, with projects like the Pendry Hotel elevating San Diego’s Gaslamp District even further as a top nightlife and travel destination. Designed by ACRM Architects, w w w. d a v i s re e d i n c . c o m
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D AV I S R E E D C O N S T R U C T I O N I N C : P E N D RY H O T E L P R O J E C T
Hilton Waterfront currently under constructionday’s work begins
and developed by The Robert Green Company, the Pendry San Diego will be the first entry in a new ultra-modern and style-oriented luxury imprint from Montage Hotels & Resorts. To ensure the success of this $135 million flagship project, The Robert Green Company has entrusted its production to the design-build and construction specialists at davisREED. The right contractors for a complex project “Lifestyle hotels are generally 64
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known for their vibrant lobbies, bars and F&B, but not for their service or guest rooms,” said Montage Hotels & Resorts CEO Alan Fuerstman, when announcing the concept behind Pendry San Diego and the Pendry Hotels experience. “We’re going to combine the two. We’re going to have very active and exciting public spaces, coupled with a luxury experience in the guest rooms.” The architecture reflects this concept, with a design intended to evoke a blend of “London hip, New
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Hotel Solamar in San Diego Gaslamp - neighbor to the new Pendry
York-paced and California healthy.” The 15-story Pendry San Diego will feature 317 guest rooms—including 36 customized suites—as well as two restaurants, a lounge and beer hall , a fitness center, spa, 3rd level pool deck, and 22,000 square feet of meeting space. This concept also extends to the exterior design, an eclectic combination of contrasting plaster and brickwork facades to create an illusion of several buildings within the single structure. Proper execution of this design requires the right contracting firm—
one with the experience and funding to handle a complex large-scale hospitality project, but the flexibility and creativity of a lean and hungry upstart. This is the space in which davisREED Construction Inc. excels. “We’re not just out there doing cookie cutter projects,” said Mike Lyons, Project Manager for the Pendry San Diego project. “We’re a small contractor that does big and complex projects. We have small focused teams, but we do a lot of work and we like to take on projects w w w. d a v i s re e d i n c . c o m
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D AV I S R E E D C O N S T R U C T I O N I N C : P E N D RY H O T E L P R O J E C T
like this that are challenging.”
Key Personnel
Derek Davis President Derek Davis is president and shareholder of davisREED Construction. In this capacity he will provide the team with overall and executive oversight from Notice to Proceed through Contract Closeout. Derek has more than 30 years of experience leading the preconstruction, estimating, and cost modeling on numerous hospitality projects throughout the United States. Over the last decade, he has concentrated his energies on luxury projects, such as Four Seasons Palo Alto, Ritz Carlton in Rancho Mirage and the Biltmore in Santa Barbara, as well as various multi-family and concrete podium projects.
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Emphasizing safety in a busy cityscape Thousands of people walk the streets of San Diego’s Gaslamp District, and that number increases exponentially during special events—and the city’s hospitable weather means that events are happening often, from Padres games to Mardi Gras to San Diego Comic-Con. Working in a tight area surrounded by pedestrian activity, davisREED faces significant safety challenges. The contracting team looks to efficiencies like prefabricated plumbing fixtures, panelized exterior walls that are constructed offsite. We also utilize third party safety inspection services to make certain that safety is kept at the forefront. “If you do safety in house, a lot of times you may not really be looking as close as you need to, so we outsource our safety inspections to keep us on our toes,” said Lyons, explaining that those whole project inspections started out every two
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weeks and have increased as the project becomes more complex nearer to completion. “Then we’re very active in not only just going through the reports and looking at the findings of our third party inspectors, but also taking it to a point of responding and closing out those reports to make sure we’re doing everything we can to be safe,” he added. “We haven’t had major problems on the project with safety, because we’re constantly looking at it.” Working with the city Safety also requires careful coordination with subcontractors, trade partners, the city and surrounding businesses to keep construction on schedule without disturbing special events taking place downtown. “The ball park did not want us pouring concrete on day games,’” Lyons explained. We also had to avoid street activities during major convention center events or Gaslamp street parties like Marti
Key Personnel
Dan Dalry Executive Vice President Dan Dalry has more than 30 years of experience leading the preconstruction, estimating, and cost modeling on numerous hospitality projects throughout California. Over the last decade, he has concentrated his energies on luxury projects, such as Four Seasons Palo Alto, Ritz Carlton in Rancho Mirage and the Biltmore in Santa Barbara. Dan is adept at building strong professional relationships with owners, clients, engineers, designers, and subcontractors in order to facilitate a professional and open process as well as to deliver a quality structure.
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D AV I S R E E D C O N S T R U C T I O N I N C : P E N D RY H O T E L P R O J E C T
“If you do safety in h you may not really be you need to, so we o inspections to kee
– Mike Lyons, Senio
C O N S T R U C TUI O SN A
house, a lot of times e looking as close as outsource our safety ep us on our toes�
or Project Manager
D AV I S R E E D C O N S T R U C T I O N I N C : P E N D RY H O T E L P R O J E C T
Key Personnel
Gras “So we’ve got our calendar marked up with events, and we try to optimize the sequence our work so that, for example, we have a pour date on Thursday because Friday we can’t be out there. That’s been a challenge, going through the calisthenics of addressing the needs of the people that occupy the areas where we’re working.”
Erik Kissner Vice President Dennis Stephan is a Professional Engineer who has more than 30 years of experience leading the pre-construction, estimating, and cost modeling on numerous projects throughout Northern California. Dennis is adept at building strong professional relationships with owners, clients, engineers, designers, and subcontractors in order to facilitate a professional and open process as well as to deliver a quality structure. His guidance during the procurement and preconstruction stages has resulted in clients saving more than $17 million in construction costs.
SEATTLE | PORTLAND | OAKLAND | LOS ANGELES | SAN DIEGO
Condon-Johnson & Associates is a leader in geotechnical construction on the West Coast and are underpinned by their core values of being a reliable, innovative, and honest family-owned Construction Company. Contact George Burrough: Tel 858-530-9165 or gburrough@condon-johnson.com
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C O N S T R U C TUI O SN A
But davisREED has risen to that challenge, even when staying on schedule means working overtime and increasing manpower to overcome the delays of city work. “Every once in a while we have to spend a little and work overtime to make a pour a day sooner,” said Lyons. “But we’d rather spend that money and pull forward than lose days.”
Company Information NAME
DavisREED Construction Inc: Pendry Hotel Project INDUSTRY
A future for the Gaslamp
Hotel construction/ contracting
This dedication and careful planning has paid off, with the Pendry San Diego on track for completion and additional restaurant build-outs by mid-November.
HEADQUARTERS
12250 El Camino Real, Suite 325, San Diego, CA, USA, 92130
“It fills a gap in the middle of downtown—it’s smack dab in the middle of the Gaslamp district, two blocks to the convention center and two blocks to the ball park,” said Lyons. “It’s kind of a standout here in the middle of downtown, a building this size. It’s a place to come and enjoy all the entertainment and it’s a really key focal point of downtown San Diego, a cornerstone that’s going to connect it all.”
FOUNDED
2002 EMPLOYEES
75 BUDGET
$ 80 million
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A NEW FUTUR
for the VA LOMA LIN
HEALTHCARE SYST
How Walsh Construction is helping VA Loma Linda achieve a standard of veteran health care via the new Ambulatory Care Written by: Sasha Orman Produced by: Tom Venturo
RE
NDA
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a higher Center
WA L S H C O N S T R U C T I O N L O M A L I N D A VA H O S P I TA L
Walsh Construction is a 118year old family-owned company providing design, build, finance, operation and outfitting services. The company operates across 19 regional offices and is ranked as the 5th largest healthcare general contractor by Modern Healthcare. 74
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In California’s Inland Empire, an important health care service upgrade is underway. In 2013 the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) started work on a new major health care facility—a 271,000 square foot Ambulatory Care Center (ACC) for the VA’s Loma
C O N S T R U C TUI O SN A
Linda campus—by selecting Walsh Construction Company (Walsh) as its general contracting and design-build firm. With cutting edge technology and innovative design, the ACC is poised to stand as a new model of healthcare standards in the VA system.
A one-stop shop for VA health care The ACC will drastically expand the scope of the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System (VA Loma Linda), providing a facility built specifically with outpatient care w w w. w a l s h g ro u p . c o m
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WA L S H C O N S T R U C T I O N L O M A L I N D A VA H O S P I TA L
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in mind. The completed structure will be equipped with cutting-edge MRI and CT imaging technology, equipment for laparoscopic and endoscopic surgery, and top shelf tools for outpatient procedures such as dental and oral surgery, along with comprehensive medical and dental training for staff at the top of their game. With further space for primary care, general dentistry, physical medicine and rehabilitation, the completed ACC aims to be a one-stop shop to meet
the needs of outpatient veterans. “These services are not being provided currently for our veterans, with the VA having to outsource them to many other different services within the Inland Empire,” says Michael Zari, Walsh’s California Program Manager. “Now they are all being consolidated into one area, and using state-of-the-art, bestof-the-best equipment to provide these services.”
“Even though we have business groups, we don’t work in silos—we work hand-in-hand with all business lines, and that collaboratively lends itself to a better project,” – Michael Zari, Walsh’s California Program Manager
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WA L S H C O N S T R U C T I O N L O M A L I N D A VA H O S P I TA L
Moving outpatient care to the ACC will also benefit VA Loma Linda as a whole, allowing the existing site to expand its inpatient, specialist and emergency services—and with expanded parking and shuttle services, the two medical centers will be tightly connected. With these facilities operational, the VA moves closer to ensuring that veterans are able to receive the treatment they need, when they need it most. 78
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High tech for higher standards Technology is a theme throughout the ACC project. With various mobile devices, workers are able to complete working logs and daily reports on site. Then with the help of tech-based programs, BlueBeam and SharePoint, the Walsh team is able to welcome collaboration with subcontractors and partners at every step of the building process.
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“Everything’s in live mode, so once it’s uploaded everyone can see what’s going on: RFIs, drawings, updates,” says Zari. “We perform our punch list on BlueBeam, and that punch list is then shared immediately. It goes out to a list of recipients that were involved in that room, or that section of the building. It’s streamlining the process, and it’s very helpful for the trade partners as well as for the Walsh team.”
Finding human interest in workplace safety “Safety is our main priority,” Zari says. Walsh emphasizes that with a number of techniques like safety checklists, Friday staff safety lunches, and devices intended to transform safety in relatable reality. “We have family boards where we all put pictures of our families,” w w w. w a l s h g ro u p . c o m
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WA L S H C O N S T R U C T I O N L O M A L I N D A VA H O S P I TA L
says Zari. “Our trade partners and subcontractors have also participated, and we say: those are the reasons why we work safe and are going home safe. We post these in public areas to remind everybody of the fact that people are going home back to their families and loved ones—that this is just a job and we need to keep them safe.” The success of this effort speaks for itself. By the start of April, Walsh had accrued 500,000 man hours on the Loma Linda VA project without accident or injury. “Not even a band-aid,” Zari adds. “That’s absolutely incredible, and that’s something to be celebrated.” Insightful design The ACC is also incorporating an assortment of thoughtful design and aesthetic elements, with a consideration to sustainability that extends throughout the construction process. “We’re striving to be as net zero and friendly to the environment as possible,” says Zari, noting that Walsh has implemented such 80
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measures as full sorting of ferrous and non-ferrous materials from the project’s start. “It’s very easy to achieve in southern California, because a lot of companies are already set up to help us. We track and manage to ensure the items are making it to the right locations.” Highlights of the ACC’s elegant design elements include a buckling restrained brace (BRB) frame system, used to create a lighter and more stable building with higher floor-to-ceiling heights, giving the facility more freedom to move walls and redistribute space in the future. Elsewhere the gravity flow-based HVAC system captures the chill of nighttime temperatures to more efficiently cool the facility during hot desert days, while an emphasis on natural light wherever possible imbues the facility with a calming sense of warmth and comfort. “The view of the mountains is unobstructed—it’s gorgeous, and whenever you can see the outdoors and see beautiful surroundings, it provides you with more of a calm setting,” says Zari. “You get this w w w. w a l s h g ro u p . c o m
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Established in 1965, with 51 years of experience, Circulating Air, Inc. is a full service Mechanical Contracting Firm. As one of the largest union HVAC contractors in Southern California, we have the bonding capability to bid any size project you may have. Circulating Air, Inc has earned a reputation as an integrated organization capable of executing complicated projects on time and within budget.
AIR CONDITIONING HEATING PIPING SHEET METAL
Success‌ By Delivering Outstanding Performance! 7337 Varna Avenue, North Hollywood, CA 91605 fax 818.982.2571 | email info@circulatingair.com
818-764-0530
www.circulatingair.com
From the fundamentals of plumbing to the most complex systems, H.L. Moe Co., Inc. commits to providing unparalleled service and skill bringing innovation and integrity to each project we complete.
(818) 572-2100 526 Commercial St, Glendale, CA 91203
estimating@moeplumbing.com | www.MoePlumbing.com
USA
Company Information NAME
Walsh Construction Loma Linda VA Hospital INDUSTRY
Construction HEADQUARTERS
929 W. Adams, Chicago, IL, USA FOUNDED
serene feeling when you’re walking in to your appointment. The VA allowed us to be flexible with the base design, and add that in so that the veterans can benefit from it.�
1898 EMPLOYEES
8,000 BUDGET
The Walsh difference
$ 121 million
A project like this requires a contractor that can handle its complexities and understand the importance of its success at a human level. As one of the largest family-owned general contractors in North America, with significant healthcare experience, Walsh Construction has the proven capabilities and experience to successfully deliver this project to the VA.
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BUILDING VALUE With industry leading capabilities and the support of a new parent company, John Holland is poised for an exciting new future Written by: Sasha Orman | Produced by: Vince Kielty 85
JOHN HOLLAND GROUP
I
n Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia, John Holland has become synonymous with quality engineering and contracting. For more than 65 years, the company has been dedicated to delivering exceptional results in the building, engineering, and rail sectors. GROW TH John Holland and its new owner, China Communications Construction Company International Holding Limited (CCCI), have set the ambitious target of doubling the size of the Australian company within five years. With a new business model already in place, strengthened by a new Development & Investments arm, the company is moving in an exciting new direction. CEO, Glenn Palin, says John Holland had a proud history of delivering major infrastructure for Australia: “That will continue to be an extremely important focus for us, but we are also moving in a new and exciting direction. We now have a business that can provide value across the entire 86
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infrastructure and property cycle.” Palin said the business would focus on: • Being an integrated solution for governments. • Further developing vertically integrated businesses to provide a ‘total solution service.’ • Proactively generating
C O N SATURSUTCRTAILOI N A
business growth through Development & Investment opportunities. • Leveraging the global technology links and supply chain ability with CCCC. As further evidence of their commitment to international growth, John Holland has recently
opened a South East Asian office in Singapore. “We have just opened a South East Asian Office, located in Singapore, testament to our on the ground project experience, along with a promising pipeline of work and excellent potential for growth,” says Palin. w w w. j o h n h o l l a n d . c o m . a u
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Can handle it. Fredon is proud to be associated with the following John Holland projects: 1 Parramatta Square, Western Sydney University Abercrombie Precinct, University of Sydney Creative Industries Precinct, Queensland University of Technology Perth Children’s Hospital
QUEENSLAND
NEW SOUTH WALES
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
VICTORIA
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
NORTHERN TERRITORY
NEW ZEALAND
AUSTRALIA
NEW FINANCIAL STRENGTH The launch of a new Development & Investments Group (D&I) is a critical step change for the future of the business. D&I will drive new business opportunities in property development and infrastructure, public-private partnerships (PPP) and concessions as well as exploring M&A prospects. John Holland already has considerable experience with PPP, working on a number of successful projects such as the Southbank
SUPPLIER PROFILE
Education and Training Precinct in Queensland, Sydney Metro and, more recently, Melbourne’s Ravenhall Prison redevelopment project. John Holland has performed numerous roles on these projects, from design and construction to operations and maintenance. They have also invested equity in projects such Sydney’s Lane Cove Tunnel and EastLink in Victoria and the newly awarded Canberra’s Capital Metro project. “Our D&I Team will work hand in
FREDON
Employees: 900+ Established: 1968 Industry: Electrical, Data & Communications; Heating, Ventilation & Airconditioning; Security & Technology. Services: Construction, Services & Special Projects, Maintenance, Engineering Design, Prefabrication, Integration Ongoing Projects: Health, Defence, Infrastructure, Transport, Community Facilities, Education, Manufacturing, Mining & Resources Accreditations: Quality ISO 9001, Safety AS/NZS 4801, Environment ISO 14001 (Global-Mark) Website: www. fredon.com.au
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CIVIL CONTRACTING BUILDING CONSTRUCTION ASSET MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT EQUIPMENT HIRE
Experiencing consistent growth since its inception in 2010, Monford is now a leading integrated construction service provider of civil contracting, building construction and asset maintenance services for the oil and gas, resources and infrastructure sector nationally. Built “from the ground up” and led by hands-on Managing Director Declan White, Monford’s success stems from its Integrity, quality and streamlined processes – without the bureaucracy. Beyond the generic efficiency, quality, safety, environmentally responsible statements most companies promise, Monford has rigorous processes, strategies and training and education to genuinely deliver projects on time, within budget, safely and sustainably.
Email: info@monfordgroup.com
CONTACT US Sydney Suite 32 Level 5 Nexus Norwest 4 Columbia Court Baulkham Hills, NSW 2153 Ph: 02 8315 7047 Perth 7 Coulson Way Canning Vale, WA 6155 Ph: 08 6365 4507 Karratha 102 Lambden Road Karratha, WA 6714 Ph: 08 6365 4507
MONFORDGROUP.COM
AUSTRALIA
hand with our clients, investing and partnering with them to deliver high quality assets that maximise value,” Palin says, “Our extensive industry experience allows us to support our customers at every stage of the project lifecycle from defining and developing concepts at project conception, to operations and maintenance.” “Our objective is to provide value and innovation to Australia’s infrastructure and property markets.”
SUPPLIER PROFILE
C O L L A B O R AT I O N Working together and sharing ideas often leads to the best results. For this reason, John Holland places a high value on collaboration. The company has partnered with the Australian Institute of Building to offer students opportunities for hands-on experience, and is active with several associations including the Australian Constructors Association and the Green Building Council to promote industry-wide progress and growth.
MONFORD GROUP
Employees: 200 Established: 2010 Industry: Infrastructure, Mining, Oil and Gas Services: Bridges, Buildings, Camps, Earthworks, Land Development, Marine, Pipelines, Precast concrete, Rail, Roads, Utilities, Water Infrastructure Ongoing Projects: Wheatstone LNG, Client John Holland, Value $35M; Nammuldi, Value $14M; Perth Airport & Freight Access, Value $11M; Burswood Stadium Rail, Value $8M; Perth Children’s Hospital Value $4M; Abraham Bridge Value $1.45M; Denmark Waste Water Treatment Plant Value $1M Website: www.monfordgroup.com
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www.agilearbor.com.au
QUALITY ASSURED VEGETATION MANAGEMENT SERVICE Our strong industry reputation is based on 15 years of delivering a quality vegetation management service safely and professionally throughout inland NSW. With an outstanding safety record, our friendly team is trained to handle every possible vegetation management job.
• Removal of dangerous trees, woody weeds, shrubs and regrowth • Fire hazard reduction and fire break maintenance • Access road / track maintenance • Geo-technical maintenance and rock grooming • Hydro-mulching / seeding • Equipment hire
344 Limekilns Rd, Bathurst NSW 2795 | Ph: 02 6334 2544 | Email: info@agilearbor.com.au
FleetPlus is a leading fleet leasing and fleet management company in Australia and New Zealand. For businesses both big and small, we specialise in providing vehicle solutions tailored to our customers’ requirements including: • Operating Leases • Fleet Management • Novated Leasing • Salary Packaging +61 2 8398 9050
enquiries@fleetplus.com.au
Level 6, 601 Pacific Highway, St Leonards, NSW 2065
www.fleetplus.com.au FleetPlus Pty Ltd ABN 59 099 217 320
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John Holland also works together with strategic technology partners to improve internal processes— like its web-based Project Pack Web system, to increase mobility and empower employees to be productive from any location and in turn enhance further collaboration with clients. “We’re empowering people in IT to connect directly with their business counterparts to understand their needs,” said David Banger, CIO for John Holland. “Project Pack Web
was developed in collaboration with the business to make sure that it met their requirements while innovating and simplifying existing practices. Our staff members regularly visit projects to experience firsthand the way our services are utilised so we can continually improve the support we provide to the business.” I N N O V AT I O N Innovation is imperative for a business intending to grow, but it is
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“Our objective is to provide va innovation to Australia’s infras and property markets – John Holland CEO, Glenn Palin
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alue and structure s”
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equally important that innovation is pursued with purpose. John Holland has established an Engineering, Technology and Innovation (ETI) function, which will ensure that continuous improvement is ‘business as usual.’ As such it looks at Design Management Services, construction planning, research & development, and new technologies. “Its primary accountability is to build competitive advantage through engineering excellence, innovation, research and leveraging the breadth and depth of CCCC capabilities, resources and procurement.” “The depth and breadth of our service offering, coupled with our internal collaboration model, allows us to effectively and efficiently deliver high quality infrastructure and engineering solutions for our clients,” Palin says. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE Growth dominates John Holland’s future plans, bolstered by the support of its parent company. 96
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“We plan to double the size of John Holland within five years by building on our reputation for excellence and taking advantage of new opportunities,” says Palin. “Many of our operating markets
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Company Information NAME
John Holland Group INDUSTRY
Engineering and contracting HEADQUARTERS
Melbourne, Australia EXECUTIVE
CEO: Glenn Palin
have seen significant change over recent years, particularly in the past 12-18 months. Evaluating these changes, identifying future industry trends, researching new markets and determining the competitive advantages we offer, has also been a vital part of the planning process.� w w w. j o h n h o l l a n d . c o m . a u
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RECORD IN TO KEEP BUILDING
Construction will begin on almost $2.5 billion of majo creating thousands of jobs. Together with continuing projects are underw
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or infrastructure projects in South Australia this year g projects more than $6 billion of major infrastructure way or about to start. 99
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Adelaide has been ranked the most cost competitive city in Australia
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outh Australia has undergone a massive transformation over the past decade with more than $8 billion invested in public buildings and transport infrastructure. The city’s Riverbank Precinct has been a focal point of this record investment, with a range of sporting, health, arts and entertainment 100
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infrastructure emerging, underway or planned. The award-winning $535 million Adelaide Oval redevelopment is arguably the gem in the Riverbank crown - a shining example of how modernisation can mesh with preservation of unique heritage. And the tens of thousands of football and cricket fans heading to
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the oval almost weekly have brought a new sense of vibrancy to the city. Most cross the river via the new $40 million Riverbank Bridge which connects the oval to the city’s bustling restaurant and hotel precinct, as well as the Adelaide Convention Centre, which is undergoing at $397 million rejuvenation, and SkyCity’s
Adelaide Casino, which recently received development approval for a $300 million expansion, including a new boutique hotel overlooking the river. The view from the Riverbank Bridge takes in the $2.1 billion Royal Adelaide Hospital, which is nearing completion, the recently opened $200 million South Australian Health w w w . p r e m i e r. s a . g o v . a u
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and Medical Research Institute and the University of Adelaide’s $125 million Medical and Nursing School which is currently being constructed. The $40 million Festival Plaza project will create a Federation Square-style open space, further developing links within the Riverbank Precinct, while Walker Corporation’s $430 million office building is also proposed for the area. 102
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The redevelopment of this precinct owes its success in part to a focus on building the transport networks which service the area. The $30 million tramline extension from Victoria Square to the city’s west has helped generate the urban uplift, linking these precinct sites with the Adelaide Railway Station, the Entertainment Centre and the evolving University of South Australia’s City West campus. On the back of the success of the
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tram extension, a network of trams throughout the city – AdeLINK – is proposed. The State Government has just announced a $4m business case will be developed, with the aim of encouraging both the Federal Government and local councils to partner in delivering this ambitious project. The AdeLINK tram network is part of an integrated approach to the transport networks vital to a sprawling city such as Adelaide, which is why the Government has also been focused on upgrading our three most popular transport services. A $291 million rail electrification and extension to Seaford opened in February 2014, increasing patronage from the sprawling southern suburbs by almost 80 percent. Recently an $85.5 million, 620-metre extension of the electrified Tonsley line, connecting to the Flinders Medical Centre and Flinders University was announced, with a tender call expected soon. The $152 million electrification
of the Gawler line to the northern suburbs is on the books to start in the 2017/18 financial year. In the meantime work has started on the $160 million O-Bahn City Access Project, which will see a tunnel constructed under Adelaide’s nationally heritage-listed parklands, vastly improving travel times and reliability for the city’s most popular public transport network - the O-Bahn guided busway – while also greatly improving road traffic flows. Improvement the movement of traffic across the vast city of Adelaide is the primary purpose of
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the State’s other major transport infrastructure project - the North South Corridor. Already the $812 million South Road superway, the $512 million Northern Expressway, $118 million Gallipoli Underpass and $30 million Glenelg tram overpass have eased pressure on this vital freight and commuter corridor. An $896 million upgrade between the River Torrens and Torrens Road is under construction and within
months work will begin on the $620 million Darlington Upgrade and $985 million Northern Connector. A joint State and Federal commitment to upgrade the NorthSouth Corridor upgraded in 10 years, creating a 78-kilometre nonstop motorway linking growing urban areas in the city’s northern and southern suburbs, as well as providing crucial freight connections between key regions such as the Mid North, Barossa Valley, Fleurieu
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South Australia secured the nation’s biggest ever defence project
Peninsula and the Port of Adelaide, via the $270 million Port River Expressway. This is in addition to other works in the Port Adelaide area such as the $300 million Techport shipbuilding facility at Osborne, $126 million opening road and rail bridges over the Port River and $45 million deepening of the Outer Harbor channel. As a state transitioning from old 106
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economy industries such as car manufacturing to new industries such as advanced manufacturing, and with the associated pressure on jobs, a key focus for the Government has been to maximise the benefits of infrastructure investment for local industries and workers. The Industry Participation Policy gives tenderers who prioritise South Australian businesses and workers
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Company Information NAME
South Australian Government INDUSTRY
Government – Public Infrastructure HEADQUARTERS
Adelaide, South Australia MANAGEMENT
South Australian Transport and Infrastructure Minister: Stephen Mullighan
a better chance of winning government contracts. The policy does not exclude interstate or indeed international companies and consortia from bidding for local projects, but does convey an expectation that where possible goods and labour will be sourced locally. All of South Australia’s major infrastructure projects now operate under this Industry Participation Policy, along with other requirements for successful tenderers to employ apprentices, Aboriginal workers and people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Chief Executive, South Australian Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure: Michael Deegan
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Infrastructure in Indonesia: A once in a century opportunity Written by: Tom Wadlow Produced by: Richard Deane
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Why major construction projects are needed to drive socio-economic development and harness the entrepreneurial spirit of 20 million surplus workers
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ndonesia is a sleeping giant. With 252 million inhabitants and a Gross Domestic Product of around US$890 billion, it is the largest economy in Southeast Asia and 30th largest in the world. Domestic consumption accounts for more than 55 percent of the country’s GDP, a factor which has sheltered it from the global economic crisis and facilitated a steady growth rate of 5.8 percent over the past 10 years. Political stability and a burgeoning middle class of 74 million, many of which are under 30, is also an attractive proposition for would-be investors. Indonesia also houses an abundance of natural resources. It is the world’s largest producer and exporter of crude palm oil, the second largest producer of cocoa and tin, the second largest
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producer of coal and the fourth largest exporter of natural gas. Steady, however, is not enough. Despite the already formidable statistics, voices inside the country are calling for a massive ramp up in productivity, especially in the construction of infrastructure. Such an enormous workforce and bountiful supplies of valuable commodities, it is said, are underutilised. A report published in 2014 by Indonesia’s Centre for Public Policy Transformation, The Economic Choices Facing the Next President, outlines a ‘once in century opportunity’ for Joko Widodo, now in his second year as head of state. There are two choices - either continue with business as usual and continue with five percent growth, or embark
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on robust reform to generate 10 percent growth and four times the number of ‘good’ new jobs. Peter Fagan has been in and out of Indonesia for the past 20 years and is now Vice President of Southeast Asia Operations for Hill International, experts in identifying, managing and mitigating large infrastructure projects across the world. Responsible for scoping out opportunities in the country, he has spoken to a tremendous number of people in public and private enterprise, and agrees that today could mark a watershed moment. “Yes, I do think this is a once in a century opportunity,” Fagan said. “There are more than 20 million under or unemployed workers with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, partly born by necessity as there is no social safety net system in Indonesia.” Constructing cost effective business Shifting under or unemployed workers from generally unproductive agricultural and informal trades to more productive manufacturing jobs has been identified as key to awakening the sleeping giant. Reducing the cost of labour to manufacturing firms while increasing the incomes of workers may appear contradictory, but this is where a drastic need for infrastructure arises. Fagan explained: “The cost of doing business in Indonesia is relatively high and it is not because of high salaries. It is because of poor infrastructure and the cost of the time it takes for things to move.
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The delay of getting into port and missing the ship is one example. Something like 10 percent of freight trucked to port actually misses the ship because the trucks just can’t get there on time. Roads are chock-a-block all day and all night.” The Indonesian ports themselves, Fagan added, are also in need of upgrading. Oil imports from the Middle East have to route via Singapore onto smaller ships in order to dock in Indonesia, adding significant cost. Navigating the 13,000plus islands is also a logistical challenge, with current infrastructure not aiding the process as much as it could. Difficulties such as these and the subsequent increase in the cost of doing business has resulted in major companies moving their custom to the likes of Myanmar. “It’s not just roads and ports that will help businesses but also a significant investment into water resources and water treatment.” Fagan said. “In Jakarta, as in many cities in Indonesia, you can’t drink the water out of the pipe. It’s so heavily polluted. “Power supplies are also critically short and that’s not important just for the civilian population but also for business. It is big cost on business having to provide their own electricity when the government’s power supply is interrupted, which can happen frequently outside the capital city.”
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“There are more than 20 million under or unemployed workers with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, partly born by necessity as there is no social safety net system in Indonesia” – Peter Fagan, Vice President of Southeast Asia Operations, Hill International
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Driving development Improving the quality of life for Indonesians lies at the heart of the Centre for Public Policy Transformation’s research. “The only reason to build infrastructure is to support the people of Indonesia and what do the people of Indonesia want?” Fagan asked. “They want a job.” Fagan highlighted the diligence and resourcefulness of Indonesian people by referring to a recently-revoked piece of Jakarta legislation which prevented cars from travelling at peak times unless they had three or more occupants. This had driven unemployed people to ride in underpopulated cars in exchange for money. “This is the only way some people were able
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to buy food and I think this goes to the heart of it,” Fagan added. “All Indonesian people want is the opportunity for employment, and improving infrastructure will create an environment where businesses will want operate and employ more people.” Political roadblocks Despite the best intentions of President Widodo, the political system in which he operates is holding back some important infrastructure projects. The 120km high speed rail line linking Jakarta and Bandung, due to be completed by a ChineseIndonesian business partnership, is a clear example of a project being held up in the political machine. Having had the seal of approval from Jokowi, just 5km has been released for construction due to intervention from the country’s Ministry of Transport. “Nobody really knows the rationale behind why it’s on hold,” Fagan said. “What is reported in the media is that environmental studies and land acquisition are yet to be completed.”
This leads into another problem that of acquiring land, the budget for which is a fraction of what is needed to get several large infrastructure projects off the ground. Indeed, the Economic Choices report states a need for a tenfold increase in government spending on infrastructure, from 0.6 to 6.5 percent of national income by 2019. It recommends scrapping the fuel subsidy, a move which has already been made, as a means to freeing up capital. Much greater tax reform will also be needed. Despite bureaucratic hold ups there are projects making it through the pipeline. A timely third terminal at Jakarta airport is nearing completion, and will greatly ease pressure on the transport hub which is currently operating at 250 percent of capacity. Countering corruption A well-established culture of corruption is another tricky barrier that the country is trying to overcome. Generations of government officials who could not survive without the income
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INFRASTRUCTURE IN INDONESIA corruption bought has led to its entrenchment in the political system of the day. Fagan commented: “The government is making some progress with its anti-corruption unit, the KPK. They are investigating publically and putting people before the courts. People are starting to be punished for corruption and there are major cases almost every week. Certainly two or three cases every month are being reported in the press and I’m sure there’s a lot else that’s going on.” Another policy helping to improve transparency and make business easier is the one door policy. Several departments that a proposal may have required approval from now operate under one roof, cutting out unnecessary bureaucratic layers. It is an area in which Hill International specialises, having completed 10,000 projects and managed half a trillion dollars of project work over its 40 years. Overcoming approval barriers and ensuring as smooth a process as possible is a central pillar of what it does, and Fagan recognises the progress being made in Indonesia.
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Peter Fagan, Vice President, Southeast Asia Operations
Peter Fagan has vast experience working in Indonesia and across the world, helping to manage some of the largest infrastructure projects. This includes the ongoing Doha Expressway programme in Qatar, involving more than 30 smaller projects and investment of $35 billion. In Indonesia, Fagan and Hill International delivered a workshop to the Ministry of Finance, drawing on company expertise from London and Hong Kong to advise the department on how to get important projects off the ground. Fagan, having graduated with a construction degree, is now in charge of preparing Hill for the undertaking of new projects in Indonesia and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. w w w. h i l l i n t l . c o m
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“I admire the drive of the President. His attempts to encourage and lead are admirable and there are a lot of foreign companies from Asia, Europe and the USA that are very enthusiastic and want to find opportunities to invest” – Peter Fagan, Vice President of Southeast Asia Operations, Hill International
“Things that were taking three to six months for approvals are now reportedly happening within days to weeks,” he said. “The most fruitful opportunity for us will be with foreign companies which are doing business here and with Indonesian companies that already operate in overseas locations because they understand compliance to legislation like the UK Bribery Act.” Optimism Indonesia’s middle class, a group which is set to double to 150 million by 2020, is key to pressing the demand for goods and services which will stimulate investment and provide work for the millions of under and unemployed. Young, tech-savvy and interested in international brands, international surveys have shown Indonesians are receptive to advertising and eager to try new ideas. It is already the world’s second largest Facebook market and fifth largest on Twitter. If the current government presses ahead with the recommendations set out by the Economic Choices paper, the country could experience growth double that of the present day. Fagan concluded: “I admire the drive of the President. His attempts to encourage and lead are admirable and there are a lot of foreign companies from Asia, Europe and the USA that are very enthusiastic and want to find opportunities to invest.” w w w. h i l l i n t l . c o m
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Beyond and m
Written by: Alice Young Pr
d bricks mortar
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PA L M H I L L S D E V E L O P M E N T S
Sustainable, integrated projects are key to the success of Palm Hills Developments
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ounded in 2005, Palm Hills Developments quickly became one of Egypt’s leading real estate companies. CEO Engineer Mohamed Sultan says that the company’s ethos runs through every stage of its work, starting with land acquisition. “While keeping in mind that prospective clients have delegated us to fulfill their aspiration by developing their dream homes, not by just building houses. Such a philosophy sits in sync with our vision, which extends beyond bricks and mortar to creating a well-integrated livable experience,” he says. To realise Palm Hills Developments’ vision, the company carefully selects the best business partners and service providers. Sultan says: “On the construction front, we’ve always been joining forces with the blue-chips of
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the industry who clearly manifest profound understanding of the local market need gaps, and simultaneously project world-class standards.� Taking integrated development to a whole new level coloured by eco-friendliness and sustainability is equally important to Palm Hills Developments, as Sultan explains: “We are always seeking to apply the latest cutting edge technologies, methodologies and techniques across all business fronts. We’re currently in the process of exploring and piloting a new construction technique, which is meant to represent a quantum leap, providing innovative solutions that will further enhance final product neatness, aesthetics and speedy development and, moreover, will enable architects to have more room for design novelty. Most importantly,
1000+ Number of jobs to be supported by Palm Hills Development
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such new approaches are centric around green and sustainable development.� Palm Hills Developments has taken solid steps towards full Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and is working on several community projects focussed on developing integrated, self-sustaining communities. These will provide the infrastructure and resources needed to create a better standard of life for needy villages in Upper Egypt and the Delta region. Sultan
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explains: “We always develop in the context of our community, driven by representing a socially responsible corporate citizen. Our business supports 100 feeder industries, creating 200,000 job opportunities. We’ve also signed a joint cooperation agreement with the Industrial Training Council (ITC) of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Small and Medium Enterprises, to provide vocational training for youths with the aim of qualifying them to join
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PA L M H I L L S D E V E L O P M E N T S various productive sectors in the labour market.” Aside from its CSR activities, Sultan believes that the quality of its developments is what sets it apart from others. He adds: “Eleven projects from our portfolio have been delivered, inclusive of eight phases of Palm Hills October, Bamboo Extension, Hacienda White, and The Village. The company has currently 12 active projects - five in the East, five in the West, and two on the North Coast - all due for completion between 2016 and 2018.” Sharing its real estate knowledge and experience is the focus of a project that Palm Hills Developments has recently decided to get
Address: 35 Abou Bakr El-Sedeek St. Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt Web: www.redconcon.com Email: info@redconcon.com
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involved in. Sultan says: “Capitalising on our leadership within the real-estate sector, we’ve decided to export such expertise via partnering with the government and the private sector in a continuous attempt to support housing provision. We’ve partnered with NUCA (New Urban Communities Authority) to co-develop 500 feddans in New Cairo. The project sales are expected to take place towards the end of 2016. We’ve partnered with Madinet Nasr Housing to co-develop 100 feddans of Capital Gardens in New Cairo extension within Sarai development, along Cairo Suez road and within close proximity from the new administrative capital. Capital Gardens was launched last December and has achieved tremendous results - almost 100 percent of the first tranche was sold out during the first week of launch, reinstating demand in the Egyptian real-estate marketplace. Such a project is a clear testament to our dynamic and adaptive approach while casting our net wider targeting the upper middle income segment.”
‘A key pillar behind such stellar results is what we pride ourselves in: being the employer of choice in Egypt, deploying the best talent pool across all specialties, and keeping them constantly engaged’
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PA L M H I L L S D E V E L O P M E N T S Palm Hills Developments is actively exploring new markets, says Sultan. “We’re planning to expand our land bank by venturing into new markets behind the frontiers, specifically Africa where we’re still exploring and researching. In addition, we’ve just secured a new land plot to complement our second home projects portfolio of 135 feddans in Ras El Hekma. Via our flagship North Coast projects, we’re opting to support the government plan in transforming Egypt’s North Coast into a whole year-round destination.” It has certainly been a successful time for the
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company, as the financial results highlight – it achieved record results in 2015, delivering 1,573 units with gross sales exceeding 6 billion Egyptian pounds. Sultan says: “A key pillar behind such stellar results is what we pride ourselves in: being the employer of choice in Egypt, deploying the best talent pool across all specialisties and keeping them constantly engaged.” Palm Hills Developments prides itself on its people, describing them as its ‘most vital resource’ and the ‘driving force’ that enables it to achieve its vision and turn it into a reality success story.
Palm Hills Development HQ is based in Cairo
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Building strength out of
STRENGTH
aging Director Nathan O’Neill reveals how Unique Urban Built is committed to providing high end construction services with innovation and flair Written by: Eric Harding Produced by: Vince Kielty 133
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outh Australia-based Unique Urban Built specialises in designing, constructing and managing contracts. Current and previous works include new-built projects, multistory projects, civil works and infrastructure works, hospitals, schools, swimming pools. Unique Urban Built also handles projects in rural and remote communities outside of Adelaide. Operating across multiple states with a vast amount of experience within the company, Unique
Adelaide Aquatic Centre
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Urban Built is able to deliver projects based on strict timelines and varying complexity. The relationships the company builds with its customers separates it from the competition. JACK OF ALL TR ADES Unique Urban Built doesn’t specialise in one particular area. Instead, the company’s main focus is being the best at a variety of large-scale jobs. One of these is the Adelaide Aquatics Centre, which remained open for business while
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Quorn Memorial Swimming Centre
Unique Urban Built did civil concrete work. “We were able to deliver the project on time and within budget with a variety of subcontractors in a way where the public was very safe and with minimal noise,” says managing director Nathan O’Neill. “Operation in a live environment carries important considerations, including understanding what we need to deliver for the client and the nature of their business.” Unique Urban Built has multiple 136
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management systems in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its employees. The system is catered to the operations of the business. “We operate with safety and environmental measures at the forefront of each and every project,” says O’Neill . “And we detail these as senior management, where we evaluate each project to undertake a full assessment of potential risks and implications. “We detail exactly what our plans need to be to prevent
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and minimise any potential risks. We do that for every job, no exceptions.” According to O’Neill, the management system is very workable. It’s housed in the main office and dialed in through a portal so it can be accessed from each of the sites. From there, the company is able to access it at any time and gain a better understanding of the jobs for day-to-day purposes.
Semaphone SLSC
R E L AT I O N S H I P S O’Neill believes that communication is the key to fostering and developing supply chain relationships. Although supply chain issues arise at times, open communication and resolving issues while providing solutions ensures ongoing trustworthiness. “I go out of my way to emphasise the importance of collaborative and effective communication with the
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STEEL FABRICATION STEEL ERECTION CRANE HIRE Gant & Sons Engineering offers structural steel fabrication and erection expertise throughout Australia. Capabilities range from the manufacture of simple structures (including residential T Beams and Lintels) to more complex mining and architectural fabrication. We have built a reputation of honesty and integrity allowing us to maintain relationships and grow in conjunction with customers and clients. • • • • • • •
Quotations Project management Drafting Fabrication Surface treatments Erection Welding & rigging services • Crane hire
7 Palina Court, Smithfield SA 5114 | tenders@gantandsons.com.au |
team. We have fostered strong relationships with our contractors and suppliers,” he says. Unique Urban Built has chosen Westpac as its business banker, and has developed a strong union, enabling the company expand its business when necessary. Both large and small contractors play a role in the success of Unique Urban Built, and O’Neill said their input and workmanship is valued greatly. “One of the philosophies in the company is providing a great 138
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service to clients, because they need to deliver projects or have a project they need to deliver for themselves or someone else,” says O’Neill. “This is often dynamic; we try to facilitate that in many ways, but building relationships through great services is our key.” G R E AT C U LT U R E According to O’Neill, the majority of Unique Urban Built’s employees have been with the company for many years.
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“They’re great people,” he says. “They’ve got integrity, they’ve got knowledge and the way they operate is very professional.” Integrity and professionalism in the workplace is very important to Unique Urban Built, and O’Neill says he bases all of his conversations with employees on that premise. No matter their background, every employee is provided the opportunity for growth within the company. “Our team has created a culture,
Trinity Gardens Tennis Club
something we have all worked very hard at. This starts right with the team and extends to our contractors and subcontractors. As a team, we have structured an inclusive operating rhythm that has seen work become a thriving and rewarding activity,” he says. “A lot of people these days go to work and find it mundane. All they do is look forward to the weekend, and that is something that I don’t want to have as part of Unique Urban Built. A great culture within the workplace
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is important for me, and as a managing director, I am committed to supporting that in every way possible.” Unique Urban Built’s continuous improvement measures always begin with its people. There is a large training matrix for employees, which is also where the retention of people is immersed in its philosophies. “We try to train our people to the leading edge of construction,” says O’Neill. “And we make sure they also keep that traditional service line within their dealings of day-to-day client-related services.” LOOKING AHEAD Unique Urban Built will continue in its efforts to minimize its impact on the environment, incorporating new and emerging strategies into upcoming projects. “Our innovation really comes about from being able to understand the endpoint of the contract,” he says. “Innovation comes with being able to operate sustainably. We detail missions in our construction to make sure 140
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240 Port Rd
we reuse and recycle all of our environmental measures.” O’Neill is on the verge of personally launching a civil projects division that will undertake largescale road and infrastructure projects.
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Company Information NAME
Unique Urban Built INDUSTRY
Construction HEADQUARTERS
Wingfield, SA Australia FOUNDED
2007 MANAGEMENT
Managing Director: Nathan O’Neill
“Building on traditional service while undertaking large-scale projects for the delivery of government services is really where we want to make sure we go,” he says. “Obviously, through undertaking property development, we’ll continue building our property portfolio.” w w w. u n i q u e u r b a n b u i l t . c o m . a u
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The Gateway WA Perth Airport and Freight Access Project seeks to give the capital city new levels of safety and efficiency Written by: Sasha Orman | Produced by: Vince Kielty
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ith significant global industry and tourism connections, and as Western Australia’s capital, Perth is often our country’s primary entry point for visitors and trade partners—and first impressions are always important. To alleviate Perth’s rising airport and industrial traffic, while ensuring that the city is always putting its best foot forward, Main Roads Western Australia assembled an Alliance of five industry leaders— CPB Contractors, Georgiou, GHD, AECOM, and BG&E—to take on the most ambitious road infrastructure project in Western Australia’s history. “The Gateway WA Perth Airport and Freight Access Project is an iconic infrastructure project for Western Australia, providing a much needed upgrade to one of the State’s most important transport hubs,” says Ilario Spagnolo, Senior Project Director. “A road project of this size and scale had never been carried out in the state before. It was delivered by an Alliance of industry contractors, including Main Roads 144
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Western Australia, which allocated work to more than 600 local subcontractors and suppliers.” The extensive scope of the $1 billion Gateway WA project includes vital upgrades to 7km of Tonkin Highway, 3km of Leach Highway and major interchanges in the area, including the ‘Grand
hange in operation
Gateway’ at the Tonkin Highway/ Leach Highway interchange, and approximately 21km of continuous grade separated shared path and local connections for pedestrians and cyclists. In addition to these technical upgrades, the project is also creating more pleasant travels through such innovative aesthetic
urban design upgrades as 7km of noise/screen walls and more than one million plants. Such an ambitious project often faces the risk of going over budget and past schedule. But through diligence and careful planning, Gateway WA is on track for completion at the end of March w w w. gatewaywa.com.au
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Gateway WA Quarterly Alliance Directors Award January – March 2015 for the high standard of work delivered on the project “At Westforce we strive to constantly improve and deliver in the most cost effective and safety conscious manner for each and every client on each and every project.”
Westforce is a multi disciplined construction company focusing on major construction, infrastructure and resource projects across Australian metropolitan and remote areas. The Westforce Group has both a “Construction” and a labour and plant “Hire” division. This allows Westforce to offer clients anything from a design and construct lump sum projects to a once off trade and plant placement.
27 Moojebing Street Bayswater WA 6053
T: (08) 9279 1900 F: (08) 9279 1422 E: info@westforce.com.au
www.westforce.com.au
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2016, under budget and nearly a year ahead of schedule. SAFETY ON THE GATEWAY “The vision of the Gateway WA project was a safe and efficient transport network that provides an iconic gateway to Western Australia and the project’s mission was to safely deliver sustainable landmark infrastructure around Perth Airport and the Kewdale and Forrestfield freight precincts,” states Spagnolo. “Safety has always been at the forefront of what we have done and
SUPPLIER PROFILE Employees: 70 -120
what we have delivered.” When a complex project with multiple high risk-posing components is at hand, a commitment to safety cannot simply be lip service. For the Gateway WA Alliance, safety is fully engrained in the workplace culture. The project has entailed what Spagnolo describes as a “hierarchy of control” including engineering, isolation, substitution and elimination to promote a high standard of safety that ultimately achieved concrete results.
WEST FORCE CONSTRUCTION
Established: 2006
Industry: Civil Construction
Services: Specialists in all aspects of the civil construction industry from earthworks to finished concrete & mechanical. Providers of skilled labour crews and plant hire. Ongoing Projects: Roy Hill Chlorides Washing Facility, Beenyup Waste Water Treatment Plant, Australian Defence Facility Upgrade, Boral Crushing Facility, PTA Claisebrook Retaining Noise Walls, BHP Yandi Upgrade. Management: Mike Murrey - Managing Director; John Smith - Commercial Director; Phil Clarke - Operations Director; Paddy Kearns, Resources Director Website: www.westforce.com.au
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Safety Barriers WA (SBWA) supplies and installs a wide variety of safety barriers for roads, bridges, car parks, temporary work sites and mine sites including: · · · · ·
W-Beam and Thrie-Beam Guardrail Wire Rope Safety Barriers (WRSB) Steel Protection Screen Steel Security Bollards Bridge Barriers
Telephone: (08) 9279 0600 info@safetybarriers.com.au
· · · · ·
Top Rail Barriers Concrete Barriers Temporary Barriers Crash Cushions End Treatments
www.safetybarriers.com.au
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“Gateway WA’s commitment to providing a robust safety culture resulted in the project achieving more than 4 million Lost Time Injury free hours,” says Spagnolo. “The team focused on the critical aspects of safety across all stages of design and construction, as well as frontline leadership.” That record has not gone unnoticed by the Alliance’s peers—the project took the ‘Best Workplace Safety and Health Management System’ award at the 2015 Western Australian Work Safety Awards.
SUPPLIER PROFILE
AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH Gateway WA has employed many instances of innovation and creative thinking to meet the unique challenges of the project, while increasing safety and efficiency for drivers at every turn. “The introduction of the first, single-point urban interchange to the State, at Leach Highway/ Abernethy Road, was innovative for Western Australia, and the introduction of the first-ever tennis ball design configuration, as part of the Roe Highway/Berkshire
SAFETY BARRIERS WA
Safety Barriers WA has over 30 years of experience in the Civil Construction industry supporting small and large Road Building projects all over Western Australia. Safety Barriers WA supply and install Guardrail, Wire Rope Safety Barriers, Bridge Barriers and Crash Cushion systems throughout Western Australia’s public roads, mine sites and commercial properties. Safety Barriers WA have successfully completed the largest ever Road Barrier package in Western Australia on the iconic Gateway WA project with over 45,000 metres of Road Barriers, Crash Cushions, End Treatments and Top Rails. Our work crews have a long standing reputation for their professional and safe attitude on-site and are often commended by our clients. Why compromise on Safety – Insist on Safety Barriers WA for your next project. Website: www.safetybarries.com.au
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A PARTNER YOU CAN RELY ON FOR LARGE SCALE PROJECTS "Over the fourteen months of the Gateway project 55,000 cubic metres of C-Wise composted products were delivered to the project, which equates to more than 1,000 semi trailer loads."
Do you struggle to increase tree survival rates? Do you have soil erosion issues? Do you want to increase your water efficiency? Do you want to achieve a superior aesthetic for your landscape design? Let C-Wise design a solution for your needs. P (08) 9581 9582
F (08) 9581 9585 E info@cwise.com.au PO Box 2040, Mandurah WA 6210
Road interchange, was a first for Australia,” explains Spagnolo. “The innovative design at Roe Highway/ Berkshire Road was prompted as a Safe Systems initiative and it can generally be described as being similar to a roundabout under signal control but with right-turn traffic movements from Berkshire Road moving through the roundabout to and from the ramps. This type of design means the risk of 90 degree collisions between vehicles is significantly reduced, leading to an 150
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improved road safety outcome for road users, while also moving traffic through the junction in an efficient manner.” That same creative thinking helped Gateway WA stay ahead of schedule and keep workers safe, without adding undue disruptions to Perth’s already busy functioning highway system. “Gateway WA was dealing with one of the State’s busiest transport hubs and had to keep freight and passengers moving during
CONSTRUCTION
“The innovative design at Roe Highway / Berkshire Road was prompted as a Safe Systems initiative and it can generally be described as being similar to a roundabout under signal control but with right-turn traffic movements from Berkshire Road moving through the roundabout to and from the ramps.” – Ilario Spagnolo, Senior Project Director
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Roe Highway / Berkshire Road interchange at night time
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Leach Highway
construction,” notes Spagnolo. “The Alliance worked closely with Main Roads Western Australia to deliver higher standards and implement traffic management not widely used before in Western Australia.” This included the use of truck mounted attenuators and the introduction of full road closures and contra flows, which increased worker safety. A SUSTAINABLE OPTION In addition to safety, the Gateway WA project has also paid special 152
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attention to sustainability, especially where the management of its 5.9 million tonnes of bulk materials and subsequent waste was concerned. “The Alliance model on the Gateway WA project fostered fresh ideas for sustainability,” says Spagnolo. “The team looked at a wide range of perceived environmental risks that could potentially arise from construction. From there, a waste management strategy was put in place that set clear targets and goals for
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Shared path along Tonkin Highway
waste reduction from the outset. By defining what the project’s objectives were from the outset, it led to a shared vision of what waste minimisation would be on the project.� The Gateway WA project utilised several methods of waste minimisation, such as using recycled materials like quarry crusher dust and construction and demolition waste (C&DW) as fill. The project also created an onsite licensed facility to treat acid
1,000
Number of employees at peak construction
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sulphate soil and degraded soil material, ensuring that its topsoil waste can be reused in other projects down the line instead of being sent to landfill. “The sustainable reuse of degraded and other unsuitable soil has many benefits, particularly from an environmental perspective,” says Spagnolo. “As well as reducing the project’s impact of sending materials to landfill, it decreased Gateway WA’s reliance on imported fill brought in for the project. This, in turn, meant less vehicle haulage and traffic congestion, which is environmentally and socially beneficial.” Gateway WA was also recognized for these efforts, chosen as the Business Category winner at the Waste Authority’s 2015 Infinity Awards for its commitment to waste minimisation on the project. The project has also garnered a prestigious certification of excellence for design by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia in 2014—one of only two road projects in Australia to earn that designation. 154
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Tonkin Highway / Horrie Miller Drive /
AN UNRIVALED IMPRESSION “From the outset, it was important to create a gateway to Perth, with an entry statement rivaling other cities in the world,” says Spagnolo. “Perth is often the first impression of Australia to international visitors, so we wanted to create something that was unique to the State and to
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Company Information PROJECT NAME
Gateway WA Perth Airport and Freight Access Project INDUSTRY
Infrastructure HEADQUARTERS
Forrestfield, WA FOUNDED
2013 EMPLOYEES
1,000 at peak construction
/ Kewdale Road interchange at night time PROJECT BUDGET
the country—to express the dynamic, creative and rapidly evolving character of Western Australia.” From its cutting-edge engineering to striking urban design, the Gateway WA project is helping Perth make its mark on the world. As Spagnolo adds, “The Gateway is something that the people of our State can be proud of for years to come.”
$1 billion
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BO
PAR
RELIAB
SOBOCE kee earns the com
Written by: Mateo Rafa
Produced by: Jassen P
Interviewee: José Luis
OLIVIA’S
RTNER FOR SOLID
BLE CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL
eps the pace with the domestic market. Its product variety mpany a privileged place in the construction sector
ael Tablado,
Pintado
s Orbegoso, CEO for SOBOCE S.A.
SOBOCE S.A.
T
he Bolivian Cement Society (SOBOCE S.A.) has contributed to Bolivia’s growth and development during the last 90 years. During this time, it has become the country’s most important company within its trade. Strategic acquisitions became a constant throughout the years, as well as facility expansions, resulting in increased productivity,
Expansion of the Viacha cement mix production facility is part of the Illimani Project
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L AT I N A M E R I C A
Key People
being able to supply the market’s demands for almost a century. Important investments have taken SOBOCE’s cement production rate to more than a million and a half metric tons per year. Currently, SOBOCE offers a wide variety of high-quality products in cement, concrete and prefab structures worth more than 40 percent
José Luis Orbegoso CEO for SOBOCE S.A. Peruvian José Luis Orbegoso earned a bachelor’s degree in BA from his home country’s University of the Pacific, along with a Master in Finances. In Peru he worked for the Wiese Sudameris Bank as associate VP, CFO for Sindicato Pesquero S.A. and afterwards for Tecnológica de Alimentos S.A. His career abroad began in Chile as CFO for the Melón S.A. company in the building materials industry, where he later became the CEO. Orbegoso was hired as SOBOCE CEO in December 2014.
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SOBOCE S.A.
The Warnes brand cement mix production plant is located in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, one of Latin America’s most important industry capitals
of the domestic market share, propelled by the company’s products presence in each of Bolivia’s nine departments. SOBOCE is part of Consorcio Cementero del Sur (Southern Cement Consortium), a holding with companies in Peru and Ecuador, also. The company is led by CEO Jose Luis Orbegoso. Orbegoso majored in business administration at Peru’s University of the Pacific, where he also earned a Master’s in Finance. In his native Peru, Orbegoso worked for Wiese 160
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L AT I N A M E R I C A
SOBOCE has contributed to Bolivia’s development and progress for more than 90 years
Sudameris Bank as Associate VP from 1997 to 2002, as CFO for Sindicato Pesquero S.A., CFO for Tecnológica de Alimentos S.A. (part of the BRECA Peruvian holding). His work abroad and within the construction sector began also in the BRECA group when he became CFO for Melón S.A., in the cement and building materials production trade. Orbegoso was named CEO for SOBOCE on December 2014. Contributions to the construction sector SOBOCE’s constant efforts in facility expansion and acquisition of new business w w w. s o b o c e . c o m
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SOBOCE S.A.
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“The increase in production capacity is a result of new product development ” – José Luis Orbegoso, Gerente General de SOBOCE S.A.
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SOBOCE S.A. units have provided enough resources to maintain a solid presence throughout Bolivia. Coverage translates to more than geography, but also into serving different sectors such as infrastructure, commercial, residential, retail and the private sector. El Puente cement factory, located in Tarija
Emisa cement plant, located in Oruro
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The company’s most important product is cement mix, sold through the Viacha, Emisa, El Puente and Warnes brands. Ready Mix stands out as the group’s premixed concrete brand. The most recent addition to SOBOCE’s product roster is SOBOPRET, its prefab material line, a reliable supplier from beams to complete prefabricated homes. Innovation in manufacturing processes and new products Maintaining the same pace as the construction industry in Bolivia demands significant investments to increase production by expanding the company’s facilities. The Viacha cement plant, located in the La Paz Department, is already into its 12th expansion process, which belongs to a larger scheme known as the Illimani Project. This time, a vertical grinding mill from FLSmidth will be deployed; this Danish company has been a supplier to SOBOCE since the 1970s. The vertical grinding mill will be the first in its class to be installed at Bolivia, and it will become the highest cement-grinding vertical mill above sea level.
L AT I N A M E R I C A
The Illimani Project also includes the deployment of automated systems for concrete mix bag packaging and palletizing, as well as silo construction. The aforementioned efforts are expected to contribute in increasing production to two million tons per year in the Viacha plant, which is currently delivering 900,000 tons annually. Another reason for the current facility expansion is the development of SOBOPRET, the company’s new prefab building material brand and also its newest business unit. SOBOPRET is introducing complete prefab housing and other materials for this purpose. This operation is currently under constant growth and development, and products such as prefab concrete beams are certified by the Bolivian Institute of Regulations and Quality (IBNORCA), with the IBNORCA Quality Seal. As part of the Southern Cement Consortium, operation management demands system updating. SOBOCE is taking care of this demand by installing a SAP/HANA latest-generation platform to standardize processes and display the best practices. Supplier evaluation and segmentation The company’s suppliers are classified into any of three categories: raw material vendors, purveyors related to goods and services
SOBOCE throws some variety into the market with Ready Mix premixed concrete
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SOBOCE S.A.
related to the production process and quality, and suppliers contributing to proper compliance of occupational health and safety standards (OHSAS). Every supplier undergoes a yearly technical evaluation conducted under the country’s regulations as well as under ISO:9001, ISO:14001 and OSHSAS: 18001 standards, according to the group’s Integrated Quality Policy.
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Skilled staff, trained to face any challenge Production demands at every SOBOCE facility and the company’s safety standards demand high-skilled workers who undergo a yearly average of 20 hours of training. This effort is recipient of US $380,000 worth of investments. Talent development in SOBOCE answers the company’s upcoming necessities in production
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SOBOCE S.A.
SOBOCE workers receive up to date training for an average of 20 hours per year
L AT I N A M E R I C A
procedures, aimed at increased competitiveness and operational excellence. SOBOCE’s Leadership Development program is focused to individuals displaying the required attributes for management positions in areas such as operations, marketing and logistics.
Company Information NAME
SOBOCE S.A. INDUSTRY
Outreach to the community SOBOCE’s CSR projects are driven by traits such as integration, upgrading the quality in individual’s lives and education. One of the company’s most relevant efforts during 2015 was the construction of eight milk collection centers, which are to become fullyequipped by the end of the year. This facilities will benefit the area’s inhabitants and improve their conditions for milk vending.
Producción de cemento, hormigón y prefabricados HEADQUARTERS
Calle Mercado No 1075, Edificio Soboce, La Paz, La Paz, Bolivia FOUNDED
1925
Projected growth Being part of the Southern Cement Consortium has benefitted SOBOCE by involving the company into large-scale plans along with business units in Peru and Ecuador.
EMPLOYEES
1,500 REVENUE
US $280 million
The specific strategic plan for SOBOCE projects investments of more than US $270 million to increase production capacity. Main expansion projects are planned for the existing Viacha cement plant and for construction of a new production facility in the Yacuses area, in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. w w w. s o b o c e . c o m
WEBSITE
www.soboce.com
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The Gro
A DESIGN REVOLUTION
FOR THE GOLD COAST
ocon Parklands Project promises an advent of sustainable and accessible design for Southport and Queensland
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s the largest privatelyowned development, construction and real estate investment business in Australia, Grocon has built a reputation for delivering complex large-scale development projects that strike a balance between form and function. On the Gold Coast, Grocon is in the midst of one of its
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largest development projects yet: the Parklands Project in Southport, Queensland. “We are proud to be investing, developing and constructing the Parklands Project into a vibrant mixed use community, which will be one of the most significant urban renewal developments ever undertaken on the Gold Coast,� said
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Steven Grimes, Grocon Parklands Project General Manager. The Grocon Parklands Project is a key part of the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, a $5 billion development across 200 hectares in Southport. Already home to Griffith University the cutting-edge Gold Coast University Hospital, and Gold Coast Private Hospital.
Grocon’s contribution to the district will be a mixed-use village featuring 1,252 one, two and three-bedroom dwellings (18 apartment towers and 82 townhouses), a regional Shopping Centre with 18 retail and dining outlets with a full line supermarket, and seven hectares of public park space around a ‘Village Heart’.
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“Everything we do is driven by our core values of Safety, Sustainability, Community and Innovation,” said Grimes. “The Parklands Project provides a showcase of bringing our values to life.” A S U S TA I N A B L E A PPROACH “Our aim is simple: to leave our planet in a better place than we found it,” said Grimes. “That means every project always contributes to a greener future.” The Parklands Project is no exception, with a design and
vision incorporating industry-wide best practices for sustainability, community engagement, and environmental protection from construction to completion. To encourage ecosystem rehabilitation, Grocon is reinstating natural landscaping and connections to adjoining forests within the seven-hectare public park at the center of the Parklands development. Grocon also weaves sustainability and energy efficiency concepts into its apartment and townhouses designs, from towers built to enhance natural sunlight
“ OUR AIM IS SIMPLE: TO LEAVE OUR PLANET IN A BETTER PLACE THAN WE FOUND IT. THAT MEANS EVERY PROJECT ALWAYS CONTRIBUTES TO A GREENER FUTURE.” – Steven Grimes, Grocon Parklands Project General Manager
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Steven Grimes (Grocon Parklands Project General Manager), Dean Bruker (yourtown consultant) Grant Beckett (Grocon Constructors Executive Project Manager)
and natural cooling breezes to LED lighting fixtures and smart appliances in every home. Furthermore, Parklands homes are built to meet Livable Housing Design guidelines for more inclusive and accessible living spaces. These efforts have not gone unnoticed. The EnviroDevelopment scheme, produced by the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA), certified the Parklands Project’s sustainable development status across five categories: sustainability of ecosystems, 176
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waste, energy, materials, water and community. Meanwhile Grocon has partnered with the Queensland Government to achieve a Livable Housing Silver standard for Parklands townhouses and Livable Housing Gold for its apartments. A VA LU E D WO R K FO R C E An extensive undertaking like the Parklands Project requires an equally extensive staff—the Parklands Project will have 1,000 workers on site at the peak of construction, with a total of nearly
CONSTRUCTION
Otis is the world’s largest manufacturer of elevators, escalators and moving walkways. For architects and contractors, developers and homeowners, Otis is the world’s leading people mover. Revolutionary flat-belt technology enables a more compact, energy efficient machine, freeing up valuable building space and reduce operating costs.
Environmentally friendly Gen2 elevators set the new standard for performance, reliability, design flexibility and comfort – while reducing costs and energy usage throughout their life cycle.
Thanks to its flexible belts, the Gen2 system is more compact and more efficient. The Way to Green gets greener Energy conserving ReGenTM drives make Gen2 systems up to 75 percent more energy efficient than conventional systems with non-regenerative drives. Otis Elevator Company Pty. Ltd. 149-155 Milton Street, Ashfield NSW 2131, Australia Phone: +61 2 8338 2700 | Fax: +61 8338 2730 | www.otis.com
10,000 involved throughout the design and construction process. Grocon recognises that each individual is crucial to the success of the project, and strives to create a workplace where employees and subcontractors can feel valued and empowered. “We want our people to feel they can make a difference – to our business and to the world around them,” said Grimes. “We believe that providing an enjoyable working environment is how we can best help our people achieve
their personal and career goals, and so that’s exactly what we do. We maintain a positive work place through providing an ethics and values-based organisation, open two-way communication and a cultural and behavioural framework of capability. We are committed to encouraging personal development, recognising good performance, valuing teamwork and fostering an environment of equal opportunity.” Grocon also values the safety of its workforce, using methods and materials like polymer formwork
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Overview of Village Heart from North
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from Dincel Construction System to reduce the hazardous tasks workers are faced with every day. With an industry leading OHS policy certified to AS 4801:2001, the company strives to maintain a work site that is not only positive but also 100 per cent LTI injury-free. “Our teams actively participate in site based safety interactions where by staff interact directly with the workforce to encourage and foster a positive safety culture,” Grimes added. “But to us, safety is also about more than zero
harm—it’s also about providing wellbeing programmes that achieve better health outcomes for all of our employees. We drive a safety culture to lead the construction industry.” A L ASTING LEGACY The Parklands Project by Grocon has a bright and colorful future ahead of it—Grocon is currently on track to complete construction by the end of 2017, at which time the complex will be leased to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth
Finn Jones (UDIA Gold Coast Branch President) and Steven Grimes (Parklands Project General Manager) at the award of the Parklands Project 5 leaf EnviroDevelopment accreditation
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Aerial view, March 2016
Games Corporation (GOLDOC). The residences within the Parklands Project will serve as the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Village, housing 6,600 athletes and officials while drawing attention to the project and the Gold Coast’s potential as a leader in sustainable design. “We are proud to be able to deliver Parklands Project as a sustainable and vibrant mixed-use community 180
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for the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct.” said Grimes. “The village heart and residential village are staged to become iconic international landmarks in sustainable design.” After the Commonwealth Games, Grocon will then go back in to transition the Parklands to its final form as a mixed use residential community, outfitting the apartments and townhouses with
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Project Information INDUSTRIES
Construction, Property Development and Real Estate Investor L O C AT I O N
Southport, Queensland YEAR FOUNDED
2014 - Civil Works 2016 - Building Works BUDGET
$550 million EMPLOYEES
final touches before making them available for lease in 2019. While this marks the end of heavy development, Grocon expects that the impression the Parklands Project makes on the Gold Coast and Queensland will be a lasting one. Grimes concluded: “Our hope is that the Parklands Project will provide a valuable legacy to the Gold Coast community— to become a benchmark sustainable community development that will inspire future projects.”
1,000 during peak construction with trade subcontractors onsite daily PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Grocon Parklands Project General Manager: Steven Grimes Grocon Constructors Executive Project Manager: Grant Beckett
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