Johnson Controls joins White House discussion on reducing the use of high-global warming potential refrigerants

24 September, 2014/in News/by Editor

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Company commits to $50 million in R&D spending over three years focused on developing and expanding its low-global warming potential portfolio of heating and cooling products

SINGAPORE– Johnson Controls, a global multi-industrial company, today will join private and public sector industry leaders in a White House roundtable discussion to phase down the use of high global warming refrigerants, which are used in air-conditioning and refrigeration systems. Johnson Controls commits to spend over $50 million over the next three years to develop new products and improve and expand its existing low-global warming potential (GWP) portfolio.

The President’s Climate Action Plan highlights the urgent need to reduce emissions caused by some hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants, and is seeking goals, commitments and partnerships that catalyze the transition to more climate-friendly alternatives, where practical. According to the White House, emissions of high global-warming-potential HFCs – potent greenhouse gases – are expected to nearly double from current levels of 1.5 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions to 3 percent by 2020, and triple by 2030 if action is not taken.

“We applaud the Administration and the regulatory agencies for taking a collaborative approach with industry to manage the phase-down in use of HFCs,” said Laura Wand, vice president, chiller solutions, at Johnson Controls’ Building Efficiency business. “

At the event, Johnson Controls will stress the importance of considering the energy efficiency of the system when selecting a new refrigerant, not just its low global warming potential. Up to 98 percent of the total CO2 equivalent emissions over the life of air conditioning equipment can be due to energy use alone, not the global warming potential of the refrigerant contained. According to Wand, some new refrigerants being released on the global market can in fact lower equipment efficiency which will have a negative impact on the environment.

“The energy efficiency makes the greatest impact on the total carbon-footprint of a system over its life,” said Wand. “Therefore, when making choices on refrigerants, we cannot sacrifice energy efficiency.”

Johnson Controls has advocated for the interests of its customers during discussions with industry associations and legislators on the regulations and standards related to refrigerants. Similarly, the refrigerants that it chooses for its products will best fit the needs of its customers and the environment based on safety, energy efficiency, reliability, availability and cost.

The company has already spent more than $26 million over the past 3 years in the development of low global warming potential technologies.

LAKE LIFE SET TO BE FIRST CONDO TO OFFER DRIVERLESS ELECTRIC SHUTTLE TO MRT

23 September, 2014/in News/by Editor

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SINGAPORE– Lake Life, a new Executive Condominium in the Jurong Lakeside district launching their e-applications on 4 October 2014, is set to upend conventions in condominium living by being the first condominium in Singapore to run an autonomous electric shuttle vehicle from the condominium to the nearby Lakeside MRT (subject to LTA approval). Developers of Lake Life, the Evia-led consortium, announced today that they are working with NUS/MIT and SHADO to develop the driver-less system and self-charging service.

Anticipating a future where electrical cars will be the norm, the developer of Lake Life is providing a parking bay with charging station within the residents’ carpark. Additionally, all rooms in Lake Life’s units will be ready for Intelligent House Control System. All common areas within Lake Life will be designed with free WiFi. The booking of condominium facilities will be made available online and through a mobile application. The developers also designed a sheltered bicycle yard within Lake Life.

With its array of snazzy smart home features, sustainable and luxurious design, as well as activities promoting active, healthy living, Vincent Ong, Co-Managing Director of Evia Real Estate shared why he best online casino is not interested in minting ‘cookie-cutter’ condominiums, “For me, the people buying our developments are not just customers but “responsible consumers”—people who are concerned about the environment, who want to lead a healthy lifestyle, care about their children’s education and the well-being of their aged parents. We have therefore assembled innovators, creative forces and top talents who combined their energy to design a one-of-a-kind residence for Singapore’s pioneer smart city.”

Lake Life is located in the hottest address in Singapore—Jurong Lake District, which three months ago was designated a test bed for Singapore’s initiative to become the world’s first smart city. “We are embracing the smart city initiative,” said Ong. “We may be launching sales of the project today, but we are providing the infrastructure and features for the smart city of tomorrow.” Lake Life is expected to TOP in 2018.

Beyond the smart city initiative, a new “Jurong Lake Gardens” was also unveiled by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his National Day Rally Speech 2014 on August 17. The Jurong Lake Gardens will be created by combining the Japanese and Chinese Gardens as well as the Jurong Lake Park. A new Science Centre will also be built adjacent to the Chinese Garden MRT station, and scheduled to be completed around 2020.

Flowcoat Chosen for South Africa’s Largest Flooring Project at Iveco

22 September, 2014/in News/by Editor

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Flowcrete supplied Iveco with a range of solutions as part of the company’s vast and complex flooring project at its new manufacturing facility in Pretoria.

The 55,000 square metre installation was the largest flooring project in South Africa at the time and required multiple specialist and bespoke systems to be applied throughout the large manufacturing complex.

The global leader of industrial vehicles carried out an extensive specification process to ensure that the finished surface within its new facility would be able to withstand the intensive activity that would be carried out on site. Out of the seven companies that put forward flooring samples during the specification process, Iveco recognised that the systems provided by the global resin flooring specialists Flowcrete would
be the best fit for its latest development.

Flowcrete South Africa’s Managing Director Craig Blitenthall said: “When Iveco chose us they knew that they were choosing quality over costs,as there were cheaper alternatives available – however when it came down to which supplier was best placed to meet their demanding requirements it was Flowcrete that came out on top.

“Working on this development meant overcoming many interesting challenges, as not only was it the largest flooring project in the country at the time, but meeting Iveco’s specifications meant creating unique solutions and making full use of the flexibility of our systems.”

To meet Iveco’s high aesthetic requirements Flowcrete had to supply its solutions in the casino same colours as the client’s international standards. To do this the resin flooring specialist developed and produced floors in bespoke tones that matched Iveco’s corporate colours.

Before the floor finish could be applied the concrete substrate had to be assessed to find out what damage had been caused by a fire that had broken out during construction. To fix this floor layer the underlying concrete slabs were taken up and the area rescreeded. Support beams and sliding doors that had been fire damaged were removed and the floor cavities left behind were filled in with Conrep SF65.

The epoxy resin floor coating Flowcoat SF41 was installed across the main production areas of the facility as well as on the walkways. The hard-wearing and chemically resistant nature of this solution makes it ideal for large-scale manufacturing plants, as it will maintain a seamless, impermeable and bright surface despite the inevitable heavy work load, oil and grease spillages, hot water washes and the physical impacts of heavy equipment.

Flowcoat SF41 can optimise the working environment of industrial facilities in a number of ways. Its adjustable anti-slip profile means that the use of graded aggregates can be tailored to reduce the risk of slips and trips depending on the location.

This system was also used for the demarcation lines, creating bright and clear yellow signage to aid navigation around the busy, multi-complexsite. Flowcoat SF41 was utilised for this, as Iveco wanted a solution that was thicker and more durable than the standard demarcation line product.

Several areas of the facility required the floor to have specific properties. The laboratory and paint mixing rooms had the polyurethane resin system Flowfresh HF ESD installed across the floors and Flowfresh WR ESD was applied as coving around the drains. These systems not only create a seamless and easy-to-clean floor, but they also have electrostatic dissipative properties to avoid static charge build up. This was important within the laboratory as static charges in the floor can damage sensitive electrical equipment and within a paint room it can be a dangerous ignition source.

This combination of solutions meant that Iveco could rest assured that its new facility would maintain an unblemished surface that wouldn’t deteriorate when faced with the inevitable demands of manufacturing 20 tonne trucks.

ABB to drive retractable roof on world’s largest free-spanning dome in Singapore

19 September, 2014/in News/by Editor

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ABB solutions for precise control and energy efficiency will enable 312 meter diameter dome on the Singapore National Stadium

Zurich, Switzerland– ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, is set to drive the retractable canopy on the world’s largest free-spanning domed roof at Singapore’s new National Stadium, part of the Singapore Sports Hub. The 55,000-capacity stadium is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia to boast a retractable roof and the only stadium in the world built to accommodate soccer, rugby, cricket, athletics and concerts all in one venue.

The stadium’s dome roof is one of its most distinctive features, and will become a prominent part of the Singapore skyline. Covering approximately 20,000 square meters, weighing 2,200 metric tons and reaching some 80 meters high, the roof is partially retractable to offer spectators ventilation and protection from the elements.

The stadium is ABB’s latest project in ‘moving architecture.’ Other notable professional sports venues with retractable roofs automated by ABB drives include Arizona’s Cardinals Stadium and Dallas’s Cowboys Stadium. ABB power and automation technologies are in place at a number of the world’s premier sport venues, including Cape Town Stadium in South Africa, Olympic stadiums in Beijing, China, and Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium in Brazil – venue for the final match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

“This ambitious project represents a remarkable milestone for ABB in terms of intelligent control and automation, and we are proud to be a part of Singapore’s iconic achievement,” said Pekka Tiitinen, head of ABB’s Discrete Automation and Motion division.

It only takes around 20 minutes to fully open or close the roof, which is divided into two sections each programmed to travel at around 40 millimeters per second. Three ABB Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) are the ‘brains’ behind the motion, providing the control and coordination for 32 regenerative variable speed drives to automate the roof.

Regenerative drives can recover thermal energy from the motor deceleration process, convert it into electrical energy and feed it back into the network – saving energy that would have otherwise been wasted. Thanks to their superior harmonic performance and Direct Torque Control, the ABB drives can maintain power supply quality and run with zero speed torque, which increases the safety and energy efficiency when moving the roof.

In addition to being weather resistant and blocking the sun’s heat, the innovative roof doubles as an enormous projection screen. The steel trusses supporting the dome are lined with some 3,000 LED lights,further adding to Singapore’s already glittering nighttime skyline.

Built on the original site of the National Stadium that was demolished in 2010, the Singapore Sports Hub opened its doors to the public in June 2014. The Singapore Sports Hub also includes the OCBC Aquatic Centre, an indoor space that can host FINA competitions, the OCBC Arena, a multi-purpose sports arena,a Water Sports Centre, sports library and museum, retail mall, together with a host of Community facilities. For more information, please visit the Singapore Sports Hub website: www.sportshub.com.sg

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility, industry, and transport and infrastructure customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 145,000 people.

Hydro International Opens New Office in Singapore

11 September, 2014/in News/by Editor

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Hydro International, the leading global provider of solutions for the control and treatment of stormwater and wastewater, has opened an office in Singapore as a centre for its growing business across the Asia Pacific region.

As part of a programme to establish a direct presence in strategic international locations, Hydro has appointed Andy Tang as APAC Regional Business Manager to run the Singapore office and develop sales distributorships across the region. Andy’s brief is to establish a platform for the introduction and support of Hydro’s innovative and brand-leading vortex control and separation technologies.

“After significant sales growth in recent years, Hydro is now keen to consolidate its successes and grow its business potential in APAC,” said International Business Director Clive Evans. “Hydro is moving closer to the international markets it serves, providing a higher-profile and responsive service to customers in the region.”

Hydro’s proven record in the region includes orders for more than 100 Downstream Defender vortex separators to improve surface water quality as part of the River of Life project in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Hydro has also seen significant interest in its wastewater grit removal solutions, and for its brand-leading Hydro-Brake® Vortex Flow Controls and Vortex Drop^TMShaft technologies.

Andy Tang will be responsible for developing Hydro’s business in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Australia and New Zealand.

An engineering graduate of Aberdeen University, Andy has enjoyed a successful career to date with more than 18 years in senior sales management posts in the pumps and hydraulics industry in Singapore, notably with Boerger Pumps, Fuglesangs, and Viking Pumps.

Andy commented: “I have been very impressed by Hydro’s vortex-based control and separation technologies and their no-power, no-moving parts design. Many countries in the region are prone to periods of intense, sudden rainfall leading to flooding and river pollution. Hydro’s products are well-placed to address the growing desire to improve surface water control and treatment.

“I also expect to see growing interest for Hydro’s wastewater grit removal systems, which promise operators new approaches to improving equipment performance and plant maintenance by eliminating harmful grit from downstream works.“

For more information on Hydro’s stormwater and wastewater technologies email enquiries@hydro-int.com, or visit www.hydro-int.com or email Andy at atang@hydro-int.com.

PLATTS REVEAL PRICE OUTLOOK ON CHINA’S STEEL SECTOR

5 September, 2014/in News/by Editor

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Monthly Index Totaled 45.88, Down 1.09 Points from August’s Reading of 46.97

BEIJING – The health of China’s steel sector may be poised for a less than robust immediate future, according to the latest Platts China Steel Sentiment Index (Platts CSSI), which showed a September reading of 45.88 out of a possible 100 points. This is down 1.09 points from an August reading of 46.97 and is the third consecutive month the index has remained below 50, indicating that market participants see demand for steel softening.

China’s steel sector expects construction steel prices to fall over September on the back of the slowdown in China’s property sector, the index survey showed.

The Platts China Steel Sentiment Index Survey – September 2014

(a figure over 50 indicates expansion; under 50 indicates contraction)

	September	Change from August	August
Platts China Steel Sentiment Index(Reflects New Orders)	45.88	-1.09	46.97
New Domestic Orders	44.82	-2.62	47.44
New Export Orders	58.04	16.50	41.54
Additional Sentiment Categories
Steel Production	41.38	6.76	34.62
Inventories
Mill Inventories	46.55	-26.53	73.08
Trader Inventories	47.02	-12.42	59.44
Price Expectations
Long Steel Prices	18.75	-45.54	64.29
Flat Steel Prices	10.63	-18.54	29.17
Export Steel Prices	10.11	-25.50	35.61

The most positive reading in the latest index is expectations for new export orders, which rose by 16.50 points in September from the previous month. The outlook for crude steel product also improved, with the index moving up 6.76 points from August to 41.38 in September.

“The Chinese steel industry has been relying heavily on the export market in recent months to compensate for very soft demand in the domestic end-user markets,” said Paul Bartholomew, Platts managing editor for steel and raw materials. “The massive fall in expectations for prices of long steel products is not surprising given the slowdown in the property sector.”

The latest CSSI indicates the industry is largely expecting a drop-off in domestic orders with a reading of 44.82 points – 2.62 points lower than the previous month. The long steel prices index plunged from August’s 64.29 points to 18.75 in September, and flat steel sentiment index fell 18.54 points to 10.63. While market participants expect new export orders to increase, price expectations remain bearish, falling 25.50 points month over month to 10.11 points in September.

“The market situation does not bode well for steel producers and it’s certainly not good for iron ore miners at a time of huge supply into China. Lower steel prices will put more pressure on iron ore prices which have already hit a five-year low,” Bartholomew said.

The monthly Platts CSSI is based on a survey of approximately 50 to 75 China-based market participants including traders, stockists and steel mill operators. The survey of month-ahead sentiment is conducted during the last full working week of each month, with the results published via press release and Platts’ products and services before the 10th of the next month. Platts began tracking steel sector sentiment in China in May 2013. The Platts China Steel Sentiment Index survey plays no role in Platts’ formal price assessment processes.

For more information about steel and metals visit the website at www.platts.com.

Cummins Power Generation Releases New Version Of Power Suite™ With Additional Tools and features

5 September, 2014/in News/by Editor

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SINGAPORE – Cummins Power Generation has released the newest version of its Power Suite™ power project sizing software. Power Suite now features two new sets of tools, GenCalc™ and GenSpec™, as well as updates to GenSize™ with additional project and load parameters to optimize project sizing and product recommendations.

GenCalc and GenSpec are new tools designed to help streamline workflow by calculating an additional range of project parameters and generating specification content based on existing GenSize project data, as well as for automatic transfer switches and paralleling systems. Project calculations, including ventilation, short circuit, exhaust back pressure, remote cooling and fuel pipe sizing, can be accessed directly after sizing a project. GenSpec can import data from GenSize projects, or it can be used on its own to create specification content ready to place in proposals and submittals.

“The work we’ve put into this new release of Power Suite is directly tied to feedback from our users. We continually process this feedback to discover how we can increase the value of these tools for our users,” said Antonio Leitao, Vice President of Power Products for Cummins Power Generation. Also included in this release are important updates to regional and geographic settings within the program.

As always, Power Suite still provides the product recommendations, announcements, technical documentation and application engineering information that users depend on. Familiar features such as the step-by-step sizing process, intuitive project-building flow, drag-and-drop functionality and color-coded generator set configurations continue to allow users to easily rearrange their project’s loads and steps and provide a full list of recommended products.

Power Suite is available at https://powersuite.cummins.com.

ECOPHIT® CHILLED CEILING SYSTEM SAVES ENERGY WHILE MAINTAINING IDEAL THERMAL COMFORT

3 September, 2014/in News/by Editor

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SINGAPORE- A recently conducted feasibility study in Singapore concluded that air conditioning energy consumption can be reduced by 26% using an ECOPHIT® chilled ceiling system instead of a conventional air-conditioning system. In the course of the study, the authors also noted that even higher total energy savings of 36% could be achieved when back-end systems are optimized.

The study into the energy use and overall effectiveness of Chilled Ceiling technology was carried out by the Energy Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. The study’s authors collaborated with the Germany-based SGL Group to install and operate ECOPHIT® chilled ceiling technology at ERI@N’s CleanTech One office space in Singapore.

The Energy Research Institute combined energy modelling simulations, with monitoring and analysis of the real parameters of the installations and verification (through sub-metering), to show how a chilled ceiling system – a form of radiant cooling – achieves significant energy savings when compared to a conventional air-based system, while maintaining ideal thermal comfort for the building’s occupants.

Due to the hot and humid weather conditions in Singapore, air conditioning is widely used in buildings. The high cooling demands, met by conventional air-conditioning technology, result in very high energy consumption of buildings. Radiant Cooling technology – and more specifically, a chilled ceiling system, presents a more energy efficient alternative.

A chilled ceiling system is a type of low energy-higher inlet water temperature cooling system that uses radiant cooling to cool a building space. A chilled ceiling is a ‘drop-down’ ceiling comprising of water-carrying pipes embedded in thin, conductive slabs and e.g. mounted on a metal ceiling plate. Using the ECOPHIT® technology, the conductive slabs are made from carbon delivering a very high level of thermal conductivity and control dynamics. This system cools the occupants in the room through radiation and natural convection using the chilled ceiling as a heat sink for the heat load in the building.

The chilled ceiling technology originated in Europe and is popular in temperate climates around the world. Key benefits of using chilled ceiling systems over conventional all-air systems include higher occupant comfort and lower equipment and material costs.

According to See Chenn Wang, Director Asia at SGL Singapore Pte Ltd, the air conditioning systems in most buildings in Singapore make up 50% of a building’s total electricity consumption. “One of the biggest challenges in achieving energy efficiency in buildings is to create a high indoor comfort level, while reducing the amount of energy consumed by air conditioning. Hence, there is a lot of interest to test innovative and more energy efficient air-conditioning systems that could replace current technology in Singapore and other tropical regions.”

Mohamed Alami, Managing Director at SGL Lindner adds: “ECOPHIT® delivers the right solution with innovative components made from recyclable natural graphite that make air conditioning in buildings more comfortable, efficient, and environmentally friendly. ECOPHIT® ensures more efficient air conditioning in every type of building, and has proven itself in a variety of large scale projects including office buildings, hotels, public buildings and airports.”

ECOPHIT® is an expanded natural graphite product and has been proven, in more temperate climates, to be highly suitable for radiant cooling. Using graphite-material allows for a rapid and more even cooling across the entire room. The authors at NTU selected this technology because of its high performance, high heat transfer rates and light weight.

ECOPHIT® offers a complete ecological and economical solution for energy efficient temperature control in buildings. A natural product made from graphite, ECOPHIT® offers outstanding design freedom, cost effectiveness and maximum climate control for sustainable and modern new build and renovation projects. The performance of this outstanding and energy-efficient technology can be observed in numerous buildings in Europe and all over the world.

HP Opens Graphics Solutions Centre of Excellence and New Ink Plant in Singapore

3 September, 2014/in News/by Editor

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New facility created to help printing companies and brands in Asia Pacific and Japan to bring their ideas to life

SINGAPORE — HP today announced the opening of a new Centre of Excellence (CoE) and the expansion of an HP Indigo ink manufacturing facility in Singapore. The facility aims to educate and inspire printing companies and their customers – including brands, agencies and print buyers – in Asia Pacific and Japan about new opportunities made possible by HP digital printing solutions.

HP Executives and Guest of Honor, Thien Kwee Eng, Assistant Managing Director of the
Singapore Economic Development Board, at the opening ceremony for the HP Graphics Solutions Centre of Excellence and new Indigo Ink Manufacturing facility

The new 21,000 square metre facility will provide customers with one-stop access to HP’s broad digital printing portfolio and solutions, as well as a space to connect with experts and share creative and technical best practices.

The new facility will further support worldwide Indigo ink volume production by expanding local capabilities from the current ink series to the fast-growing new generation of inks for the HP Indigo 10000, 20000 and 30000 Digital Presses.

“Brand owners are facing increased competition as consumer choice and expectations have exploded. As a result, they’ve moved into the digital world to connect more powerfully with their customers,” said Gido van Praag, vice president, Graphics Solutions Business, HP Asia Pacific and Japan. “The new HP Centre of Excellence aims to give them the tools to compete, helping brands identify new ways to combine their unique skills with the industry’s broadest portfolio of innovative digital printing solutions, and its unparalleled application capabilities.”

The new facility will create employment opportunities in Singapore with more than 100 employees projected to be added to the facility in the next five years, most of which will include technical professionals and training personnel.

“We welcome HP’s latest investment as yet another milestone in the 44-year Singapore-HP partnership,” said Thien Kwee Eng, assistant managing director of the Singapore Economic Development Board. “Printing is an important industry, and the new HP Graphics Solutions Centre of Excellence and second Indigo ink manufacturing plant will help to transform the industry to capture opportunities from the growth of digital printing.”

HP Graphics Solutions Centre of Excellence Unlocks the Full Power of Digital Printing

The complete graphics portfolio and partner solutions along with an extensive gallery of applications – from stamps to building wraps – are housed in the new facility to make it easier for customers to unlock the full power of digital printing.

Printing companies will be able to benchmark and conduct end-to-end application testing of their HP digital printing equipment. Brands and agencies will be able to see inspirational ideas and work on pilot projects in a real-world production environment.

In addition, a training centre will help increase operator proficiency and expedite return on investment of HP Indigo Digital Presses, HP Scitex Industrial Presses, HP Latex and HP Designjet Printers. The centre, staffed by 11 training and ramp-up specialists, will provide hands-on learning and train more than 350 operators, engineers and production managers each year.

HP Ink Manufacturing Facility to Answer Fast Growth of New Generation HP Indigo Digital Presses

The increase in ink manufacturing capabilities supports the growing demand of Indigo next-generation presses, which are reaching 150 installations worldwide. These installations are in addition to more than 6,000 HP Indigo Presses now in 120 countries.

The 10,000 square metre expansion to the ink manufacturing plant will support global production of specialized HP Indigo ElectroInks for the new generation of HP Indigo 10000, 20000 and 30000 Digital Presses. The Indigo 10000, the first B2-format digital press with offset quality, enables print service providers, photo specialty shops and book printers to provide high value, high productivity applications. The Indigo 20000 and the Indigo 30000 Digital Presses, released to the market earlier this year, are the first digital presses designed to meet the needs of label & flexible packaging and folding carton converters.

To allow HP Indigo customers in the region to order and receive more than 3,000 specially mixed ink colours within short lead times, the plant will also manufacture Pantone®-licensed spot colour inks.

Substrate testing and certification capabilities will be built into the plant to enable substrate manufacturers, suppliers and HP Indigo press owners from Asia Pacific and Japan and Europe, the Middle East and Africa to evaluate substrate compatibility with HP Indigo Digital Presses.

The new ink manufacturing facility is scheduled to open in 2015.

Additional information about HP Indigo digital printing is available at hp.com/go/indigo, on the HP Graphic Arts YouTube channel, youtube.com/HPGraphicArts, or through the HP Graphic Arts Twitter Feed, twitter.com/hpgraphicarts.

Bureau Veritas Buys CKM to Deepen Construction Expertise and Expand Its Asian Presence

2 September, 2014/in News/by Editor

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Acquisition of stake timely as Singapore partner clinches S$26m contract from LTA for Thomson MRT Line

Bureau Veritas, one of the largest global testing, inspection and certification agencies, has bolstered its Singapore presence through the acquisition of a 70% stake in homegrown CKM Consultants Pte. Ltd.

The acquisition of CKM Consultants will enable the Euronext Paris-listed company to deepen itself into Singapore public sector construction projects as well as expand into private sector projects in the longer term. Bureau Veritas already has testing, inspection and certification expertise in the construction and infrastructure sectors globally.

Bureau Veritas has other core competencies in sectors like Marine, Oil & gas, Consumer products and Commodities.

The partnership is timely as CKM Consultants has just clinched a S$26 million contract to undertake comprehensive qualified person supervision (an industry term used to refer to an accredited service to conduct supervision) on four new stations on the upcoming Thomson Line (TSL). With connections to the North-South East-West Line, North East Line (NEL), Circle Line (CCL) and Downtown Line (DTL), the TSL is expected to open in phases from 2019.

“Bureau Veritas has a long and rich experience in helping clients in the construction industry to define their strategies, manage risk, monitor quality, improve performance and enhance their return on investment throughout the critical design, construction and transaction phases. This timely partnership with CKM Consultants will enable Bureau Veritas to bring some of the best global practices into our Singapore partner,” said Serge Antonini, Bureau Veritas’ Senior Vice President for Southeast Asia-Pacific.

“It is also an opportunity for Bureau Veritas to bring CKM’s expertise to overseas markets, especially in Southeast Asia,” he added.

Rakesh Kumar, Chief Executive of the company’s Industries and Facilities Division, said that the new relationship with CKM Consultants is a strategic alliance because of the immense experience and track record it has in Singapore public sector construction market. “Bureau Veritas is already a diversified player in the testing, inspection and certification and we see this alliance as a marriage of global expertise and local networks to jointly seek private sector projects in the construction sector.”

“CKM Consultants views the relationship with Bureau Veritas as part of its next phase of growth,” said Abishek Murthy, a founding Director of the Singapore company. “We have been around for 25 years and have done enormous amounts of civil and structural work for numerous public projects. We see this alliance with a global MNC as a gateway to pitch for private sector projects and as a catalyst to spread our wings into the region,” he said.

CKM was founded as a professional engineering services company in 1989 and has undertaken more than 150 projects with the likes of the Land Transport Authority, National Environment Agency, National Parks Board, Preservation of Monuments Board, among others.

Murthy said that the Singapore company has four core accredited offerings: Independent Design review and peer review; Periodic structural inspections; Structural investigation & feasibility studies; and Construction supervision.

In the past two decades, CKM Consultants has successfully completed more than 500 Accredited Checking/ Independent Design Reviews / Peer Reviews mainly in Singapore and in selected markets in Asia.

Murthy adds that CKM Consultants is one of the Singapore pioneers in the area of structural investigation and consultancy. “Full structural investigation is a specialization which few have, CKM being one of them. We are a pioneer of this kind of work when the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) started their efforts to conserve buildings in the late 80s,” he added.

Bureau Veritas is a global leader in laboratory testing, inspection and certification services. Created in 1828, the Group has more than 64,000 employees in around 1,330 offices and laboratories located in 140 countries. The Singapore office, which functions as a regional headquarters for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, has 550 staff.