XN000022-1986-02-16 — Page 2

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1986

MOVE TOWARDS BAR CODING

****

WITH INCREASING USAGE OF BAR CODING ON A WIDE VARIETY OF PRODUCTS THE HONG KONG TRADE FACILITATION COUNCIL HAS SET UP A SUB-COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE ARTICLE NUMBERING.

<

PRODUCTS MUST BE NUMBERED ACCORDING TO AN AGREED SYSTEM FOR BAR CODING TO WORK EFFICIENTLY AND THE ARTICLE NUMBERING SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE COUNCIL HAS NOW STARTED WORK. ITS FORMATION FOLLOWED A VISIT TO HONG KONG LAST YEAR BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE UNITED KINGDOM ARTICLE NUMBERING ASSOCIATION. THE COUNCIL WILL PROVIDE THE INITIAL FRAMEWORK FOR AN ORGANISATION SERVING THE TERRITORY WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY BECOME INDEPENDENT.

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE IS MR GEORGE ELLEDGE, ADMINISTRATION MANAGER OF THE DAIRY FARM COMPANY, AND THE VICE- CHAIRMAN IS MR K.T. TONGSON, A DIRECTOR OF THE STAR INDUSTRIAL COMPANY AND CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG PLASTIC MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION.

TERMS OF REFERENCE AND FUNDING FOR THE SUB-COMMITTEE HAVE BEEN AGREED ON. COMPANIES AND ORGANISATIONS ARE TO BE APPROACHED AND INVITED TO TAKE PART IN THE WORK. THE NEXT MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE ON MARCH 5, WHEN CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO WAYS TO INCREASE MEMBERSHIP, AND TO PUBLICITY ON THE BENEFITS OF ARTICLE NUMBERING TO RETAILERS, WHOLESALERS AND MANUFACTURERS.

AMONG THE COMPANIES WHICH HAVE ALREADY EXPRESSED INTEREST ARE: A.S. WATSON AND CO, AMOY INDUSTRIES (INTERNATIONAL), THE ASIA PROVISIONS CO, BRITISH-AMERICAN TOBACCO (HK), COLGATE-PALMOLIVE (HK), THE DAIRY FARM CO, GARDEN CO, GOLDEN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT LTD, NESTLE CHINA LTD, STAR INDUSTRIAL LTD, AND TAI-KOO SUGAR LTD.

THIRD QUARTER CONSTRUCTION OUTPUT RELEASED

*****

THE TOTAL GROSS VALUE OF CONSTRUCTION WORK PERFORMED BY ALL CONTRACTORS IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1985 AMOUNTED TO $9 012 MILLION, WHICH WAS 4.1 PER CENT LOWER THAN THE PRECEDING QUARTER AND 1.4 PER CENT LOWER THAN THE SAME QUARTER OF 1984, ACCORDING TO RESULTS OF THE QUARTERLY SURVEY OF CONSTRUCTION OUTPUT RELEASED TODAY BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

CONSTRUCTION WORK PERFORMED BY MAIN CONTRACTORS (AT CONSTRUCTION SITES, ERECTED BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES, AND OTHER MINOR WORK

THIS LOCATIONS) IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1985 WAS $5 883 MILLION. GAVE AN INDEX OF 89.3, WHICH WAS 2.7 PER CENT LOWER THAN THE PREVIOUS QUARTER AND 7.5 PER CENT LOWER THAN THE SAME QUARTER OF 1984. THE QUARTERLY AVERAGE OF 1982 WAS TAKEN AS 100.

/AS DISTINCT