No_4_December_1964 — Page 77

AAT

of system building using either a full or a partial system terrific progress would need to be made in mechanisation.

A far sighted contractor will always use mechanical plant, in addition to labour, even if it costs as much as an Inmechanised job because.

(1) There are fewer labour pro-

blems

(2)

Overheals are reduced

(3)

There will be an increased

▲ Industrialised building systems are numerous in Western countries.

In Singapore, a French system of multi-storey prefabrication has been used in

• Government Housing scheme. Prefabrication could greatly accelerate national housing projects throughout South East Asia. ▼

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THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER-VOLUME 19, NUMBER 4

turnover with a given labour force

Building tends to be a low capitalis- ed industry but there is no doubt that far more money should be invested in mechanical equipment, in the Colony, if we desire maximum efficiency. For contractors who find that it is not economical to purchase plant more "plant hire firms" are needed. A force of skilled fitters is also required to keep the equipment is good repair.

a

It might well be possible for some firms, in Hong Kong, to form consortium and to pool resources, in- cluding both plant and labour. Un- less this were done medium-sized firms might be squeezed out of business. Smaller firms would, of course, be able to content themselves doing repairs and small jobs which they are usually able to do far more econonaically that a "small works de- partment" of a large firm. Plant layout too is of vital importance and far more thought needs to be given to it than is usually the case. A site layout needs to be very carefully pre-planned so that everything is set up on production engineering lines. Work study and the sequence of flow of all materials needs to be carefully considered long before the building is under construction.

Operational Research

In Hong Kong We have few sophisticated methods of investigation and analysis as we find commonly employed in more developed coun- tries. Such aids as C.P.M. (Critical Path Method) for planning the best sequence of operations of the contract as well as computerised planning of resources and the scheduling of methods (which is an extension of C.P.M.) are almost completely un- tried in the Colony. Linear pro- gramming. which has been profitably employed in building by local authorities and contractors alike in the United Kingdom, again is almost unknown in Hong Kong.

Mr. Philip Wyatt, Managing Director of Holland, Hannen and Cubitts, a large British firm, feels

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