Fco 40/3061
CONFIDENTIAL
06 30
MDHIAN 3010
WOULD RECOMMEND TO HIS CHAIRMAN THAT THEY TRY TO BECOME INVOLVED. BOTH IN THE PADS PROJECT AND IN OTHER CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES. HE HIMSELF IS AN OLD HONG KONG HAND HAVING SPENT 14 YEARS HERE WITH MTR AND WITH HIS OWN CONSULTANCY.
4. DURING THE WEEK OF 6 AUGUST, EVANS, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, MARKETING OF MOWLEM INTERNATIONAL, PAID A SIMILAR VISIT. HIS TASK WAS TO PREPARE A REPORT FOR THE MOWLEM BOARD ON THE PADS PROJECT AND TO RECOMMEND WHETHER THEY SHOULD BECOME INVOLVED. HE BECAME INCREASINGLY ENTHUSIASTIC AND IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT HE WILL RECOMMEND IN A POSITIVE SENSE. I ALSO EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT WE WELCOME PARTICIPATION BY ANY BRITISH COMPANIES BUT THAT WE HAD COMMITTED SUPPORT TO AJC FOR THE FIXED LINK ETC. WE HOPED TO AVOID A DIRECT CONFLICT BETWEEN MAJOR BRITISH CONTENDERS. EVANS SAID THAT IN ANY EVENT MOWLEM WOULD NOT BE INTERESTED IN THE FIXED LINK. HE THOUGHT THE NORTH LANTAU ROAD WORKS AND THE KOWLOON AND HONG KONG ISLAND RECLAMATION WORK MIGHT BE OF MORE
INTEREST TO THEM. ALTHOUGH THIS WAS THEIR FIRST VISIT TO HONG KONG DIRECTED AT THE PROJECT, THEY HAD BEEN FOLLOWING IT CLOSELY FROM THE UK AND HAD HAD TALKS WITH A NUMBER OF POTENTIAL PARTNERS. INDEED THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD THE MAKING OF A GROUP
WHICH WOULD CONSIST, IN ADDITION TO THEMSELVES, OF BROWN AND ROOT, KUMAGAI, C ITOH AND NISSHOIWAI (THERE HAD BEEN DISCUSSIONS WITH OF ALL OF THESE) TOGETHER WITH HONG KONG AND CHINESE
ELEMENTS.
5. EVANS CONFIRMED EARLIER REPORTS WE HAD HEARD THAT A STRONG FRENCH/GERMAN GROUP WAS ALSO BEING FORMED, LED BY BOUYGUES, (THEIR SUBSIDIARY DRAGAGES IS THE LARGEST CONSTRUCTION COMPANY IN HONG KONG) AND HOCHTIEF (WHO ALSO HAVE A LARGE LOCAL SUBSIDIARY, LEIGHTON) AND SAID HE HAD BEEN TOLD THAT KIER (I.E. THE BEAZER GROUP, WHO ARE PROBABLY CURRENTLY THE MOST SUCCESSFUL BRITISH CONSTRUCTION COMPANY IN HONG KONG) HAVE JOINED THEM. THIS GROUP'S
INTERESTS ARE LIKELY TO INCLUDE THE MAIN BRIDGE.
6. YRTELNO OTTER 184 JUST RECEIVED. I AGREE THAT WIMPEY'S INTENTION TO GO FOR THE FIXED LINK WILL PRODUCE COMPLICATIONS, NOT LEAST PERHAPS BECAUSE IT LOOKS A GROUP THAT MAY BE STRONG ENOUGH TO ATTRACT AND DIVIDE THE JAPANESE SUPPORT. WIMPEYS IN THEIR VISITS HERE HAD INDICATED THAT THEIR INTEREST MIGHT BE IN
OTHER MAJOR PARTS OF THE PROJECT. THEY HAVE REPEATEDLY SAID THAT
IF THEY DECIDED TO COMPETE THEY WOULD DO SO WHOLE HEARTEDLY AND
WITH A COMMITMENT OF RESOURCES COMMENSURATE WITH THE PROJECT.
BENJAMIN OF C ITOH IS VISITING HERE 5 TO 11 SEPTEMBER AND I HAVE
2
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.