ENG-1991 — Page 113

INDUSTRY AND TRADE

finishing and industrial chemistry laboratories, an environmental management laboratory, sheet metal processing, precision machining and die casting laboratories.

There was sustained demand during the year for HKPC's consultancy and technical support services. The council undertook 1050 consultancy projects, including feasibility studies, production management, new plant projects, environmental management, quality management, product design and development, and industrial automation services.

The HKPC organised 570 training courses for 13 883 participants, covering management and supervisory techniques, advanced programming and electronic data processing, and a range of technology programmes for various industries. In-plant courses continued to be popular and 39 programmes were organised during the year to meet the specific training needs of individual companies.

Seven overseas study missions were organised during the year for local industrialists to gain first-hand information on the latest technology in various areas, including flexible manufacturing, hot metal-working, mechatronics, quality control circles, advanced plastic-processing and mould-making, plastic and sheet metal stamping, electronic component and precious-metal plating.

In line with its long-term policy to corporatise and eventually privatise industry support activities, HKPC established in 1990 three wholly-owned subsidiary limited liability companies, to be responsible respectively for industrial design, the provision of heat treatment services, and the demonstration of advanced clothing manufacturing technologies.

HKPC is the government's agent for all matters concerning the Asian Productivity Organisation (APO). During the year, under the sponsorship of the APO, HKPC held two seminars on CAD/CAM_technology for plastic and mould-making industries, and die-casting and metal finishing.

Hong Kong Industrial Estates Corporation

The Hong Kong Industrial Estates Corporation (HKIEC) is responsible for managing two industrial estates at Tai Po and Yuen Long, which accommodate land and capital intensive industries with a relatively high level of technology. Tenants must either be industries which cannot be housed in ordinary multi-storey industrial buildings, or be capable of providing specialist supporting services for the manufacturing sector. The industrial estates are fully serviced with roads, drains, sewers, electricity and water. Companies on the estates design and construct their own factory premises to meet their specific requirements. They are required to adopt appropriate environmental protection measures to meet current standards.

There are nearly 100 factories operating in the Tai Po and Yuen Long Industrial Estates now and more are being built. On the Tai Po Estate, which has 71 hectares of industrial land in total, only 2.3 hectares of land remain to be leased. The Yuen Long Estate has 67 hectares of land in total, of which 28 hectares are still available for leasing. The land premia are $1,500 per square metre for Tai Po and $1,350 for Yuen Long.

Construction of a third industrial estate at Tseung Kwan O began in mid-August 1991 and 18 hectares of fully-serviced sites will available early in 1994. Upon completion of the whole estate by 1995, a total of 68 hectares will be provided. The new industrial estate is only three kilometres from the Tseung Kwan O New Town, and tenants will therefore have access to a ready supply of manpower.

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