China Makes Bridge for San Francisco

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 13:17:00 GMT

The new Bay Bridge is being built in China. As the huge pieces of the bridge are created, they are transported via ship all the way to Oakland where they are assembled to fit the bridge. It is expected to be open for traffic in 2013. While the assembly work in the U.S. will be performed by Americans, construction of the materials and bridge decks is being done by a Chinese company, in China.

Of course, some are critical of U.S. projects and jobs being outsourced to China. Why are Chinese companies winning so many huge contracts? It is hard for private industry in America to compete with the bids of Chinese companies on these immense projects. For instance, on the Bay Bridge project, California officials estimate they will save at least $400 million by having much of the work done in China. Though a joint-venture between two U.S. companies won the prime contract for this project, it was written in their bid that they would have to rely on getting fabricated steel from overseas. China is the world’s biggest steel maker, and a Chinese company was selected to provide this steel.

The project director for the U.S. joint venture asserted that it is unlikely the U.S. fabrication industry could put a project of this magnitude together, simply because they lack the type of warehouses, equipment, and cash flow the Chinese companies have. China has another advantage over American companies also—its large low-cost work force. Many of the steel workers are earning around $12 per day, working long hours.

The Bay Bridge is just one recent example of a multitude of large jobs around the world that have been outsourced to China recently.

“On the reputation of showcase projects like Beijing’s Olympic-size airport terminal and the mammoth hydroelectric Three Gorges Dam, Chinese companies have been hired to build copper mines in the Congo, high-speed rail lines in Brazil and huge apartment complexes in Saudi Arabia.” (New York Times)

Chinese companies have also won contracts for large jobs in New York City, including renovating the subway system and the Alexander Hamilton Bridge.

Hotel Built in Six Days

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:24:00 GMT

Have you ever heard of a 15-story building being constructed in less than one week? China’s Broad Group, with the goal of showcasing the efficiency and pure speed of its construction technology, accomplished such a feat in constructing the Ark Hotel in Changsha in less than six days. Well, kind of. The foundation and other below ground construction was completed before they started the clock, and the building was constructed from prefabricated parts which had already been manufactured off-site. Nevertheless, the speed with which the building was erected is very impressive.

While the speed of the construction allowed by this building technology will likely garner most of the attention, the technology is also important because of how environmentally friendly it is. In an industry that is making an effort to get greener, the energy efficiency, reduction in material use, and building waste minimization offered by the Broad Group’s technology should pique the interest of many in the construction industry worldwide. The company also champions its building methods as extremely safe for workers. Indeed, no workers were injured during the hotel’s construction.

The Chinese modular building technology could drive more efficient building techniques in the United States. The competition, which could be heightened by the willingness of the Chinese to finance construction in the US, could result in a disruptive change to both the design and construction industries in the US, where both design and construction rely on project-specific teams coming together for what is an inefficient process. In an age of global competition and clients looking for fast results at bargain prices, such a technological advancement could mean that US firms lose out on projects.

Schinnerer's RM Blog - chinese construction tag

China Makes Bridge for San Francisco

Hotel Built in Six Days