Hungry China

The origin of concrete pumping dates back to the 1950's in Europe.

The Germans produced the popular Putzmeister and Schwing concrete pumps.

And China being the biggest user of concrete pumps, it make sense to acquire the manufacturers.

Zoomlion has completed its acquisition of Italy's Compagnia Italiana Forme Acciaio SpA (CIFA), with Goldman Sachs and two other investors. It paid 163 million euros for a 60 percent stake in Sept 2008.




On April 17th 2012, SANY Heavy Industry Co, Ltd and Putzmeister Holding GmbH held a press conference in Germany to announce the completion of SANY’s acquisition of Putzmeister.




Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group (“XCMG”), purchases the world’s leading concrete equipment manufacturer - SCHWING Group Co. LTD from Germany. XCMG will take a majority stake in Schwing to be completed June 2012.

Eyes of Sibiu

Sibiu is a city in Romania.

Population 155,000



A sight which you would not miss are houses that have eyes on the roofs.



To new visitors, it give a feeling of being watched.

The locals feel the eyes make the city unique.



The eye windows are protected by law, no alterations allowed.

Landmark-The UIC Building

The UIC Building, built 1973 with 40 storey at 152 metre.

United Industrial Corporation (UIC) has won in-principle approval from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) to convert building in Shenton Way into a residential development.



The company says it has today paid an estimated development charge of $160.1 million to the URA for the proposed redevelopment based on a 60% residential and 40% commercial scheme with a gross floor area of about 926,589 sq ft.

Demolition of the building is underway using the top down method. But first, excavators have to be lifted up to begin the knocking.

So what cranes are able to lift the 5 ton machines up 150 metre?

The Liebherr LTM 11200-9.1 has a maximum lifting capacity of 1,200 tons with its powerful 100 metre (328 ft) telescopic boom. The fly jib can be extended out to reach 126 m (413ft) with a lifting height of 170 m (558 ft). Cost ? S$120,000.00 for one time lifting of the excavators.



There is the option of tower cranes. Erected to 160 metre under hook. Cost ? S$90,000.00 for one time lift and dismantled.

Out With The Old

In with the new.

Fairways Condominium, TOP 31 Dec 1989 by A S Watson (S) Pte Ltd.

Bukit Sembawang Estates is paying S$244.3 million for the 13,600 square metre freehold site.

It won the tender for the enbloc sale in May 2007.



Demolition is underway and the new development will become reality in 2015.

Feng Shui Maze

The new condominium at the old Gillman Heights has blocks stack like shipping containers.



It is the fengshui masters dream. Dozens of different directional facing.

Sky Terrace

Queenstown’s HDB SkyVille@Dawson and SkyTerrace@Dawson received more than 10,000 applications for its 1,718 flats.

pre-fab, Lego style

Balloting system was applied.

bomb shelter for every flat

Laid-back Dawson estate is earmarked for about 10,000 new HDB and private flats.

Painting A New House

Nowadays people are breaking from traditionally single coloured paint for the whole house.



It is the age of the internet generation.



Their parents would have their eyes pop out to see the glaringish shades.



You can try out the colours to get an idea of how you want your new house to be, here.

Renovation Is Big Business

Renovation business is big business.

kitchen before

kitchen during

kitchen, almost there
And Done

New flats and houses coming on stream seem to be endless.

room before

room during

room, done

The downside is many people are jumping into the business and competition is rough.

hall before

hall during

hall, done

End of a Landmark

The demolition is nearing the end.

Queenstown prison will only be a memory...



Almost gone.

Las Vegas Has Landed

If you think this is a welcome sign at the airport, look closely again.



It is a reminder for citizens to pay the levy before entering the casino.



It all began in 2007 when construction started to build the $5.5 billion Integrated Resort.

From this...

To this...

Done

Las Vegas has landed.

Best Invention On Display

Bauma 2010, the 29th International Trade Fair for Construction Machinery is the world's largest and probably most important trade fair for the building industry. It is presently held from 19 – 25 April 2010.



The trade fair began over 50 years ago in Munich Germany.



Some facts:
more than a half million square meters (5,382,131 sq ft) of exhibition space
3,150 exhibitors from 53 countries
over 415,000 visitors from more than 200 countries



The airport closures in Europe almost derailed the must-see exhibition.
Eighty of the 3,150 booths were left unattended when the show opened.
What saved the Bauma show is that many exhibitors came from European countries that have train connections to Munich.

An exhibition of this scale will not come with free entry.
Admission prices:
Day ticket: EUR 24
Online advance sale: EUR 20

3-day ticket: EUR 49
Online advance sale: EUR 43

Permanent ticket: EUR 62
Online advance sale: EUR 54

Queenstown Police Centre

Westminster Unicampus in 2007, submitted the highest bid to pay a monthly rent of $55,888 for the former Queenstown Neighbourhood Police Centre at the Queenstown MRT.



It went into trouble when it defaulted on its rent to the Singapore Land Authority.
Not only did it default on its rental payments, it also carried out unauthorised renovations and demolished the toilets on all three storeys of the building.



The Westminster's director would only say: 'It's an investment that has gone sour."



King Institute of Technology Pte Ltd is the new successful tenant, bidding $27,000 for the site.

Terrorist Tools

The electric blasting machine is commonly used in quarry and mines. It controls and set off 200 detonators in a single operation.

Owners of such equipments have to apply for permits from the police or military security divisions.




On the other hand, the mobile phone is as common as the clothes you are wearing. You will be the odd man out or feel naked when you left home without one.



What have these two items have in common? Well, they set off explosions. The daily bombings show that the mobile phone is the choice of weapon for the terrorists. Yet permits are not neccessary.

Giant Tools

Countries do one up to better the height of the previous "world tallest" building. Infrastructure facilities are designed larger. Machines builders too are going big with enormous tools.


Kroll of Denmark has the biggest tower crane in the world.



Mammoet of Holland built the biggest crane which need 85 trucks and other heavy trailers to transport the crane nicknamed Momo to a site. Maximum Lifting Capacity: 1600 Tonnes



Manitowoc, USA will construct the 31000 crawler crane which will surpass the Momo to become the largest construction crane on the market, with lifting capacity of 2,300 ton.



Not so long ago a 52 metre concrete pump was considered the longest but Sany, China has come up with a 72 metre version.

Emma Maersk, Denmark. Length 396 metre which is longer than the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise which is 342 metre long.
The vessel can carries 15,200 twenty foot containers.