Hong Leong Asia and Sunway Construction Open Prefabrication Hub in Singapore

Hong Leong Asia Ltd (HLA) and Sunway Construction Group Berhad (SunCon) on July 21^st 2023 officially opened HL-Sunway Prefab Hub, the largest integrated construction and prefabrication hub (ICPH) in Singapore. The HL-Sunway Prefab Hub was launched by Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development and Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration, and it can produce up to 100,000 cubic m of precast components per year.

Strengthen precast production capabilities and improve supply chain resiliency in the construction

Built on reclaimed land, the 3.8-hectare precast manufacturing facility is installed with state-of-the-art technology to produce a wide range of building components including Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (“PPVC”) components, Precast Bathroom Units (PBU), Precast Household Shelters (HHS) as well as Large Panel Slabs under one roof. The production of precast components locally in Singapore will further improve the precast supply chain resiliency of the built environment sector.

    Leveraging Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (“DfMA”) technologies, HL-Sunway Prefab Hub is well-equipped for total design flexibility, all-weather performance, long-term quality, and cost-effectiveness. In line with the built environment sector’s transition to higher construction productivity and a healthier and cleaner work environment, indoor machining such as rebar mesh production machines are installed to increase productivity and safety.

Automation of construction processes and sustainable construction applications enhance the quality of precast components, increasing productivity gains

HL-Sunway Prefab Hub is equipped with:

High floor-to-ceiling feature allows ample headroom reaching up to 14.7m across 3 stories of production area to accommodate 40T heavy lifting cranes.

Largest automatic storage and retrieval system allows storage of components for up to 15 days and easy retrieval to deliver to site on demand

With latest technology batch plant able to deliver automatically concrete in 3 different levels with a total of no. 6 high speed flying buckets

Two Automated Precast Carousel Systems, overall productivity is expected to improve by up to 80% when operating at capacity

With 54 loading bays for easy discharge of goods, HL-Sunway Prefab Hub will be able to supply enough to complete about 17 blocks of flats every year.

Contributing to Sustainable Construction

In addition to the manpower-efficient automation technologies at HL-Sunway Prefab Hub, the manufacturing facility is a Green Mark Gold certified building, awarded by the Building and Construction Authority (“BCA”) under the Green Mark for Non-Residential Buildings NRB: 2015 scheme. The green building certification illustrates HL-Sunway Prefab Hub’s commitment to invest in innovation and environmental sustainability. Key green features at HL-Sunway Prefab Hub include:

Greener practices for construction processes: Tower batching plant with a flying bucket has adopted green building best practices with enclosed raw materials storage and misting spray to lessen dust pollution. Its holistic system design approach also provides a waste water recycling function which will reduce the water footprint and improve operational sustainability at the ICPH.

Renewable energies: Rooftop solar photovoltaic panels supply 25% of ICPH’s energy consumption and is expected to generate 1,165MWh of electricity a year, enough to power 288 4-room HDB households2.

Healthier working environment for employees: Strategically designed to include natural ventilation and use of daylight to maximize airflow and mitigate heat, which will help to ensure the comfort of our workers.

Singapore 3D Precast Production rides on Italian Technology for efficient and flexible vertical concrete distribution

From the Desert to the Arctic, going through Tropical & Humid, numerous multi-million-euro reference projects are a testament to MCT Italy‘s skill in successfully mastering the climate and infrastructure challenges of world-class megaprojects. The multi-storey advanced manufacturing facilities, named Integrated Construction and Prefabrication Hubs in Singapore, with a high degree of mechanization and/or automation is an excellent example of this expertise in action.

The tower steel frame goes up; pipes and cables are wired; and assembly teams spring into action. This industrial plant is real masterpiece of precision engineering:

1.000 m³ of aggregates storage

8 different bins for structural and architectural aggregates

over 120 ton of hot galvanized steel structure

2 cranes of 450 ton and 250 ton

2 x 3750/2500 m³ mixer with a Max concrete output up to 120 m³/h

6 high speed flying buckets running on no. 3 different levels

2 washing water recycling systems

1 filterpress for final water treatment

As soon as we complete the construction and assembly work, our commissioning engineers’ step in to ensure that a fully functioning plant is handed over to our customers.

Long-term positive

HL Suncon JV Pte Ltd was granted the contract due to their winning proposal to modernize Precast Concrete production and make it more efficient and less labour intensive from Building and Construction Authority (#BCA).

Improved productivity: Prefabricating components off-site results in manpower and time savings at the project level.

Improved quality control: ICPHs are able to deliver high quality prefabricated components as production is carried out in a controlled factory environment.

Minimize dis-amenities on site: Noise and dust generated on-site is significantly reduced as most of the construction work is brought off-site.

Safer work environment and higher-skilled jobs: ICPHs automate most of the labor-intensive construction work in a controlled factory environment. This creates a safer work environment and allows workers to take on higher value-added jobs. Skills in construction, manufacturing, logistics and information and communications technology will be sought after.

Multiple uses for ICPHs: These hubs can also be used for related construction activities such as storage of formwork, construction equipment etc.

MCT Italy believes in long-lasting partnership

MCT Italy‘s VP Business Development Director Falchetti Gabriele says that over the years, MCT has delivered several plants to Singapore. This is the first delivery to HL Suncon JV Pte Ltd, a precast concrete manufacturer with a previous focus only on construction sites.

During the past years, Singapore has gone through changes that have had a boosting effect on the construction industry as the new leaders tackle the nation’s problems. “Precast technology, especially the utilization of 3D - PPVC elements, is on the rise in the country. MCT was chosen due to the proven technology and positive experiences in similar applications worldwide” Falchetti explains.

Mr. Falchetti Gabriele, VP Business Development for MCT Italy continues: “Sunway and Hong Leong Asia share a common vision and aspiration in the journey towards innovation, efficiency and sustainable development for the built environment. This hub represents the seamless integration of cutting-edge technology, intelligent design, and the expertise of our skilled workforce. It signifies a paradigm shift in the built environment sector today by harnessing the use of prefabrication and modular construction methods”.

Mr Stephen Ho Kiam Kong, Chief Executive Officer of HLA, said: “HLA is delighted to have had the opportunity to work with MCT Italy will support us to drive the transformation of the built environment. HL-Sunway Prefab Hub ushers in a new chapter of the built environment sector’s green journey and we are pleased and honored to be a key player for sustainable, advanced manufacturing in Singapore.”

Mr Neo Choon Keong, Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Industry Development at the Building and Construction Authority, said: “ICPHs are in support of industry transformation, in particular the move towards Advanced Manufacturing and Assembly. The ICPHs will help to raise construction productivity through wider adoption of prefabrication and enhance precast supply resilience. To achieve the full benefits, the industry must design and construct with greater standardization of the precast components, to make construction more manufacturing-like. This will enable the adoption of robotics and automation solutions in both off-site production and on-site installation.”