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Starting in June, several construction companies will be able to use the various schemes that the government introduced to improve productivity in the sector.
The schemes are part of a $250-million Construction Productivity and Capability Fund that the National Development Ministry announced earlier in March.
The fund will go to seven schemes and will cover areas such as skills upgrading, manpower development and technology adoption.
Some firms are looking forward to benefit from the schemes.
Mr. Peh Ke-Pin, director of PQ Builders, plans to send more staff for training.
“In the past, we had to bear all these costs and it’s very taxing on SMEs like us, and now with the government funding, I think I will not just send only those privileged few, identified few, we’ll probably have a proper training roadmap even for workers and those supervisors to project management levels,” he said.
According to Mr. Peh, his investment in newer technology such as spray-painting machines qualifies him for up to 50-percent grants under the Mechanisation Credit Scheme.
Holcim Singapore is collaborating with the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and other construction firms to venture on a Productivity Improvement Project.
Under the scheme, the government will support up to $100,000 or up to 50 percent of the qualifying costs, whichever amount is lower.
For group or industry-wide developments, higher grants will be provided.
Already seeing some good results, Holcim Singapore’s project will look into the potential of a latest developed concrete.
“It basically reduces the time you spend in pouring the concrete by almost a quarter, and the number of people, the manpower needs were also measured to be a quarter. So, basically the productivity enhancements is almost 15, 16 times,” said Dr. Sujit Ghosh, chief executive officer of Holcim Singapore.
Currently, over 2,000 companies have been briefed on the different grants, and more than 300 enquiries have been received by the BCA.
However, the $250-million funding may not be sufficient for 10,000 construction companies in the country, according to several industry players.
BCA says that it will solicit more funds if the $250-million funding is not enough.