Construction GineersNow Feb2021 Covid-19 Vaccines, Johnson Johnson, AstraZenica, Pfizer, Moderna, Janssen, Bharat Biotech, Gamaleya, CanSino, Vector Institute, Sinopharm-Wuhan, Sinovac, Covovax

FEBRUARY 2 0 2 1
N E W S
New Study Reveals
Technology Investment
Priorities for Hotels
Rubber Demand to
Increase 2.7% Per Year
in Nominal Terms to
2023
Metal Stampings and
Fabrication Market
Currently Valued at
$250.80 Billion
54 58 62
1

2

The New Energy Consumer
Architecting for the Future
1

E D I T O R ‘ S N O T E
Even after a year since
the first COVID-19 case
was recorded in China,
many businesses continue to
be affected by the looming
pandemic. The commercial
construction industry is no
different. Many contractors in
the United States have been
challenged with a variety of
problems over the past year,
not only with the shutdown
of projects but also with
employee layoffs and rise in
the cost of construction.
As 2020 ends, industry
experts and economists
predict that these issues will
continue to be a problem in
the following years. Seven
of which are to be watched
out for: labor shortage,
shrinking backlog, decreasing
construction costs, less work,
price increases, issues in the
supply chain, and diminished
state and local government
revenues.
The issue with labor shortage
is no longer surprising as
during the pre-pandemic
times, the industry is already
experiencing a shortage in
skilled labor. This continued
to loom over the heads of
construction contractors
despite the slowing, if not
shutdown, of projects.
Challenges of Covid-19 in
Construction Industry
accelerating across all the markets in the country. Apart from
these, the cost of construction had surprisingly dropped for
the first time since 2010, an impactful hit to the profits of many
contractors.
Because of the work-from-home setup and travel restrictions,
there will be no urgent need for new office buildings, hotels, and
event spaces in the meantime. This, in turn, results to less work
and drop in profits for many construction firms. Another major
player in the decline of profits for firms is the rising prices of
construction materials across the globe.
Although contractors are expanding their network as a
response to this issue, they still face the problem of delivery and
availability of materials due to the strain in the supply chain.
The backlogs in projects have
also significantly declined in
2020 and is revealed to be

Air Curation for Better Environment
From residential to commercial applications,
LG offers integrated solutions to meet various needs.
For any product inquiries, please contact Mr. Visak Tom Jose; Email: visakhtom.jose@lge.com

C O N T E N T S
8
Electrical Support and Safety
for Telecom Installations
in the Philippines
20
Cost-Effective Solar Installation
from NuPON Technologies
32
LG’S Becon Cloud Service
Brings Greater Convenience
to HVAC Management with
reduced Equipment downtime
and Operational Cost Savings
34
Challenges of Covid-19 in
Construction Industry
54
New Study Reveals
Technology Investment
Priorities for Hotels
58
Rubber Demand to Increase
2.7% Per Year in Nominal
Terms to 2023
62
Metal Stampings and
Fabrication Market Currently
Valued at $250.80 Billion
66
COVID-19 Impact on the
Transport Industry
70
MIT & Harvard Strategy to
Limit the Spread of COVID-19
78
SIA Engineering to Invest in
Pos Aviation Malaysia
82
Ways for Truckers to Stay Safe
on the Road During COVID-19
86
The Critical Role of
Digital Infrastructure in
Engineering
94
Top 7 Modern Car Inventions

FEATURE STORY
Electrical Support and Safety for
Telecom Installations
in the Philippines
With COVID-19 came the rising speed of technological adoption as many people and business
operations were forced to embrace the new normal. But among the technologies that
have grown in popularity during the pandemic, COVID-19 has significantly stressed the
importance of internet connectivity as access to employment, learning, and information.
This came as no surprise as online classes and work-from-home arrangements are now becoming a trend.
Most Filipinos have also turned to online shopping and selling, especially in Metro Manila and other
urban areas, to avoid contracting the deadly virus. With this, many are seeking to have a fast and reliable
internet connection with the internet service provider of their choice.
To achieve this, operational safety is
necessary for telecommunications
installation. Many dedicated
professionals in electrical and utility
trust only RIDGID tools. As a US
champion brand, Ridgid offers a
wide array of products engineered to
the same high standards of quality,
strength, and endurance.
Electrical Tools RE-60
The RE-60 from RIDGID features
a unique QuickChange System that
allows you to quickly and easily switch
between interchangeable heads for
cutting, crimping, and punching.
Whether you’re cutting wire, crimping
lugs, or punching boxes, this tool helps
you maximize your productivity and
efficiency on the jobsite, eliminating
the need to go back and forth to the
truck to search for different tools.
8

Electrical Tools Test &
Measurement
The micro CM-100 is a True RMS &
Auto-Ranging Digital Clamp Meter with
a large capacity and measuring range of
cables up to 30 mm O.D. and currents up
to 1000A AC/DC. The RIDGID micro
DM-100 Digital Multimeter is another
trustworthy troubleshooting tool on the site
that features a drop-proof double molded
water-resistant (1m) IP67 housing, making
it suitable for use in the harshest jobsite
conditions.
The RIDGID micro IR-200 Non-Contact
Infrared Thermometer, on the other hand,
is ideal for diagnosing and troubleshooting
systems without getting in contact with
them as it provides simple, quick, and
accurate surface temperature readings at
the push of a button. For quick distance
readings and advanced calculations, the
Micro LM-400 Advanced Laser Distance
Meter is the best option. Connect
to a smartphone or tablet to overlay
measurements on a photo or sketch to
share with others.
Electrical Tools
Dubbed as the world’s lightest and easiestto-use
130-kN Manual Hydraulic Crimp
Tool with C-Frame and weighing only 5.3
kgs, the RE 130-M provides 130-kN of
hydraulic force output to crimp copper lugs
and connectors up to 400 mm2. The tool is
specially designed for one-person operation
and features an industry-exclusive Head
Stand which allows users to position the
cable and lug between dies more easily and
crimp with greater stability.
9

Saving
lives
every day
Part of Blue Ocean Robotics

FEATURE STORY
Hand Tools
RIDGID’s Bolt Cutter is
made out of hardened alloy
steel jaws that are designed
and manufactured to ensure
the longest possible blade life.
Featuring a one-step internal
cam mechanism, this bolt
cutter provides the quickest
and simplest way to keep
the cutting blades precisely
aligned.
Light-weight and compact
for ergonomic use, RIDGID’s
Manual Cable Cutter comes
with special-curved and
surface-grinded blades made
of high-coated steel for
extended durability and blade
lifetime.
Bending and
Forming
Made of cast iron, RIDGID’s
Thin-Wall Conduit Benders
have exceptionally smooth
side walls which grip
conduit snugly to minimize
distortion. The tool’s bending
grooves conform to Standard
Code Radii with marks
indicating 30°, 45°, 60°, and
90° bends.
12

Diagnostics,
Inspection and Locating
Seektech SR-24 Line Locator with
Bluetooth & GPS is a lightweight yet
rugged receiver for locating underground
cables and pipes. Featuring a mapping
display that confirms a good locate signal
and identifies distortion in congested
areas, Seektech SR-24 also comes with
Continual Depth, which increases
productivity by showing depth changes in
real time, and Omni-Seek, which increases
accuracy and efficiency when searching
passive power and radio bands to locate
and avoid unknown metallic lines.
The Micro CA-300 Inspection Camera
comes from RIDGID’s line of handheld
visual inspection cameras that are
equipped with a camera and light source
attached to the end of a flexible 3’ cable
The camera sends live images back to
a high-visibility digital LCD display,
allowing for detailed visual inspections
in hard-to-reach spaces and reducing the
amount of time required to detect and
diagnose the unreachable.
13

FEATURE STORY
General Purpose Hand Tools
Featuring safe insulation, outstanding bearing capacity
and lightweight material, the new multi-functional
designed RIDGID’s Fiberglass Step Ladders with Protop
is guaranteed to give you a sturdy and easily accessible
work surface for electrical utility, heavy construction,
and residential jobs. The RIDGID Fiberglass Extension
Ladders are also great additions to your work truck
as they are made of premium quality, non-conductive
fiberglass rails and features ‘D’ shaped rungs directly
connected to the rail for a slip resistance surface.
Where to Buy?
For 100 years, Co Ban Kiat Hardware
Inc. is the most trusted distributor of
home improvement and hardware items
in the Philippines.
Let’s shop wisely. #StayAtHome and
order online at your convenience. Visit
us in the following sites and enjoy deals,
discounts, and more!
Website: https://www.cbkhardware.
com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
cbkhardware/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/
cbkhardware
Join our Fast Growing Viber
Community http://%20https//bit.
ly/3ebeCXU
Having internet connectivity has become quite the trend
as it becomes a means of communication, learning, and
employment for most Filipinos. It is only, therefore,
reasonable to have quality materials and equipment that
we can rely on for smooth internet installation.
RIDGID products can easily get jobs done with fewer
tools in the harsh demands of the professional’s worksite.
Together with Co Ban Kiat Hardware, RIDGID is
committed to providing world-class hardware solutions
to help internet service providers in the country grow and
thrive.
Co Ban Kiat
Hardware, Inc.
Ground Floor, Cobankiat
Building II, 231 Juan Luna St. Binondo
Manila, Philippines.
Phone +632 8243-1931
Phone +632 8243-5263
Phone +632 8894-6561
Email info@cobankiat.com.ph ;
ind@cobankiat.com.ph
Coby's Designer
Center
Unit 467 level 4
Shangri-La Plaza Edsa
Corner Shaw Boulevard
Mandaluyong City, Philippines
Phone +632 86364895
16

About CBK
Hardware
For almost a hundred years, a
family’s surname has become
synonymous to the country’s
biggest hardware supply
company. Co Ban Kiat Hardware
Incorporated, of the Cobankiat
family has a regular client
network of more than 1,500
industrial organizations; 1,600
traditional community hardware
stores, and 584 home building
specialty chain of stores across
Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
This ever-growing conglomerate
traces its humble roots to
Manila Chinatown, as a pioneer
enterprise started by family’s
patriarch, Mr. Cobankiat in
1920. Despite the ruins of World
War II, the business goes back
to its feet in 1948, rebuilding a
storefront from the very same
spot where it was known for
three decades.
This ever-growing conglomerate
traces its humble roots to
Manila Chinatown, as a pioneer
enterprise started by family’s
patriarch, Mr. Cobankiat in
1920. Despite the ruins of World
War II, the business goes back
to its feet in 1948, rebuilding a
storefront from the very same
spot where it was known for
three decades.
While the Filipinos continue to rebuild their lives post war, CBK
Hardware sees the opportunity to introduce the retail concept once
unheard for in hardware industry. Cobankiat Hardware brought the
first DIY business in the Asia. A do it on yourself concept that created
Cobankiat hardware in the Philippines. The Hardware Workshop
Store is the fruit if this endeavor. CBK Hardware further cemented
its legendary distribution channel with the creation of Coby’ Design
Center in Edsa Shangi La in 1996, a specialty store that caters to
discriminating taste of modern Filipinos.
In 1997, Mr. Johnny Cobankiat, the 4th generation Cobankiat leader,
set another milestone for the company when he brings a franchise of
Ace Hardware USA to the Philippines, and signs up CBK Hardware
as one of its major suppliers. This further expanded into delivering
quality world class products nearer to families of Filipino overseas
workers in the countryside.
A century’s excellence can quickly pass, and guided by the vision to
be the largest network supplier of the biggest global brands in the
hardware industry, CBK Hardware resolve to source the best products
to supply its customers anytime and every time.
17

N E W S
S T O R I E S
Cost-Effective Solar Installation
from NuPON Technologies
The cost of renewable energy drops as the years
pass by, so it is no longer surprising that more and
more households are starting to switch to clean
sources for their electricity needs. Among the most
popular and affordable of these is the solar panels.
Solar panels are easily one of the best ways to offset
high energy bills, especially during the summer season.
Depending on their efficiency, size, and orientation
relative to the sun, these equipment are actually
capable of generating more electricity than what your
home consumes. This, in turn, reduces the energy that
you use from the utility supplier, thus cutting the cost of
your monthly electric bill to almost zero.

But apart from saving on energy bill, installing
solar panels has other significant benefits to the
consumers and the environment.
• Helps in combatting greenhouse gas
emissions. Fossil fuels, such as coal and
natural gas, produce harmful emissions that
affect air quality and contribute to global
warming. With reliance on clean, pure energy
like solar power, more homes will consume less
fossil fuels, subsequently helping Mother Earth
heal. Solar power is also unlimited compared to
fossil fuels, so there are no worries of it depleting
in the near future.

CI/SfB (21.9)
Xt6
February 2010
Wall Ties and
Restraint Fixings
for the Construction Industry

Tools for guys who don’t
punch out at five.
Introducing the wide line of professional quality
Plumb hammers and hatchets.

N E W S
S T O R I E S

• Qualification for tax credits
and rebates. In the US,
consumers who install solar panels
can avail of the federal solar tax
credit that gives tax payers a
dollar-for-dollar reduction against
federal income tax. This means that
homeowners can get around 30%
of the total system costs back as
a federal income tax credit when
filing their taxes. Having solar
panels installed also increases the
resale value of the home.
• Improves grid security.
When there is a high penetration
of solar energy in the grid, it is
less vulnerable to blackouts, thus
improving its security in case of
overload or nature/human-caused
disasters.
In the Philippines, NuPON
Technology can help homeowners
achieve a more environmentallyfriendly
energy source for their
houses through the installations
of solar panel systems, solar
inverters, uninterruptible power
supplies, and LED lights. This
solutions provider company offers
Elite Mono monocrystalline solar
panel modules featuring high
conversion efficiency of roughly
17.78%, anti-reflective coating
and reduced operational and
maintenance costs, more power
yields than expected, and excellent
loading capacity of 2400PA wind
loads and 5400Pa snow loads.

Steel Solutions
for Green Building
©Createsima
transforming
tomorrow

CEILING&waLL
SYSTEMS
Between us, ideas become reality ®
Mesh Metal Ceiling

N E W S
S T O R I E S
NuPON Tech also provides
installation of Solar DC inverter air
conditioners with 180° sine wave
driving technology. These type of
air conditioners are known for their
higher energy efficiency, smoother
running and lower noise, and more
reliable operation compared to the
120° square wave DC inverter.
There is also a rich product portfolio
of UPS and inverters that the
company offers, including the Tough
Series with an MPPT efficiency of
over 99.9% and the Trinergy Plus
Series that can handle a maximum
DC power input of 35kW.
On top of these, a wide array of
indoor lighting solutions are readily
available for installation. These
range from LED T8 tube series, LED
strip lights, and LED neon lights to
solar street lights, value solar street
lights, and LED street lights.

For more information about NuPON
Technology, visit their website https://
www.nuponcorpphils.com/ or contact the
following branches
NuPon Technology
Filsyn Corp Compound Brgy. Don Jose,
Santa Rosa City, 4026 Laguna, Philippines.
Tel: (049) 530-1879
Tel: (049) 530-2329 / (049) 530-1879
Fax: (049) 541-0214
Email: ntpctmsg@gmail.com
Whatsapp +639178675324
Biz One Venture Sdn Bhd
556-U, Taman Century, Jalan Batu Uban,
11700 Gelugor, Penang, Malaysia.
Tel: +6016-4197072
Fax: +604-6451241
For the past 20 years, NuPON Tech has been
the leading integrated product development
and supply chain specialist group in the
country, supporting not only industrial safety
and clean room but also PPE, metrology,
AGV, and ergonomic lifting equipment. With
its commitment to provide superior quality
products, services, and total solutions
which exceeds customer’s requirements
and expectations consistently, the company
has joined forces with global research and
development teams and manufacturing facilities
of top brands. It continues to develop products
that mirror its clients’ missions in quality, cost,
and yield profit management, earning the trust of
Filipinos across the country.
Cavite Branch
The Arcade Bldg. Blk 5 Stl 9&10, Holiday
Homes, Brgy. Biclatan, Gen. Trias Cavite
4107.
Tel: (046) 512-0982
Tel: (046) 512-0979
Subic Branch
83A 14th St., New Kalalake, OC.
Tel: (047) 223-8894
Fax: (047) 223-8894
Clark Branch
Apartment#5 Jasmin St, Pineda Subd.
Dau, Mabalacat, Pampanga.
Tel: (045) 625-0162
Fax: (045) 625-0162
Cebu Branch
158 Sangi Road, Pajo. Lapu-lapu City
Cebu, Philippines 6015.
Tel: (6332)520-3285
Fax: (6332)238-6085
Baguio Branch
#71 Sarok Road Camp 7 Baguio City.
Tel: (074) 246 2391

FEATURE STORY
MEP HVAC POWER 25: LG
ELECTRONICS
During a year in which
comprehensive yet
efficient HVAC solutions
have become increasingly
crucial, LG Electronics (LG)
has focused on strengthening
its ties with industry leaders
such as ASHRAE (American
Air Conditioning Association)
and REHVA (European Air
Conditioning Association)
to deliver new standards of
comfort and care to all.
LG’s commitment to
championing innovation has
allowed the company to
successfully negotiate the
challenges of 2020, while
empowering businesses and
individuals across the Middle
East and Africa as a complete
smart energy solution provider.
Sangmin Lee, Leader of the
LG Electronics Business
Solution Division for the Middle
East and Africa reiterated
the company’s commitment
to the region, “Our success
comes as a result of having
clear understanding of local
market demands, responding
by bringing new technologies
to the market at rapid pace
and scale. We will continue
to accelerate our focus on
becoming a trusted HVAC
partner in MEA – based on the
values of integration, expertise
and customer service to create
positive impact.”
Variable refrigerant flow (VRF)
systems are representative of
LG’s HVAC solutions and have
been at the forefront of new
installations in schools, hotels,
offices, and entertainment
hubs across the region. These
systems are equipped with
powerful and reliable inverter
compressors, which enable
them to offers maximum
efficiency in part-load as well
as full-load conditions.

This track record of advanced
air solution technology has
allowed LG Electronics to
capture 20% of the UAE’s $5
million air purification market in
2020 alone.
LG’s advanced VRF systems
have been installed at several
sites across the region,
including Dubai’s Sustainable
City and Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat
Beach Villas.
To ensure LG remains at
the forefront of air solution
technology and provides
unparalleled customer service,
the company has been training
technicians at its state-of-theart
LG Air Solutions Academy
in Jebel Ali since 2010.
In recent months, LG has
introduced purification and
sterilization kits onto existing
air conditioning units to
improve comfort and indoor air
quality. Customers looking for
more aesthetically-pleasing
solutions have also been
introduced to the advantages
of LG’s Dual Vane and Round
Cassette air conditioning units.
Building on the longstanding
success of its
PuriCare air purifier line-up,
LG has introduced a host of
new iterations, including a
commercial model for office
spaces and more recently,
the PuriCare Wearable Air
Purifier. LG’s Wearable
device, which uses two H13
HEPA filters and a patented
Respiratory Sensor to filter air
and regulate airflow on-thego,
has been received with
great interest and is already
serving government bodies
and hospitals in other markets.
While the PuriCare Wearable
had been in R&D since 2017,
the pandemic also revealed a
need for new, more affordable
air solutions with hygiene at
the forefront and LG has been
focused on bringing the right,
cost-effective technologies to
market to meet this demand.
LG has continued its
longstanding tradition of
supporting healthcare facilities
by delivering tailored solutions
that meet the differing
temperature, humidity and
air pressure requirements of
operating theatres, patient
rooms and intensive care
units. LG’s Multi V system
offers optimum efficiency
during peak and partial load
hours across the entire facility
while the LG control solution
also makes operation much
more efficient. This gives
healthcare providers the ability
to manage facilities while
reducing operating costs.
With the prevalence of remote
interactions during the
height of the pandemic, LG
quickly transitioned to online
communication with its clients,
the media and wider public –
leveraging digital technologies
to host product unveilings
during livestreams and via
social channels.
The company continues
to provide smart energy
management with its BECON
(Building Energy Control)
Cloud Solution, an IoT-based
platform. This enables greater
visibility and convenience via
remote real-time monitoring
and energy efficiency
management.
About LG Electronics Air
Solution Business Unit
LG Electronics’ Air Solution
Business Unit is a global
leader in HVAC and
energy solutions with a
comprehensive portfolio
of proven expertise and
performance. Launching
Korea’s first residential air
conditioner in 1968, LG has
paved the way for total HVAC
solutions over the last five
decades through strategic
utilization of advanced
technologies. With a wellestablished
production base
and industry-leading capacity,
the company provides
effective HVAC solutions for
both the commercial and
residential sectors. Its wide
range of cutting-edge systems
for heating, ventilation and air
conditioning truly represent
LG’s initiative in offering the
most optimized solutions for
a variety of uses. Pursuant to
its mission of “Innovation for
a Better Life,” the company
offers solutions boasting high
energy efficiency and reliability
based on its state-of-the-art
knowhow and technologies
to ensure the most optimal
environment for users. For
more information, please visit
www.LG.com.

FEATURE STORY
LG’S Becon Cloud Service Brings Greater
Convenience to HVAC Management with reduced
Equipment downtime and Operational Cost Savings
HVAC Systems Can Now Be Easily Monitored Anytime Through a Secure Cloud-based
Remote Service
LG Electronics (LG) has
announced the availability
of its BECON cloud
Digital HVAC Management
Solution that enables business
operators to remotely monitor
and control their systems with
reduced costs and shortened
non-operating times.
BECON cloud offers a
comprehensive service
to monitor stored data in
dedicated cloud servers,
giving operators the capability
to analyze results and ongoing
reports so they are kept upto-date
on the status of HVAC
equipment. Systems can be
checked anywhere so if and
when problems arise, they
can be quickly identified and
resolved efficiently to minimize
downtime.
It forms part of LG’s wider
VRF System Maintenance
service, which supports
businesses in maintaining
equipment performance
and preventing unnecessary
operating expenses. BECON
cloud is able to manage every
aspect of a HVAC system
from remote management
to control and maintenance.
32
Operators receive real-time
monitoring data anytime and
anywhere making it easy to
prevent malfunctions while
at the same time providing
excellent energy saving,
differentiated service and
consulting.
“Our BECON cloud offering
is the latest example of
LG’s innovative approach
to HVAC management
services. The system
provides operators with
real-time management
data that empowers them
to make improved system
management decisions to
avoid problems before they
arise. BECON cloud also
complements our larger VRF
System Maintenance service
giving end-users a truly
comprehensive approach to
HVAC management,” said
Mr. Jungtae Youm, General
Manager Hi M Solutek, LG’s
Service and Maintenance
company.
BECON cloud’s
Composition
BECON cloud specializers
are in total care of the LG
HVAC from maintenance to

energy solution and it consists
of two key functions. The
Remote Control System (RCS)
enables real-time monitoring
via mobile, PC and tablet
computers through an App
and web control. The Facility
Maintenance System (FMS)
delivers proactive repairs
based on real-time diagnosis
with Remote Check-up, Group
Management and Big Data
Analysis.
Quick Repairs
The power of the cloud
is employed to give
operators quick access
to site control through a
single security account to
perform management of
the system with hierarchical
group management. Unlike
traditional repairs services that
require parts to be delivered,
additional assessments and
inspections, LG BECON cloud
offers a more streamlined
and efficient repair process.
A maintenance team can
be quickly dispatched by
the situation room once an
error has been detected. An
online check-up analysis and
diagnosis repair guide can be
used while parts are able to be
prepared on the first visit with
the additional repair history
reports also available.
User-friendly Main
Functions
LG BECON cloud provides
operators with an easyto-use
interface that gives
users access to the most
important and relevant
information. A dashboard
display summarizes data
and highlights devices and
equipment that are working
correctly, have stopped or
developed an error. Detailed
status monitoring covers the
site temperature, inflow/outflow
temperature, error information
and more. Devices can be
switched on or off remotely
with temperature, mode and
other settings also able to be
adjusted off-site. Users are
given a complete upgrade,
control and error history with
reports that can guide optimal
operating conditions.
Built Upon a Foundation
of Network Security and
Privacy
LG has addressed security
and data privacy concerns
by ensuring BECON cloud
complies with stringent
international security
standards. It operates based
on the cloud server provided
by Microsoft. In addition, it
also uses LG and Microsoft’s
security solutions to deliver
an added layer of safety
that ensures stable services
without any security issues.
Proven Performance
LG has a proven track record
of delivering HVAC solutions
in various air conditioning
fields with optimized
solutions based on the
needs of facilities and the
environment of the buildings
and building type. BECON
cloud further enhances LG’s
HVAC management service
with a digital solution that
is convenient to use, saves
operating costs and reduces
downtime on equipment.
Business owners can also visit
online to learn more about the
products, service offerings
and register a query. To learn
more about LG’s Service
Offering Modules visit:
https://www.lg.com/ae/
business/service-maintenance
33

34

It has been a year since the very first coronavirus case was reported
in Wuhan, China, but COVID-19’s global threat continues to affect
many businesses, including commercial construction. Ever since the
pandemic hit the United States, construction contractors across the
country have been struggling with a myriad of problems, including
shutdown of projects, employee layoffs, and increase in the cost of
construction.
35

C O V E R
S T O R Y
As 2020 ended, economists and industry experts conclude
that majority of such issues will remain to challenge
contractors even in 2021. Seven of the top factors are the
following:
• Labor shortage. Even before the pandemic, the industry
has already been dealing with historic shortage of skilled
labor, and this issue continues despite COVID-19 shutting
down projects and slowing down others. Although many
firms have started to recall their workers who were initially
laid off in spring, a handful have refused the offer due to
virus concerns, preference for unemployment benefits, and
family responsibilities.
• Shrinking backlog. In September, the Construction
Backlog Indicator of the Associated Builders and
Contractors fell to 7.5 months, a drop of 0.5 months from
the previous month’s reading and 1.5 months lower than
September 2019’s. The Construction Confidence Index
readings for sales and profit margins of the association also
showed a noticeable decline.
According to ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu, the
following months still don’t look positive for contractors who
are looking forward to adding to their backlog of work. In
fact, drops in backlog have started to accelerate across all
the regions and markets.
• Decreasing construction costs. For the first time in
ten years, construction costs have declined slightly due to
a variety of pandemic-related issues, leading contractors
to feel a drop in profits. The Turner Building Cost Index, a
measure of costs in the non-residential building construction
market in the US, shrunk to a value of 1171 in the third
quarter of 2020. This marked a 1.5% quarterly reduction
from January 2020, the first time that the Turner Building
Cost Index declined in value since 2010.
• Less work. Economists say that even after the rest of the
economy starts to recover from the COVID-19 threat, various
sectors of commercial construction will still experience a
decrease. For example, experts predict that most people
will continue their work-from-home setup with occasional
in-office work, so construction of office buildings remain
uncertain in terms of future growth.
38

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New healthcare facilities construction could also decline significantly due
to the changes in lifestyle after the pandemic, according to chief economist
for the Associated General Contractors of America, Ken Simonson. He
added that hospital use had dropped off in the spring, and it is still unsure
whether visits for non-essential procedures like elective surgery will even
return. In turn, alternative medical care and surgery centers might see a
growth.
• Price increases. The cost of lumber has skyrocketed in the past
year, and other prices of construction materials have fluctuated, as well.
Generally speaking, though, prices of most materials have risen since
May. That is why when construction comes back across the globe, the
increasing demand for products could still keep these prices pretty high.
As a response to this, some contractors are already taking proactive steps
and expanding their supplier network. They have also bought hedges on
some materials to protect themselves from upward price swings.
50

• Issues in the supply chain. Pomfrett said that although production is
indeed returning to its previous levels internationally, there is still a strain on
the supply chain and the delivery of materials and equipment. This, in turn,
forced contractors to rely on not only one material supplier, but at least
three separate ones from different geographic locations. Some have even
gotten as many as five in place.
• Diminished state and local government revenues. A report from
the Brookings Institution estimates that excluding the declines in fees to
hospitals and higher education, state and local government revenues will
decline by $155 billion in 2020, $167 billion in 2021, and $145 billion in
2022 — about 5.5%, 5.7% and 4.7%, respectively. This meant that state
agencies, including the departments of transportation, have lesser funds
for infrastructure initiatives like transit, road, and bridge projects. Many will
have to look to the federal government to request for additional revenue.
- End -
51

NEWS
New Study Reveals Technology
Investment Priorities for Hotels
Chain hotels 77% more likely to increase technology investments, while independent counterparts
prioritize room renovation
According to a new survey of more than
1,200 hoteliers by Expedia Group,
the world’s travel platform, chain
hotels1 are nearly twice as likely as
small independent properties2 to prioritize
technology investment. Alternatively, small
independent properties are 1.5 times as likely
as chain hotels to prioritize room renovations
– indicating a gap in technology investment
strategies among different hotelier segments.
Reliance on technology is becoming
increasingly important in the lodging industry
as hotels begin to recognize how they can
gain key competitive advantage with strategic
technology investments. According to the
54
latest report by Hospitality Technology3, 54%
of hotels plan to increase their technology
budgets for 2019, while only 8% plan to
decrease.
However, cost continues to be the key barrier
with technology adoption for many hoteliers,
with nearly half of the small independent hotels
surveyed indicating that technology investment
decisions are based on affordability and value.
In contrast, more than half of the chain hotels
prioritize technology that seamlessly integrates
with their existing systems.
“We’re witnessing chain hotels place significant
investments in technology, which opens

the potential for a greater divide between
properties that are not able to match those
investments,” said Ait Voncke, senior vice
president, Expedia Group. “Technology has the
power to level the playing field for hoteliers of
all sizes. We continue to listen to our partners’
needs and invest in how best to serve all our
partners so even the smallest of properties can
compete effectively and find opportunities to
succeed.”
Among the small independent hotels surveyed,
1 in 4 cited complexity as their biggest
challenge when adopting technology, with
1 in 3 saying ease of use is a priority when
evaluating solutions. To remove these barriers,
Expedia Group is making enhancements to
its platform so partners not only have the right
resources whenever and wherever they need it,
these solutions are delivered through intuitive
and easy to use tools.
Recently, the company released new userfriendly
features on Expedia Group Partner
Central platform to further streamline everyday
tasks and provide suppliers instant access to
relevant information so they can make realtime,
informed decisions. New, enhanced
features include:
Partner Central Mobile App improvements
– a series of upcoming enhancements will
make managing rooms and rates easier with
modified calendar navigation, the ability to
view inventory and availability and make real
time updates to reduce errors. Suppliers can
also receive mobile notifications for bookings,
cancellations, guest messages and prioritize
with easy to use filters.
• New “Rooms and Rates” overview page –
the simplified view streamlines information
and tasks related to rooms, rates and
inventory. The new page reduces the
number of links and helps suppliers
determine where to take action with
business alerts and high-level insights.
• New “Marketing” overview page – suppliers
currently using marketing tools will see
reporting on their results, while suppliers
that are not will be educated on the various
tools available to influence their availability
and increase conversion. The page brings
the top five countries with the greatest
booking opportunity and raises awareness
of their property within the marketplace.
• New adaptive home page – designed to
provide customized recommendations for
partners based on their current familiarity
with Partner Central. This personalised
experience that enable suppliers to identify
certain time-sensitive tasks they should take
to accelerate booking potential on Expedia
Group’s marketplace. This will be made
available to majority of properties at the end
of the year.
• Multi property portfolio dashboard –
provides a portfolio snapshot for suppliers
managing two or more properties.
The dashboard indicates the list of
accommodations associated to the user,
provides insights for each property and
signals when and where action is needed.
55

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NEWS
Rubber Demand
to Increase
2.7% Per Year in
Nominal Terms to
2023
Rising Production of Tires, Other Rubber Products Will Drive Growth
US rubber demand is forecast to rise 2.7% per year in
nominal terms through 2023, according to Rubber:
United States, a report recently released by Freedonia
Focus Reports. Suppliers will benefit from growth in
domestic production of tires, belts, hoses, and other rubber
parts for motor vehicles, machinery, and equipment. Rubber will
remain a material of choice in these applications for its abrasion,
chemical, heat, and oil resistance and resilience. The use of
natural gas feedstocks in US ethylene production, of which
butadiene is a byproduct, will continue to negatively impact
synthetic rubber suppliers, as butadiene yields from natural gas
feedstocks are lower relative to petroleum feedstocks.
58

In real (inflation-adjusted) terms, rubber demand is projected
to expand nearly 1.1% annually to 2023, driven by rising output
of rubber products, with expected yearly shipment growth of
1.1% in real terms. Imports will restrict faster gains in domestic
rubber product output, limiting stronger growth in real rubber
consumption.
These and other key insights are featured in Rubber: United
States. This report forecasts to 2023 US rubber demand in
nominal and real (inflation-adjusted) terms and synthetic rubber
shipments in nominal terms at the manufacturer level. Total
demand in nominal terms is segmented by product in terms of:
• styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR)
• natural rubber
• polybutadiene rubber (BR)
• ethylene-propylene diene monomer (EPDM)
• polychloroprene (CR); isobutylene isoprene, or butyl, rubber
(IIR); polyisoprene rubber (IR); and acrylonitrile-butadiene
rubber (NBR)
other synthetic rubbers such as acrylic and fluoroelastomers
To illustrate historical trends, total demand, total shipments, the
various segments, and trade are provided in annual series from
2008 to 2018.
59

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NEWS
Metal Stampings and Fabrication
Market Currently Valued at $250.80
Billion
The global market for metal
stampings and fabrication
is growing at a CAGR of 4-5
percent and is expected
to reach a value of $286.20 billion
by 2022, according to Beroe Inc.,
a procurement intelligence firm.
Globally, the end-user demand for
metal fabrications is primarily from
the construction, building/piping,
architecture and automotive industries
that are driving the growth of the
market.
Europe is currently the largest market
for metal stampings and fabrication,
accounting for a market share of
50 percent with a value of $121.92
billion, growing at a CAGR of 1.6
percent. Asia holds a market share
of 33 percent with a current value of
$82.53 billion, growing at a CAGR of
4.2 percent. North America accounts
for a 10 percent market share, worth
$24.65 billion growing at a CAGR of
2.7 percent.
Beroe, which is based in North
Carolina, further stated that
procurement experts can access this
report on its recently launched market
intelligence platform Beroe LiVE: live.
beroeinc.com
Major end-user industries include
construction, automotive, heavy
machinery, and energy, however, the
applications in construction, building/
piping, and architecture are expected
to drive the market growth. The lack of
substitutes makes the market stable,
in terms of demand consistency. Lack
62

of skilled labor is a major challenge for the
market as metal fabrication is a labour-intensive
process. With increasing labor rates and a
lack of availability of skilled labor, suppliers are
expected to work with stiffer margins.
Based on end-user demand share,
Construction, Building/Piping, and Architecture
account for 46 percent of the total demands for
metal stampings and fabrication, followed by
Automotive and Transportation for 22 percent,
Machinery and Heavy Industries for 11 percent,
and Energy and Power for 11 percent. New
technology advancements in the field are
advanced pulsed GMAW, ultra-shot pulsed
laser, cutting speed increase in abrasive water
jets, and anti-foulant coatings.
Key Findings:
Raw materials are traded as a commodity on
exchanges, like LME, SHFE, COMEX, and
suppliers are subject to price fluctuations,
which are usually passed on to the customer for
custom made products due to which Supplier
power is medium to high.
For lower-grade metal fabrication, given
the lower cost of set up, there are likely to
be several new entrants in the future. Metal
fabrication where the product complexity is
high, the initial set up costs and operations
costs make it difficult for new entrants to
establish themselves in the competitive market.
Most of the metal fabrication suppliers for
welding, brazing, cutting, coating, heat
treatment, surface treatments operate on a spot
market basis and are primarily service centers.
For services like metal stamping or when the
service is vertically integrated, engaging in
long-term contracts is preferred.
The supplier market is fragmented and
suppliers are aiming for an increased market,
where the cost reduction pressure is high.
This calls for more aggressive automation of
production processes and this may not be
possible, due to the customized requirement of
end products.
As metal fabrication is a customized process,
based on project-based orders standardization
of the manufacturing process beyond a
certain level is not feasible. The inability to
automate the production process keeps the
manufacturing costs high and increases
pressure to reduce costs in a competitive
market.
The research methodology adopted for the
report included:
Experts with twenty years of domain experience
Interaction with buyers
Inputs from supply chain partners
Metal stampings and fabrication cost
components are raw materials for 45-47
percent of costs, labor for 31-34 percent,
electricity for 5-9 percent, overheads for
6-8 percent, and margins for 7-8 percent.
Production of metal fabrication in high-cost
countries, like the US, Germany, involves a
relatively higher share of labor and raw material
in the cost structure whereas in low-cost
countries like China or India energy costs and
the overhead costs are comparatively higher.
63

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N E W S
S T O R I E S
COVID-19 Impact on the Transport
Industry
COVID-19 has presented unparalleled
challenges to all businesses across
the globe, but perhaps one of the most
affected are those within the transport industry.
No longer can we freely move people across
cities, countries and continents due to the travel
restrictions put in place to combat the virus. The
result is a dramatic decrease in transportation
revenue that is causing a range of issues in both
the short and long term, from pay decreases
and redundancies to closures of long-standing
businesses that can’t maintain liquidity through
an extended period of inoperability.
Private companies and regional governments have aligned their strategies in this critical time to
deliver an unprecedented response to the global medical emergency including a record number
of infection tests, screenings, temporary quarantine centres and medical facilities as well as
limitation of travel whilst providing support to those unable to return home. This same level of
commitment in response must continue in the thought processes and proactive development of
operational initiatives and solutions that will help shape land, sea and air travel after the impact of
the pandemic begins to subside.
Transport Industry operators must at the very minimum consider the following initial changes
to their operating and commercial models in order to support their clients to adapt quickly and
efficiently to a new, infection-conscious way of providing a positive and efficient journey to
customers.
66
Fixed-cost pricing models
Fixed-cost pricing models need to transform
into variable cost contracts with suppliers in
order to support a relatively unquantifiable
phased return to a ‘normal’ number of
passenger traffic. Liquidity is one of the key
issues around finances for Transport Industry
organisations. Suppliers, providers and
internal costs will need to be adjusted from a
commercial and payment terms perspective.

Communicate your safety with
GineersNow
The new world will require a build-up of
confidence in customer’s safety as well as new
ways of travelling during the re-opening stages
and after the crisis. This will require companies
to invest in understanding their customer’s
journeys. Back-burner programmes and delayed
projects will need to be accelerated, cancelled
or re-evaluated against the new state of play
globally.
In order to be proactive in restoring a level of
normality to domestic and international travel,
there are a range of new challenges that
Transport Industry providers and operators must
overcome. It is important to develop a suite of
solutions to meet challenges such as social
distancing requirements and an overall increase
in travel duration.
Social distancing
Social distancing measures will lead to lower
holding capacity on planes and trains as well
as within the land, sea and air hubs and in
addition, queueing will have to be reconfigured
to accommodate lateral distances as well as
infrastructure limitations.
In order to reduce waiting times and enforce
these measures, manpower requirements from
suppliers will rise and passenger processing will
have to be adjusted according to distance as
well as lags in time to process.
Longer travel time
Travel duration will increase due to increased
checks of information, medical tests and social
distancing measures will increase passenger
processing times as well as a decreased
throughput resulting in longer lead times.
Delayed onboarding and offboarding will reduce
turnaround times for planes, coupled with
increased time taken for luggage processing.
Limited passengers for bus services and
limited passengers on skybridges will
further increase the overall travel duration, in
conjunction to new onboarding procedures.
Long recovery
As one of the hardest-hit sectors by the
pandemic, Transport Industry will also be
one of the sectors that takes the longest time
and requires the most impact to recover.
Every single aspect of travel must be
redesigned to achieve renewed passenger
confidence in the safety of the system whilst
counterbalancing the impact of increased
wait times and reduced passenger carrying
capacity.
Above all, a return to normal levels of
passenger travel will only be achieved
through the same unprecedented
commitment levels shown in the initial steps
taken to combat the virus. This is a time
where businesses must support each other,
forgoing a chase for profit and instead
providing innovative, transformative and
proactive solutions that will renew passenger
confidence and in turn, repair the damage
that coronavirus has dealt to the industry.
67

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N E W S
S T O R I E S
MIT & Harvard Strategy to Limit the
Spread of COVID-19
Even as the death toll from COVID-19 continues to rise around
the world, many cities and states in the U.S. and other
countries are beginning to ease restrictions and develop
policies to re-open economies and communities. The question is,
which policy will best facilitate people’s safe return to work and limit
the spread of the virus?
70
Researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School and
Engineering and Applied Sciences, in collaboration with Harvard
Medical School and MIT, have developed a model to simulate the
impact of different physical distancing strategies on the spread of
SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The researchers found that age-specific shelter in
place policies may be just as effective as populationwide
shelter in place policies — as long as everyone
not sheltering in place also practices safe physical
distancing.
“We found that rather than put the burden of sheltering
in place on society as a whole, if some percentage of
a specific age group were to stay home and everyone
else practice physical distancing, the epidemic could
be mitigated until a vaccine is developed,” said Milind
Tambe, the Gordon McKay Professor of Computer
Science at SEAS and co-senior author of the study.
“We’re cognizant of the fact that the kinds of populationwide
sheltering orders that are currently in place
in many countries around the world can’t proceed
indefinitely,” said Maimuna Majumder, a faculty member
of the Computational Health Informatics Programs
based out of Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard
Medical School and co-senior author of the study. “Part
of what we wanted to demonstrate through this work is
what might happen if we only enforce sheltering for one
segment of the population and let others engage in a
partial return to normalcy – while simultaneously doing
their part to “flatten the curve” by physically distancing
in offices, restaurants, and so on.”
The researchers developed an individual-level model
for SARS-CoV2 transmission based on demographic
data including age and household structure and, using
that information, created population simulations for
COVID-19 hotspots Hubei, China and Lombardy, Italy.
Using these simulations, the researchers were able
to play out different policy scenarios and observe the
impact on the virus.
“We’ve seen a range of different policies instituted, from
staggering the lockdown of entire cities, provinces or
even countries, to milder physical distancing policies,”
said Bryan Wilder, a graduate student at SEAS and
first author of the paper. “Within these lie a range of
possible alternatives. Our goal was to simulate existing
policies and try to come up with new, creative policies to
slow the spread of the virus.”
The researchers played out their simulations in
Lombardy, which was in the midst of the outbreak
during the research. The researchers modeled the
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N E W S
S T O R I E S
effect of either 50 percent or 100
percent of single age group sheltering
in place while the rest of the population
went about business as usual, with no
physical distancing.
They found that even sheltering in place
by everyone within a single age group
left at least 60 percent of the population
infected. If only 50 percent of that age
group sheltered, nearly 70 to 80 percent
of the population would be infected.
However, combining a single age group
shelter-in-place policy with physical
distancing by the rest of the population
led to an infection rate below 50 percent
and a substantial decrease in the total
number of deaths. In this scenario,
there was little difference between 100
percent of an age group sheltering and
50 percent of an age group sheltering.
The researchers also found that the
most at-risk age groups, people age
70 or older, don’t necessarily need
to be the ones sheltering. In fact, the
researchers found that in Lombardy,
the most effective policy would have
50 percent of people 30 to 49 shelter
in place and everyone else practice
physical distancing.
“If you think about it, people in the 30-to-
49-year-old-demographic have some
of the largest social circles and those
circles tend to be intergenerational,”
said Wilder. “They have kids, go to work,
take care of their parents, go out with
friends and colleagues. So, targeted
salutary sheltering of this age group
combined with physical distancing of
the general population may be enough
to thwart a substantial number of cases
and deaths.”
The researchers proposed that physical distancing
from the rest of the population include policies such
as staggered work schedules, increased spacing in
restaurants, and prescribed times to use the gym or
grocery store.
The researchers have run the model to simulate reopening
policies in other countries, including India
and U.S. In collaboration with the Daily Beast, the
researchers simulated the impact of lifting lockdown
measures in Georgia, Florida and Mississippi. In all
three states, the team found that lifting lockdowns
and returning to 50 to 100 percent business-as-usual
would result in a major increase in fatalities.
74

However, the researchers found that
if physical distancing could be kept
to 25 percent of pre-lockdown levels,
it would allow the states to flatten the
curve before June 15.
In India, the researchers found that
after the initial lockdown, even policies
that enforce physical distancing while
otherwise returning to normal activity
could lead to widespread outbreak.
However, middle ground policies
that alternate weekly between total
lockdown and physical distancing may
lead to much lower rates of infection
while simultaneously permitting some
return to normalcy.
“Simulation models like ours allow
us to explore the possible effects of
various interventions – which will be
enormously important moving forward
as countries around the world and
states here in the US consider how to
safely relax shelter-in-place orders,”
said Majumder. “Our work shows that
embracing a new normal – in which
those members of a given population
who for example are permitted to
go back to work but still engage in
physical distancing – might help keep
COVID-19 at bay until pharmaceutical
interventions become available.”
“The global pandemic is the most salient threat we are facing right now,” said Dr. Purush Iyer,
program manager in the Army Research Office, an element of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities
Development Command’s Army Research Laboratory, which supported the research. “Being
able to strategize how to appropriately respond to the disease spread, misinformation, and urban
operations are questions that are important not only to policy makers, but to Army operations as
well. This model lays the groundwork for addressing questions that will arise in the future while
simulating scenarios in cyber and multi-domain operations.”
“While preliminary, this research highlights potential policy implications for non-pharmaceutical
interventions to slow the spread of SARS-CoV2 and may provide alternative strategies for national
and regional governments moving forward,” said Tambe.
This paper was co-authored by Marie Charpignon, Jackson A. Killian, Han-Ching Ou, Aditya
Mate, Shahin Jabbari, Andrew Perrault and Angel Desai.
75

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N E W S
S T O R I E S
SIA Engineering to Invest in Pos
Aviation Malaysia
SIA Engineering Company Limited
(“SIAEC”) wishes to announce that
it has entered into an agreement
with Pos Aviation Sdn Bhd (“Pos
Aviation”), a wholly owned subsidiary of
Pos Malaysia Berhad (“Pos Malaysia”),
to acquire a 49% stake in Pos Aviation
Engineering Services Sdn Bhd (“PAES”).
Under the agreement, Pos Aviation
will retain the remaining 51% stake.
The indicative consideration for the
acquisition of Pos Aviation’s 49% stake
is MYR10.087 million in cash. This was
arrived at after arm’s length negotiations
on a willing-buyer, willing-seller basis,
and after considering, inter alia, the net
asset value and financial performance
of PAES. Based on PAES’s adjusted net
assets as at 31 July 2019, the indicative
net asset value of the PAES shares
acquired by SIAEC is MYR10.087
million.
PAES has operations in Kuala Lumpur
International Airport and 9 other
stations in Malaysia. These stations will
complement SIAEC’s existing network of
Line Maintenance International stations,
which will grow to 46 airports in 9
countries including Singapore.
Mr Png Kim Chiang, Chief Executive
Officer of SIAEC, said: “We are
delighted to establish this partnership
with Pos Aviation. With the combined
strength of both parties’ capabilities and
experience, we are confident that this
strategic partnership will deliver a high
level of despatch reliability and quality
engineering services to international
airline customers in Malaysia.”
Syed Md Najib Syed Md Noor, Group
Chief Executive Officer of Pos Malaysia
Berhad, said: “This strategic partnership
marks the entry of a Malaysian brand
78

into the global MRO market, an important
milestone for Pos Malaysia. We foresee
an increase in our customer base and
expansion of our market segments through
enhanced product offerings, and this
will contribute to the future growth of our
revenue stream. SIAEC’s expertise in
maintenance and fleet management, along
with our experience in serving various
commercial airlines in Malaysia allows the
strategic partnership to offer a complete
MRO solution to customers across the
region.”
“We are undoubtedly excited about the
future prospects and very confident that
this strategic partnership shall exceed all
expectations,” Syed Md Najib added.
The investment in PAES is not expected to
have a material impact on the earnings per
share or the net tangible assets per share
of SIAEC for the financial year ending 31
March 2020. None of the Directors of
SIAEC has any interest, direct or indirect,
in the transaction.
79

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N E W S
S T O R I E S
Ways for Truckers to Stay Safe on the
Road During COVID-19
The threat presented by the novel
coronavirus has had a multi-tiered
impact on supply chains. Product
shortages, communication problems
and scheduling difficulties have ensured
that nearly everyone working in chain
management has been consistently put
through their paces. However, few members
of the supply chain are in more immediate
danger than truckers. Since they perform
an essential service, telecommuting isn’t an
option for them, and many of them routinely
travel to areas with rising infection rates.
Supply chain managers looking for effective
ways to keep truck drivers safe throughout
the current pandemic should consider the
following measures.
Wearing Face Masks During In-
Person Interactions
Although in-person interactions should
be avoided whenever possible, wearing
a face mask can help decrease the
threat of infection. However, for maximum
effectiveness, both parties should be
donning masks. With this in mind, confirm
that any clients with whom your drivers are
expected to interact will be wearing masks.
Furthermore, make sure to educate your
drivers on the importance of mask-wearing.
There’s a disturbing amount of misinformation
regarding their necessity and effectiveness
floating around, and it’s important for your
drivers to know the facts.
Not only can the simple act of wearing a
face mask help keep your drivers safe, it can
protect the health of the people with whom
they interact on the road. In addition to ensuring
that your drivers have plenty of masks at their
disposal, confirm that they’re familiar with the
proper manner in which to wear them – i.e., over
the nose and the mouth.
Keeping Their Hands Clean
Keeping your hands clean has always been
conducive to good health, but with COVID-19
infection rates becoming worse by the day,
hand-washing has never been more important.
Although there’s no true substitute for a thorough
soap-and-water wash, high-quality hand sanitizer
is the next best thing. That being the case,
make sure your drivers have an ample supply
of sanitizer and hand wipes, as well as an
abundance of disinfecting wipes. Additionally,
advise against face-touching – especially with
unwashed hands.
82

Exploring Alternatives to Dining Out
For many truckers, dining out is an essential
part of being on the road. While trying out
new eateries and enjoying meals at regular
haunts are among the best aspects of the
trucking experience, dine-in restaurants
carry quite a few risks during pandemics. To
prevent your drivers from taking unnecessary
dining risks, encourage them to explore
alternatives to sit-down establishments. If
a driver isn’t keen on the idea of preparing
their own meals, urge them to opt for takeout
over dine-in. Restaurants that offer minimalcontact
pickup options can be particularly
helpful to health-conscious truckers. In the
interest of minimizing person-to-person
contact, drivers should seek out restaurants
that allow online bill payment.
Minimizing Client Contact
Minimizing your drivers’ in-person
interactions with clients can be beneficial to
both parties. If a client insists on checking
in with drivers once they arrive, make sure
these interactions take place over the phone
or a virtual meeting app. While some drivers
and clients may regard this as an abundance
of caution, limiting nonessential person-toperson
interactions is a vital part of flattening
the curve.
Investing in high-quality cargo-monitoring
tools can also prove helpful to your efforts.
As the name suggests, these tools are
designed to detect and monitor any potential
damage that occurs while cargo is in transit.
Vibration monitoring tools, in particular, are
a worthwhile investment for any business
that regularly works with fragile cargo.
These devices provide clients with an
accurate accounting of any and all hardships
cargo endures throughout its journey. So,
instead of receiving in-person rundowns
from drivers, clients can simply consult the
aforementioned tools.
It’s been over a century since the world faced
a pandemic like the one created by the novel
coronavirus. With countless individuals and
industries impacted by the ever-worsening threat
of COVID-19, you’d be hard-pressed to come
across a person who hasn’t felt the sting to some
degree. As essential workers and vital players
in virtually any supply chain, truckers have
consistently gone above and beyond the call of
duty throughout this ordeal. In light of their hard
work and bravery, the least their employers can
do is take measures to keep them safe.
83

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N E W S
S T O R I E S
The Critical Role of Digital
Infrastructure in Engineering
The Asian region is one of the most diversified
telecoms markets in the world. Stretching from China
to Philippines and ASEAN region to India, it spans
regions with highly advanced connectivity where 5G
rollouts are happening at pace, as well as isolated rural
areas with some of the most limited connectivity on the
planet.
86
The market is therefore a microcosm of the wider world;
and at a time when half of the global population has been
under confinement, the challenges faced by its telecoms
networks are representative of those currently being faced
across the globe.

Over just a couple of weeks, we have seen approximately 30% traffic
growth in Asian networks – the same kind of growth that we would
usually expect in a year. It is not just the scale of the increase that
is testing operators, but also the significant behavioral changes as
whole populations move abruptly to a new digital way of working
and living, leaving city centers deserted and placing unprecedented
pressure on residential networks.
Across several countries in Asia we have noticed a massive increase
of the usage of certain applications, for example Zoom traffic has
increased by 1000%, Webex by 500%, and Netflix by 50% - whilst
YouTube usage is up 5-10% and social networking apps like
Instagram and Facebook have seen spikes in traffic of 5-15%.
Combined, this presents a stark challenge to networks across a
varied range of markets; it is a challenge our industry has risen to
admirably, but one we can expect to endure.
We have now passed the initial surge in network use. We are seeing
demand peaks stabilize as citizens across the world adjust to a new
normal, completely reliant on connectivity. But the restrictions we
are facing have fundamentally redefined the world’s expectations of
networks. Operators should prepare for significantly elevated levels
of demand – and crucially, uncertainty around usage patterns – for
some time to come.
At Nokia, we have worked closely with operators to help them
responding swiftly to the first phase by reducing congestion through
network optimization and upgrades; and together, we are now looking
to the next phase. We see two key priorities for operators as we
adjust to the changes this pandemic has brought:
Scale:
The Covid-19 lockdown restrictions will continue to place extreme
demands on new areas of the network, particularly indoor and residential locations. Adding
capacity in these new “hot zones” through spectrum expansion and additional sites will help
prepare for the uncertainty we face moving forward, where in-built scalability and flexibility will be
key in both access and transport networks.
In Asia, temporary spectrum allocations been granted by local regulatory in many countries to
support operators to cope with traffic surge and better serve the local community.
The Covid-19 restrictions have also highlighted the challenges faced by populations across the
world unserved or underserved by broadband. Fixed Wireless Access solutions, built over LTE
or 5G Digital Infrastructure, are providing an effective way to expand broadband access to reach
these communities in the short term.
87

HÜPPE Studio Paris

The Front-line Device
Future-Power New VX Series
COMPACT EXCAVATOR SALES LLC
400 Production Court
Elizabethtown, KY 42701
Phone: 800.538.1447 Fax 270.737.0419
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Operability
■ Newly designed operator’s space
Durability
■ Engine throttle turn-dial
NEW
■ Highly durable backfill blade
made even stronger
NEW
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Embedded boom center
working lights
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Bucket cylinder hose
built inside the arm
The new redesigned operators station includes such features as a
newly designed monitor, a 2 speed travel switch located on the backfill
blade lever, and the auxilary hydraulic switch located on the joystick.
Safety
■ Gate lock system as standard equipment is designed to disable
all operations
NEW
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■ Wide, fully opening engine-cover enables ease of maintenance
The master gate lock system enables you to disable all functions such as boom, arm,
bucket, swing, boom swing, travel and backfill blade.
■Swing motor with auto parking brake
The swing motor with an auto parking
brake allows the unit to be locked at any
position within a 360° circumference.
■ Neutral engine start system.
The engine will only start when the gate-lock
is pulled up to avoid mis-operations.
■ Filters are conveniently located, making it easy to replace them
■ Sintered bushes create longer interval for greasing

Stimulate:
The priority so far in this crisis has been to respond quickly and decisively to urgent challenges.
However, the steps we take today will help pave the way towards our 5G Digital Infrastructure
future, and towards eventual economic recovery. In the coming months, operators must ensure
they are evolving networks in a progressive way, making the most of network automation to create
more flexible network architectures that can be run with minimal human intervention.
Telecoms will play a key role in accelerating the global digital transformation and the advance
of 5G, providing a catalyst for the world’s fourth industrial revolution and enabling advanced
e-health, e-commerce, e-learning, cloud robotics and more. If we invest now, we can further
strengthen our infrastructure, economies and societies to cope in the best way possible with
whatever challenges future decades may bring.
Despite the uncertainty ahead, there is one thing we can be sure of – as we move towards a
5G world, our networks will become even more critical to everyday life. 5G Digital Infrastructure
networks are likely to underpin practically all critical functions of government and industry.
Ensuring resilience will be of the utmost importance; it could quite literally be a matter of life and
death.
To support and enable this, we will need to draw on the skills and efforts of the extraordinary
teams who have helped us weather the current crisis – field engineers and operations teams who
have worked 24/7 to secure and strengthen our vital infrastructure. We must thank our people and
invest in them; because as advanced as our technology gets, it will only ever be as good as the
people creating and supporting it.

N E W S
S T O R I E S

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N E W S
S T O R I E S
Top 7 Modern Car Inventions
Since the internal combustion engine was
brought into being more than a hundred
years ago, motor cars have evolved
considerably. Sometimes this evolution has
taken place in gradual increments; sometimes
it is bounded forward in great leaps. Some
developments, in hindsight, stand out as
especially significant. We’re only including
physical inventions that go into your car,
here – the financial instruments that allow you
to actually afford a car, like credit schemes
for motorists with poor credit histories, aren’t
included.
The Starter Motor
The earliest kinds of personal motor vehicle
had to be started by hand using a crank. This
was not only inconvenient, but it created a
significant safety problem. When the engine
kicked back, the shaft would suddenly fly
backwards with enough force to break an
arm – or worse. The introduction of the electric
starter motor addressed this problem – it
turned the engine enough to get it started,
without the risk to life and limb.
GPS
The ability to successfully navigate to an
unfamiliar location is fantastically useful.
Nowadays, you don’t need a passenger
wielding an ordinance survey map; the global
positioning system will determine where in the
world you are and where you’d like to be, and
it’ll present you with directions accordingly.
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Indicators
It wasn’t until just before the second world war
that Buick began fitting flashing indicators
to the sides of their vehicles. Before that,
motorists had to deploy special mechanical
ones which actually protruded from the sides
of the vehicle. Before that, they had to rely on
their arms!
ABS Brakes
Antilock brakes prevent your car from
skidding when you apply the brakes. They are
not perfect, but they have saved countless
lives and prevented countless more prangs.
The antilock braking system can trace its
origins further back than you might think. Not
long after the turn of the 20th century, the
technology began to be introduced into trains.
In the 1950s, it was brought into aeroplanes,
and then into cars and motorcycles.
Airbags
The concept behind the airbag is simple.
When your car is involved in a heavy collision,
the dashboard opens out into a huge cushion,
preventing your face from slamming into a
hard surface. It’s another safety innovation
responsible for saving thousands of lives.
Automatic Transmission
Having to change gears all the time
makes driving far more complicated than it
otherwise might be. This isn’t just a matter
of convenience; it also opens up the driving
experience to disabled people who otherwise
might not have access to a vehicle.
Internal Combustion Engine
Finally, it’s worth mentioning the ICE itself.
Without this invention, the personal vehicle
might never have gotten off the ground.
Internal combustion is set to be replaced over
the coming decades, but that doesn’t mean it
hasn’t contributed enormously to the world of
motoring, and to civilisation in general!
95

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