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DIRECTORY OF SINGAPORE PROCESS & CHEMICALS INDUSTRIES 2021/2022
To deal with the manpower shortage, Mr Thirunavirkarasu of Universal Solution said the company is considering automating its cutting/ bevelling, fit up-and welding processes for piping.
JEL Maintenance has in recent years invested about half a million dollars in auto welding machines, which proved very helpful during the pandemic when faced with labour shortage. It has also trained more workers with additional skills, such as operating semi- and fully- automated equipment.
“Last year, we ordered more automated equipment, but delivery was delayed due to the pandemic. We expect them to be delivered by end 2021,” said Mr Nagappan.
Furthermore the company has introduced the use of Virtual Reality technology (VR) for the replacement of a flare tip at the top of a 150 metre stack. Before the installation, it used drones to inspect the full stretch of the stack, capture its dimensions and flare tip location, for planning and training. VR was used to simulate how the installation could take place, to ensure safe dismantling of the old flare tip and precise installation of a new one.
Mr Nagappan said this ensures there is no surprises for the workers after they have reached
the top. It gives the workers more confidence and also saves time by about 40-50%.
Although the company has introduced the necessary tools and mechanical means for its work, Cyclect finds it impractical to invest in costly semi- and fully-automated equipment for use at its clients’ premises.
“We work for so many different industries and every company has different demands and work regulations. We try to use as much assistive tools as possible for now, as we transition from a high dependence on manual workers,” said Mr Tan.
Cyclect recognises the importance of automation and process changes for its survival in the future, and that prefabrication or manufacturing, and remote work are essential for it to remain sustainable, operationally capable and competent.
“With the limited local talent and willingness to perform site operation work, companies have to transform to depend on a smaller number of such highly trained personnel in the future. We are developing our site operations personnel to be multi-skilled, and be competent to use external off-shored remote resources (like design and engineering teams), digital assistive devices, IOT remote
monitoring and testing services to ensure our relevance in a digital process manufacturing space,” he added.
PCM service providers continue to face mounting costs pressures
From international EPCs to local ones, managing costs has been critical over the last few years as competition has been stiff, impacting margins. This is nothing new for companies that have been in the business long enough to go through a couple of difficult business cycles. The Covid-19 pandemic is probably the most devastating crisis so far and for process PCM firms, there is no choice but to bite the bullet and stay the course.
At JEL Maintenance, which has a high number of migrant workers, the company had to hire local ones at higher costs from agencies when some 20% of its labour force was infected at the height of the pandemic. Since then, the company has taken the precautionary measure to split the workers into five dormitories instead of one before the pandemic, even though creating the bubble has meant incurring additional costs.
For Mr Tan of Cyclect, he not only has to worry about getting more manpower to fulfil his contracts, but how to keep a tight oversight on expenses that are not within the company’s control, such as travel, quarantine expenses for bringing in craft workers, accommodation, transport and welfare.
Mr Thirunavirkarasu of Universal Solution lamented that higher expenses could not be passed on to the clients, especially for work already contracted earlier but were delayed or postponed.
The company also had to give migrant workers whose contracts were expiring the required notice and quickly re-employ them at higher wages before they decide to join other companies.
JEL used drones to capture images for VR simulation to replace a flare tip
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