Congrats to our Gov : You've done it again.... good job..
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Concrete price soars after sand ban. Are suppliers taking advantage?
Where's my CONCRETE?
By Teh Jen Lee
January 28, 2007
IN just one afternoon, he lost close to $1,000 because his order of concrete was not delivered.
-- MOHD ISHAK
Worse, the price of concrete had shot up by more than 50 per cent overnight - from $75 per cubic metre to $115.
The $40 increase means he has to pay $40,000 more for the 1,000 cubic metres of grade-30 concrete that he needs to complete his project.
And he has to pay cash, instead of having credit, like he did in the past.
Contractors like him have been hit hard by Indonesia's ban on sand exports which took effect from Tuesday.
Authorities here have said the booming construction industry will not be affected.
But some contractors are wondering whether some concrete suppliers are trying to profit from the situation.
One contractor, who declined to be named because he was afraid of offending the concrete suppliers, said: 'I had rented a crane specially to move concrete and I had about 10 men on hand to work, but with no concrete on Thursday, we couldn't do anything.
'The crane cost more than $200, my manpower cost was more than $500. Altogether the afternoon cost me about $1,000, but I have nothing to show for it.'
Mr Tony Goh (below), a clerk-of-works in his 50s who is involved in the contractor's project, called The New Paper to highlight his plight.
'I know the price will increase but there's no justification for supply to stop so suddenly without warning,' he said.
Another contractor estimates that he may have to pay $100,000 more for the 2,500 cubic metres of concrete that he needs. 'I just started my project last month and it's scheduled to finish at the end of this year. My contract has no fluctuation clauses to take into account price changes,' said the 43-year-old, who gave his name as Phillip.
Concrete suppliers contacted by The New Paper did not deny that some suppliers may try to profit from the situation.
SUPPLIERS HIT TOO
But they said that they were also feeling the pinch from the limited sand supply.
One supplier said alternatives to sand are only feasible if they are available in large quantities. (See other report.)
He said: 'We are badly affected because our sand supply has been greatly reduced. We require 50 loads, but we only get 10 to 20 so we can't fulfil all our clients' needs.
'We have to do rationing and go on a first-come-first-serve basis. Everyone gets a bit so that some work can be done.'
How about the contractor who could not get any concrete on Thursday afternoon?
The supplier said: 'The situation caught a lot of us by surprise. Many contractors who have concrete casting later in the day couldn't get any concrete.'
Dr Sujit Ghosh, president of the Ready-Mixed Concrete Association of Singapore, explained that many concrete suppliers normally have enough sand in their premises to last only a few hours.
'We are used to getting constant replenishment, but now the price and supply situation remains volatile.
'So we have to manage our little bit of sand stock.'
He knows of companies who are cutting output by up to 50 per cent because of the uncertainties in sand supply.
He said that there is some speculation happening now because 'it is an unusual situation and people don't know what to do about it'.
For now, the industry is waiting for the mechanism of release from the government's strategic stockpile and for the price of sand to be determined.
Dr Ghosh said: 'Until that happens, concrete suppliers can't come to grips with the sand ban so they raise prices and control supply carefully so as not to deplete their sand stock.
'We feel this situation is going to stop quite soon, but we just don't know when.'
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No sand? Use ash or...
ASH and granite dust can be used to replace sand in concrete mixtures, according to Mr Tony Goh, who has been in construction for over 30 years.
But such materials will be needed in large quantities.
As for switching to non-concrete components like steel and granite pile, these will be applicable to projects that are still in the planning stage.
The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) said many residential projects are now using dry walls instead of concrete or brick walls.
Besides this, BCA is encouraging more extensive use of steel - now more common for high-rise building structures - for all types of buildings.
Mr Goh said: 'Some amount of concrete will still be required but it will be a lot less. For example, you can have metal decks with a thin layer of cement in place of thick concrete floors.
'Steel supply can be diversified more easily, unlike sand.'
However, as these materials will cost more, the contractors will have to take this into account when bidding for projects.
In the long run, these materials will be beneficial because they reduce construction time and projects will require fewer unskilled foreign workers on site, said Mr Goh.
'In the US, they use a lot of dry walls or plaster cement boards for internal partition walls. This omits brick walls and concrete plastering, which will speed things up.'
Meanwhile, according to reports, Indonesia imposed the ban for environmental reasons.
Another reason was to protect Indonesia's borders although the inland mining of land sand, which is different from sea sand that is used in reclamation works, does not have any effect on territorial borders. -
The BCA case alot like the AVA case, I thought BCA said they have a large stockpile of sand.
"At the same time, we also have quite a sizeable sand stockpile, and we are prepared to release the stockpile to meet the immediate needs of the industry. It is very important for us to move away from such high dependency on sand import in construction work. We've been discussing with the industry trying to persuade them to move towards a more sustainable form of construction like the use of steel structure, the use of dry construction," said Dr John Keung, Chief Executive Officer, Building and Construction Authority.
KNN, nowadays their words cannot be trusted. -
Maybe when they mean extra stockpile of sand, they are refering to the sand in the playgrounds and schoolfields around singapore.
Just maybe.
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They do have stockpiles, but judging by how the government bodies are doing excavation works and "upgrading for HDBs", I would chose to believe that they will intend to horde the stockpiles for their personal benefits.Originally posted by charlize:Maybe when they mean extra stockpile of sand, they are refering to the sand in the playgrounds and schoolfields around singapore.
Just maybe.
Why should they even care for the survival of the small guys, the big guys are the important ones here. Sad as it may be, I strongly believe that small time construction or sub contractors might go bust soon. -
There's a Sand Supply for HDB along Tampines-Bedok Reservoir there right?
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The stockpile of sand were meant for emergency usage. I think even with the present stockpile of sand might be insufficient for building 2 IRs, not to mentioned others.Originally posted by bangkokboy:They do have stockpiles, but judging by how the government bodies are doing excavation works and "upgrading for HDBs", I would chose to believe that they will intend to horde the stockpiles for their personal benefits.
Why should they even care for the survival of the small guys, the big guys are the important ones here. Sad as it may be, I strongly believe that small time construction or sub contractors might go bust soon. -
Leave this matters to ministers who are paid in millions.
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care to explain what has the govt got to do with this sand ban?Originally posted by ShutterBug:Concrete price soars after sand ban. Are suppliers taking advantage? -
Care to recall, WHO are suppose to be PROFICIENT in maintaining Regional and International Relations?Originally posted by lotus999:care to explain what has the govt got to do with this sand ban? -
though the govt have the habit of over-estimating themselves, i don't think they're entirely to be blamed for the sand ban. there could be various political and socio-economical reasons for the embargo.
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yeah..right...Originally posted by lotus999:though the govt have the habit of over-estimating themselves, i don't think they're entirely to be blamed for the sand ban. there could be various political and socio-economical reasons for the embargo.
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U r rite,it is 4 former HDB.Originally posted by wonderamazement:There's a Sand Supply for HDB along Tampines-Bedok Reservoir there right?
Not enough sands, our construction industry will face a huge problem not only in term of pricing but timing as well!!!
This property boom will kill the bldg developers too!!! -
Another round of economic depression?Originally posted by foomwee88:U r rite,it is 4 former HDB.
Not enough sands, our construction industry will face a huge problem not only in term of pricing but timing as well!!!
This property boom will kill the bldg developers too!!! -
maybe its intentional .. to jack up the price of housing otherwise all those elites whose cash is tied up in all those real estate cannot let go of them because of the low prices.
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why no one blames the indonesia govt for banning sand exports?
Today's paper are saying the ban is not for environment reasons but due to political reasons.. -
i thought our govt is very good in forecasting and preparing for the worst?
the ban did not happen overnight right?
i am sure if thailand decide to ban export of rice to us we wont end up eating potatoes right? -
That is why no matter how good we are or how many times we top the No.1 list in this and that...bottomline is that this little red dot is still at the mercy of her surrounding neigbors.....
Today no sand, maybe tomorrow Malaysia switch off teh water tap and day after that, Thailand stops exporting rice and bans the export of cars fromo Rayong plant.....arrogant sillypore will go back to riding bicycles and eating ubi kayu...now this is a real life lesson our kids can learn out of the classroom...
this is why so many of us including me...have Migrated...so join us -
Dont worry!our FM George Yeo is going to Brunei 2day to get sands from Tutong Beach. -
If you say we are at the mercy of the american, the chinese, may be, to a certain extent, but at the mercy of some other countries, far from it.Originally posted by Coquitlam:That is why no matter how good we are or how many times we top the No.1 list in this and that...bottomline is that this little red dot is still at the mercy of her surrounding neigbors.....
Today no sand, maybe tomorrow Malaysia switch off teh water tap and day after that, Thailand stops exporting rice and bans the export of cars fromo Rayong plant.....arrogant sillypore will go back to riding bicycles and eating ubi kayu...now this is a real life lesson our kids can learn out of the classroom...
this is why so many of us including me...have Migrated...so join us
today we don't play with sand anymore, we play computer game; not enough water we don't go out and get sweat so much, stay in aircon room and watch the flood in kota tinggi; no thai rice? eat sushi with rice from japan, or taiwan, the sticky type, if you want the not so sticky one, we still have vietnamese rice and china rice, afterall, so many of us now eat kangtang, from USA, Australia....; no car from Thailand? don't you know that more made in china cars are now on the road now at cheaper price....
singapore has long realised who are the reliable friends and neighbours. last time gave trouble for vege export to singapore, delay lorries and tried to stop companies from exporting through singapore.......good try.
singaporean are not born yesterday, are you? -
Not to worry guys!!!
Humans is near to extinction! -
4 more years.
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Yes,u r rite!!! $can buy anything man!!!Originally posted by sgdiehard:If you say we are at the mercy of the american, the chinese, may be, to a certain extent, but at the mercy of some other countries, far from it.
today we don't play with sand anymore, we play computer game; not enough water we don't go out and get sweat so much, stay in aircon room and watch the flood in kota tinggi; no thai rice? eat sushi with rice from japan, or taiwan, the sticky type, if you want the not so sticky one, we still have vietnamese rice and china rice, afterall, so many of us now eat kangtang, from USA, Australia....; no car from Thailand? don't you know that more made in china cars are now on the road now at cheaper price....
singapore has long realised who are the reliable friends and neighbours. last time gave trouble for vege export to singapore, delay lorries and tried to stop companies from exporting through singapore.......good try.
singaporean are not born yesterday, are you?
We can buy organs from the poors in overseas,when u need onel!!!!
If u want baby just get a VN or PRC grl to be wife n fruk 2!!!
If we want a dog, u can hve one in this forum to bark 4 u!!!! -
Well...no matter what you say sgdiehard....this little red dot is still at the mercy of the surrounding countries and most of us will not be here to find out what happens next....of course you can stay here and die harder for sillypore, together with the PRCs and Indians from Bangalore....come to think of it, they aren't stupid either.....they will just make their money and go back to their countries, where they do not need to worry about water, sand and vege....sure they have their natural disasters, but what they have is natural resources.....
Best part is Sillypore only has human resource and seeing how a good life we have led for the past 20-30 years....even sillypore workers are behind compared to the emerging economies like Vietnam, India, China...look at the hunger in their eyes...we don't have hunger anymore...all sillyporeans do is quibble about small tiny mundane issues in ST forum....pathetic....no wonder as a boss, me and my contemporaries choose FTs over locals -
Hallo! dont insult sillyporeans oh!!!Originally posted by Coquitlam:Well...no matter what you say sgdiehard....this little red dot is still at the mercy of the surrounding countries and most of us will not be here to find out what happens next....of course you can stay here and die harder for sillypore, together with the PRCs and Indians from Bangalore....come to think of it, they aren't stupid either.....they will just make their money and go back to their countries, where they do not need to worry about water, sand and vege....sure they have their natural disasters, but what they have is natural resources.....
Best part is Sillypore only has human resource and seeing how a good life we have led for the past 20-30 years....even sillypore workers are behind compared to the emerging economies like Vietnam, India, China...look at the hunger in their eyes...we don't have hunger anymore...all sillyporeans do is quibble about small tiny mundane issues in ST forum....pathetic....no wonder as a boss, me and my contemporaries choose FTs over locals
Those who hve no brain will bark4 u whenever u wish oh!!! FTs make enough will go home!!!
U c sillyporeans if employed like a dog is better than FTs!!!! -
Yawn....face reality man...FTs are better in gahmen's eyes....just look at your schools and companies...they are all over, crawling and taking away your top jobs....you think we do not know....they often say the businessmen/women know the best what is going on with the economy and attitude of sillyporean workers.....be afraid be very afraid......15-20 years time, sillypore will look and feel like a mini China and India thought we are technically independent