Abundant opportunities in Thailand and Asia
In recent years, many public and private initiatives aimed at improving infrastructure in Asia have been launched and are currently in the pipeline. The Thai government is progressing fast in mega initiatives, emphasizing the development of transportation infrastructure, with investments amounting up to at least THB2.2 trillion covering the three major transport modes – rail, air and water.
Dr. Nattapong Makaratat, Secretariat, Thailand Concrete Association, shared the potential increase in consumption of cement and concrete in developing countries in Southeast Asia.Present and upcoming mega projects in Thailand such as the MahaNakorn Tower, Lumpini Super Tower and projects involving logistics and transportation are expected to increase the demand for construction materials.
With cement as a major construction material required for such construction projects, the Siam Commercial Bank Economic Intelligence Center predicts a growth of 4% for cement demand, amounting up to 36 million tons during this period.
Advancing into the IOT Age
With digitalization becoming commonplace in different industries worldwide, the concrete and building infrastructure industries are no exception. Shifting into the IOT age, the concrete industry must fully embrace the notion and capabilities of IOT, from products to suppliers to customers, to connect the supply chain.
"Asia as a region, has to keep up with the times and other more developed regions, by incorporating IOT into the different industries. Thailand, being positioned as the leading nation in Southeast Asia in terms of the growth and potential of its construction industry, is in a perfect position to further distinguish herself from the competition." said Mr. Loy Joon How, General Manager, IMPACT Exhibition Management Co., Ltd., joint organiser of Concrete Asia.
Dr. Pichai Nimityongskul, Founding President and Advisor, Thailand Concrete Association (TCA),advised that the concrete industry in Thailand has to be forward-thinking in its practices to avoid being overshadowed by neighboring countries in the region. The industry should focus on recent innovations in digital and mobile technology that have reshaped ideas and behaviors,and apply these appropriately to improve current practices.
Strong industry support
Concrete Asia 2017 is co-hosted by Asian Concrete Construction Institute (ACCI) and Thailand Concrete Association (TCA); and endorsed by the following industry associations: Architect Council of Thailand (ACT), Construction Institute of Thailand (CIT), Construction Industry Development Council, India (CIDC), Indian Society for Trenchless Technology (IndSTT), The National Ready-Mixed Concrete Association of Malaysia (NRMCA), and Technology Promotion Association (Thailand-Japan).
Asian Concrete Conference 2017
The launch of the 2nd edition of the Asian Concrete Conference 2017, will also take place on 20 & 21 September 2017 at the IMPACT Exhibition & Convention Centre alongside the exhibition, led by renowned industry and academia speakers providing essential knowledge to create better concrete structures amidst challenges around environmental impact. Key topics for the conference include Innovations in Construction and Management; Case study on Large Infrastructure Projects (LLP); Earthquake Engineering/Disaster mitigation; Innovations in Structural Engineering Design; Sustainable Concrete Practices/Carbon Footprint Reduction and Materials in Concrete/Construction.
"We are delighted that the inaugural Concrete Asia last year concluded successfully attracting 7,169 trade visitors from 33 countries. We anticipate that the upcoming event in September will attract even more attendees with the strong support of the regional associations as well as a series of conferences, seminars and demos to be held in conjunction with the Exhibition," said Ms Rosalind Ng, Managing Director of Globe International Events Consultancy, Co-Organiser of Concrete Asia.
Concrete Asia 2017 also features an Outdoor Demonstration Area to complement the indoor area in demonstrating their products to an engaged audience. With three separate conference tracks conducted by ACCI, TCA and the organizers, Concrete Asia 2017 is the perfect platform for knowledge sharing and networking in the region. For more information, please visit http://concrete-asia.com/