Australia: International Bids For Fast Train System

Two international consortia are bidding for the contract to operate a high speed train system to be constructed between Sydney and Canberra. One involves joint venture partners Adtranz (formerly Asea Brown and Daimler Benz) and the Bankers Trust of Australia and the other is headed by Siemens Ltd. The Adtranz consortium is proposing using the latest European tilt train which can travel at top speeds of 300 km/h and would take 90 minutes between the two cities. Siemens is proposing a luxury tilt train capable of operating through the electric CityRail network and switching to diesel power from the outskirts of the city. Another bidder, headed by the GEC Alsthom backed Speedrail consortium, has suggested a privately funded and operated service using the French designed TGV trains.

Asia: Gas Equipment Market Booming

The Asia Pacific region is becoming increasingly attractive for gas industry equipment suppliers. Since the late 1980s there has been a significant increase in natural gas consumption as more gas companies and city gas utilities expand their customer base. While countries such as Japan and, to a lesser extent, South Korea and China can supply most of their own equipment needs, many other countries have to import equipment to build gas transmission and distribution systems. Gas usage in South Korea has boomed following the government's decision to reduce environmental pollution through the use of imported LNG. In Hong Kong the growth in new housing development schemes means new gas customers. Some 65,000-70,000 new homes have had gas pipes installed each year since the late 1980s.

Hong Kong: Wind Monitoring System For New Airport

A $6million hi-tech "wind profiler", to alert pilots to dangerous wind changes has been introduced at Kai Tak airport along with four new wind sensors. When the airport closes in May next year the equipment will be moved to the new Chek Lap Kok airport, currently under development. Sudden changes in wind speed and direction have been the cause of several aborted plane landings.

South Africa: Increased Foreign Direct Investment

International companies are slowly returning to South Africa after shunning the country during the apartheid era. US soft drinks giant Coca-Cola plans to invest 1.25 billion rand in South Africa over the next five years. The spending is designed to double sales over the next five to seven years. Two Japanese companies, Komatsu Ltd and Itochu Corp, are investing 90 million rand in a construction equipment joint venture with Anglo American Industrial Corp Ltd. Direct inward foreign investment into South Africa increased from 820 million rand in 1994 to 3.7 billion rand in 1995 and was expected to top four billion rand last year. Other companies which have recently invested in South Africa include US companies Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Co, drugs group American Home Products and Malaysian oil company Petronas which invested 1.9 billion rand in Engen Ltd.

New Zealand: Forestry Mission Targets Korea

A successful forestry investment mission to Korea recently should result in at least one pine remanufacturing plant being established in New Zealand, says Tradenz investment services manager for Asia and Oceania, Guy Tapley. There are several "very serious" discussions going on as a result of the mission to Seoul late last year, he says.The main aim of the Tradenz and Ministry of Forestry initiative was to encourage potential investors to set up plants in New Zealand to help add value to some of the two million cubic metres of sawn timber produced every year. The Ministry of Forestry estimates the New Zealand forest industry will require up to US$4.5billion of new investment over the next 15 years to process the increased harvest to first stage level (sawn lumber, panel products, pulp and/or paper). Currently just 10 percent of this timber is remanufactured into solid wood products such as veneer, plywood, furniture components, mouldings and finger-jointed products such as windows and door frames. An additional US$125million investment in remanufacturing could generate US$1.5 billion in export earnings over the next few years.