Benefits from
Building Burj Dubai

Samsung E&C deluged with project orders due to reputation gained from constructing tallest bldg in the world


Samsung Engineering and Construction Co., part of Samsung Corp., a major Samsung Group affiliate, is having a deluge of offers from those who want to build skyscrapers, attracted to the company's reputation as builder of Burj Dubai, the world's tallest building at over 700 meters in height, when it is completed this year.
Samsung got the rights to build the projected skyscraper back in Dec. 1, 2004 easily riding on its successful experiences from having built two of the world's tallest structures in Taipei 101 Building 101 stories and 508 meters tall and Petronas Twin Tower in Malaysia 88 stories and 452 meters tall.
Emaar Co., the owner of Burj Dubai picked the Korean builder to build its projected skyscraper exclusively without competitive bidding, although some 30 construction companies applied to be the builder.
Samsung actually was fully prepared to build such tall buildings because it decided to enter the construction sector in 1990s'naming the sector as a future growth engine for the company.
The company launched the skyscraper construction unit headed by an American engineer with top construction engineers under him. The American architect formerly worked for SOM Co., one of the three top architect firms in the United States, which designed the Chicago Millennium Opera House and Jinmao Tower in China, winning a high reputation.
Japanese architect, Ichi Nohei, who formerly worked for the Daisei Construction in Japan, joined Samsung as vice president and head of the structural construction team of the company's construction technology research institute in 1995. He has been supporting the high-rise building construction projects for the company.
It was Vice President Nohei who had a big hand in the company's securing know-how to build tall buildings a floor by floor called, "four days per floor"construction technology.
Many developers of high-rise buildings contact Samsung these days for consultations on technology aspects. Dubai Garden City,
a developer planning to build over 10 building more than 40 stories high, one of them 150 stories tall, and other developers in Middle East countries made contacts with Samsung so far.
Director Kim Kye-ho of the Headquarters Dep't said the company is most highly respected in the construction communities around the world for its valuable expertise in building skyscrapers and the developers who want to build high-rise buildings contact Samsung without exceptions, showing that the company is in a good position in the skyscraper construction project market estimated at 50 trillion won by 2010.
Samsung's reputation is not limited to the high-rise building sector, but it also spread to other construction sectors helping the company to secure a substantial number of projects due to the high reputation it built on its construction technology.
The company won the rights to take charge of the Palm Jebel Ali bridge construction project in April for $350 million from the planning to basic design, all the work involved in the pre-construction service. The company also won the Dubai Exhibition World project, the Abu Dhabi Salam underground drive project and other large projects in the United Arab Emirates. The company also is due to get the rights to build the Dubai's "Arabian Canal"due to be ordered this month as the company has been working on the pre-concrete service on the projected canal route.
In the meantime, Samsung designated 12 of its construction engineers the title of Experts for their excellence in the areas of harbor, high-rise building construction and architectural designs.
These 'Master Experts'is the system created by the company in certify experts in professionalism in various sectors of construction and those who are designed as Master Experts will have the priority to be assigned to take charge of projects and entitled to a special allowance in remuneration.
The company also created the master architect system and the first MA title has been awarded to architect Yugul Iyak who designed the new City Hall. The master architect will take charge of project designs, architectural designs and related consulting service, education and research, the company said. nw

The comparison chart of the world's tallest buildings.

A bird's eye view of Burj Dubai nearing completion by Samsung E&C this year.

Samsung E&C President Lee Sang-dae