Five Japanese companies are sharing construction of more than 1200km of the Algeria East-West Highway, and they are making use of the latest electronic equipment.Due for completion in 2010, work is well underway on Algeria’s east-west highway, said to be the largest on-going road building project in the world.
A consortium of five Japanese companies have come together in a JV known as COJAAL, and to guide the huge number of machines, they elected to use a state-of-the-art digital positioning system.
The new G3 technology, supplied by manufacturer Topcon will drive the precise positioning industry’s first commercial multi-constellation receivers.
Electronics
No less than 100 of the 3D systems have been ordered, making it the single largest 3D equipment sale to date. The bid also included providing 50 surveying systems.
The 3D Machine Control systems will be used on bulldozers, graders, excavators, trenchers and other machines used in the project, which are about 80% Caterpillar and about 20% Komatsu.
Phases
Divided into three phases, the US $11.2 billion, six-lane highway project attracted worldwide attention in the construction industry, with project bids being presented by 64 global companies. The total highway project will stretch more than 755 miles (1.216 km); the Japanese consortium bid was for more than $5 billion.
Ray O’Connor, president and CEO of Topcon Positioning Systems, said, “It is an honour for Topcon to be selected to provide equipment, software and applications for the mammoth highway project. On a project of this size, ease of use, accuracy, effectiveness and the saving of time is paramount to maintaining schedules and maximizing profit margins.
This highway project is being watched by companies and governments all over the world and we are gratified that Topcon was chosen to be a part of it.”
Proven
Back in 2006, the Japanese companies forming the COJAAL coalition – Kajima, Taisei, Hazama, Nishimatsu and Itochu – received the bid over companies like Bechtel of the United States, Razel-Vinchi of France, and an Italian bid featuring four large construction companies.
A spokesman for COJAAL said one of the main reasons for Japan’s group to win the bid was that Topcon received the highest evaluation in the “reliability” category in 3D construction.
Congestion
According to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works, the bids were awarded on the coalitions’ “construction ability and experience,” particularly on massive highway projects. The bid was awarded by a selection firm representing the Algerian government.
Algerian authorities say the highway will help reduce congestion on the national road network. Roadways suffer from the density and volume of goods transport, which accounts for 90 percent of traffic on the road network.
Jobs
The East-West Highway project will also have a significant socio-economic impact by creating more than 100,000 jobs. Officials have stated the cross-country road project can be characterized as a catalyst to help accelerate economic development in Algeria.
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