Broad Sustainable Building (BSB) is a Chinese construction company known for constructing buildings at lightening speed. BSB’s next project includes building the world’s tallest building in just ninety days. The building will be called Sky City which will be located in Changsha, the provincial capital of Hunan Province. The building will be 838 meters tall which is 2,749.343 feet. The building will be earthquake resistant and include thirty one high speed elevators. There will also be an upper-level observation deck for tourists.

BSB plans on using a proprietary prefabrication technique which will increase the efficiency in constructing Sky City. “BSB plans to do the work at light-speed by using a proprietary prefabrication technique”. Ninety five percent of Sky City will be constructed before the foundation is even laid for it. The components of the building are created in BSB’s factories before the actual construction of the building begins. The opportunity to create components of the building within a factory is the reason that BSB will be able to erect the building in such a short amount of time. Most of the building will be ready for construction; consequently BSB needs only to focus on putting the pieces together in the ninety days. In addition BSB utilizes other unique construction methods which results in a fifth of the energy that is consumed during the normal construction of a building.  These unique methods include quadruple glazing and 15 centimeter thick exterior walls providing thermal insulation”. The estimated cost of the building is approximately $628 million which is a tremendous cost reduction as compared to the 1.5 billion it cost to build Burj Khalifa and the 2.2 billion to build Shanghai Tower.

BSB employs a unique version of operations management by using their resources and activities brilliantly. Their efficient approach to building Sky City and other buildings represents a successful operations management approach to business. BSB dedicates their company to finding the quickest, most inexpensive, and most successful strategy to constructing new buildings. In addition BSB will utilize a prefabrication technique as a means to reduce costs. BSB is still keeping some of the details of the construction private possibly due to outstanding central government. They have not yet provided designs of the building. “BSB explained to Xinhua that its goal of building Sky City is not to erect a new landmark in China, but to develop and put into use a “medium-cost, super-saving utility building and to promote a futuristic urban lifestyle.” BSB’s business approach is obviously an attitude felt throughout the company in furthering their success in achieving their goals.

 

Could this be the new way of constructing new buildings ? and how will this effect other construction companies ?

 

Here is a Video of one of the company’s projects:

 

Sources:

–  http://www.businessinsider.com/a-chinese-company-plans-to-build-the-worlds-tallest-building-in-just-90-days-2012-6

– http://www.cnngo.com/shanghai/life/sky-city-chinese-company-proposes-worlds-tallest-building-098182

Mercedes-AMG has a unique way of configuring AMG cars compared to other Mercedes vehicles. AMG cars utilize the “one man, one engine” approach to building the product. The AMG engines are constructed by a single engineer at the Affalterbach plant from start to finish. Proof of the one man approach can be viewed on the metal plate in every engine that holds that mechanic’s signature. The mechanics use a variety of workstations as part of an 11-step process in building the engine. Each workstation in the U-shaped work shop is utilized for a different job. Additionally through the use of a bar code system a computer daily evaluates the quality in order to ensure standards are being met. Each engine has a list of parts, instructions, processes, and different sequences that is kept in the computer system. Every detail of the workflow is tracked through the computer system. It can take on average three hours to produce a V8engine while the V12 engines can take a whole day. There are approximately 1,000 employees at the plant producing up to 20,000 high performance engines each year. (Vorano, 2011). Once the technician finishes assembling the engine the item is individually tested and moved to a storage facility (Reich, 2012).

 

 

Mercedes-AMG has seen tremendous growth in its sales in the last few years. The first quarter of 2012 showed more than a thirty percent growth in market share. “As the first vehicle developed independently by Mercedes-AMG, the SLS AMG super sports car unveiled in 2009 proves to impressive effect the competence and passion which exists at the headquarters in Affalterbach ((Mercedes-Benz: The AMG Story, 2012).’” Due to the increase in demand, AMG will focus on expanding their production. AMG will produce the 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo engine at their production plan in Kolleda. This production will continue employing Mercedes “one man, one engine” approach. In addition Mercedes future growth strategy will enable production of several new models of vehicles in their high-performance category. “According to Ola Kallenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH, ‘we have decided to expand our model range from its current level of 22 vehicles to around 30 vehicles in the future. We are looking to increase our global sales which today stand around 20,000 vehicles, to more than 30,000 vehicles by the time our 50th anniversary, and thereby assert our leading position in this exclusive segment (Mercedes-Benz: The AMG Story, 2012).’”

Mercedes “one man, one engine” approach has proven to be a successful operations management tactic to producing a vehicle. In addition to that, it shows the company’s appreciation for the workers by putting each craft man’s signature on each engine they produce. The large growth in sales and increase in demand is a reflection of this success. As a result, Mercedes plans to produce a large range of new high performance vehicles continuing their singular approach to vehicle production.

So, is the “One man, one engine” principle better than the assembly line approach?

 

here is a video that shows how the engines are assembled

 

Sources:

-Mercedes-Benz: The AMG Story, 6/20/2012.

http://luxvelocity.typepad.com/luxvelocity/2012/06/mercedes-benz-the-amg-story.html

-The one man, one engine method at AMG,4/7/2011

http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/motoring/the-one-man-one-engine-method-at-amg

-2012 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG –One Man, One Engine

http://focusdailynews.com/mercedesbenz-ml-amg-one-man-one-engine-p6291-84.htm