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Sandy Li

BCI Asia Construction Information hopes to generate initial revenue of at least S$10 million (about HK$45 million) from an e-commerce platform for the construction sector.

Chairman Matthias Krups said the company's Web site - bciasia.com - would break even in about three to four years.

Through the site, architects and developers can access detailed information about a range of manufacturing products.

The Web site also provides a platform for contractors and developers to offer their projects for tendering and allowing those involved in a project - from the developer to the electrician - secure communication over the Internet.

It also offers online education in fields such as construction management, construction skills and civil engineering.

'We have designed the hub in such a way that we are enhancing important elements in the value chain of construction, such as specifying, sourcing, procurement, bidding and tendering,' Mr Krups said.

'We want to be a service provider,' he said.

BCI Asia Construction Information, a provider of construction information in Asia, produces 15 monthly project bulletins. It has 100 staff with offices in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne.

Mr Krups believes revenue in the first two years will come from advertising and its online materials shop.

Managing director Fabian Mueller said the company was also in talks with various contractors and developers offering their construction contracts for tender through its Web site.

Preliminary talks were under way with Leighton Construction but no details were available at the moment, Mr Mueller said.

He believes such online tendering can cut 20 per cent off conventional tendering costs.

The company would charge a percentage of the value of the contract as commission for each successful tender, he said.

The Web site provides about 8,000 product listings from more than 1,000 manufacturers in Hong Kong, the mainland, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, Mr Mueller said.

He expects the number of manufacturers to grow to 5,000 in the next 12 months.

Prices for their products will be about 5 per cent to 10 per cent cheaper than market prices.



BCI Asia eyes $45m in one-stop service site