Over 70% of our clients each year are returning clients, underscoring the enduring relationships and satisfaction cultivated over time: Nobuo Shigemitsu of S&techs

“S&techs will mark its 25th anniversary in May next year!”

Nobuo Shigemitsu, CEO of S&techs, founded the company in Hong Kong in 2000 together with StructureTone, a leading US based Main Contractor/ Construction Manager. At the time of its founding, StructureTone was represented by Mike Kavanagh, who is now the COO of S&techs. The purpose of both S&techs and StructureTone was to cater to the construction service needs of multinational corporations and local companies in Hong Kong, with a specialized focus on interior fit-out and refurbishment, providing a professional and quality-driven service.

Recognizing a demand in the market for design and construction firms specializing in manufacturing and industrial facilities, especially in southern China, S&techs expanded its presence. In 2003, the first S&techs office outside Hong Kong was established in Shenzhen. Over the years, the company has continued to grow, and today, S&techs has offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Taiwan, and five locations in Mainland China, including Shenzhen, Suzhou, Shanghai, Wuhan, and Foshan.

The Silicon Review reached out to Nobuo Shigemitsu for an interview, and here’s his response.

Interview Highlights

Q. As a full-service main contractor/construction manager, what are S&techs’ key focus areas?

We focus on multiple sectors, including commercial (including banking & finance, law firms, and corporate services), hotel & hospitality, food & beverage, retail, data centres, luxury residential, education, and industrial manufacturing (including logistics centres and R&D centres).

Our key focus areas in relation to the contractual arrangements that we provide include traditional main contracting, construction management at risk, design and build, and construction management consulting.

Q. Can you introduce us to your services? What are their main features?

We, at S&techs, provide a broad range of services, including comprehensive design, engineering, and pre-construction services such as full design and engineering solutions (in liaison with the local authorities to obtain permits and statutory approvals), budgeting and estimating, value engineering, procurement, scheduling and programming, surveys and due diligence, and buildability solutions.

During the construction phase, we provide on-site management and supervision, cost control, health and safety and quality control monitoring, LEED and BREAM, initiating sustainability drives in relation to installations and rubbish removal, etc.

In the post-construction phase, there is a focus on delivering as-built drawings, operation and maintenance manuals, and after-care services.

Q. Can you provide us with one or two success stories describing the challenges your clients faced and how S&techs helped them overcome those challenges?

The key challenge that clients deal with is meeting tight budgets in the current cost-conscious market. In response, S&techs has taken proactive measures by conducting thorough value engineering assessments. These exercises aim to curtail expenses while striving to align with the aesthetic vision of both the client and the architect or designer. A recent success story involved delivering value engineering services that resulted in a cost reduction of over 25% for a large office interior project for a global client. This cost reduction was pivotal, as without it, the project would not have gone ahead.

Q. Tell us about the S&techs team. What value do they bring to the company?

S&techs offers a comprehensive service team comprising designers, project/site managers and supervisors, technical services managers and engineers, health and safety officers and managers, quality control managers, and cost and procurement managers. This team of skilled professionals and technical experts is dedicated to managing all aspects of projects, ensuring they are completed on schedule, within budget, and up to the expected quality standards. This is of paramount importance for clients who have big plans or opening dates planned well in advance.

Q. What new endeavors is S&techs currently undertaking?

S&techs is actively pursuing new initiatives, placing a strong emphasis on sustainability not only in the design and on-site execution of projects but also through its offices in all locations. Furthermore, the company has established a sister entity, REMOC Inc, with a primary focus on innovation, particularly in Smart Site technology. Looking ahead, S&techs is gearing up for expansion and aims to inaugurate its 10th location in Kuala Lumpur in 2024.

Q. Is there anything you would like to add before we wrap up?

S&techs will mark its 25th anniversary in May next year! The company expresses deep gratitude to the core clients who have entrusted their projects across the APAC region throughout these years. Notably, over 70% of S&techs' clients each year are returning clients, underscoring the enduring relationships and satisfaction cultivated over time.

“S&techs has established a sister entity, REMOC Inc, with a primary focus on innovation, particularly in Smart Site technology. Looking ahead, S&techs is gearing up for expansion and aims to inaugurate its 10th location in Kuala Lumpur in 2024.”

“A recent success story involved delivering value engineering services that resulted in a cost reduction of over 25% for a large office interior project for a global client. This cost reduction was pivotal, as without it, the project would not have gone ahead.”