Development of non-welding truss construction method as the first company in Korea
[Written by Mr. Na Chulkyun, a chief-editor of Kookto Ilbo]
“Whenever I witnessed a construction site where precious lives and properties had been lost in a moment due to fire, ignited by welding sparks, I felt deeply responsible for the accident as a person engaging the construction industry. Now, I am sincerely pleased and touched by the fact that we succeeded in developing the non-welding method through joint R&D with the POSCO and NI Steel company.”
While expressing his impression on developing non-welding trusses, Mr. Lee Sung-do, the CEO of Shinsung S&C Co. Ltd, pointed out the greatest benefits of the non-welding truss as its strength, fire resistance, reduced cost, and rapid construction.
Its rapid construction has attracted attention as a revolutionary and ideal solution for the construction industry. This is because there had been no specific way to comply with the 52- hour-per-week working rule in Korea other than reducing the construction period.
The non-welding truss construction method was successfully developed after investing in R&D for about three years, with repetitive trial and error. Mr. Lee said that he took pride in playing a role in protecting precious lives and attributed this success to the dedicated efforts of researchers.
The use of non-welding trusses is a construction method that fastens screws and bolts to horizontal and vertical steel sections by using the connection device. It inserts a fixed bracket into a depressed surface at the center of the steel section, with the truss through section fastening and construction of exterior finishing materials.
When the non-welding truss construction method was developed, it became extremely popular among construction sites. Prominent firms such as Hyundai Engineering & Construction, Samsung Construction & Construction Group, Doosan Engineering & Construction, and Hanshin Engineering & Construction adopted the non-welding truss –and SK Construction went even further by making its use mandatory for all construction sites.
As an increasing number of entrepreneurs began to adopt the non-welding truss, the company won a contract to remodel the Samil Building using non-welding trusses. Additionally, a series of export negotiations with various countries, including European nations, are moving forward.
The National Fire Agency of Korea reported that there had been 1,823 fire accidents caused by sparks during welding operations at construction sites over the past five years, averaging about one fire daily.
Regarding casualties, the average annual incidence rate is 58, with 20 fatalities and 268 injuries. These fires have also led to significant property damage at construction sites nationwide.
A welding spark can lead to a massive fire since it is high-temperature particles can reach 1,600 to 3,000˚C. When they land on building materials, they can instantly cause a massive fire. Notable construction material first ignited by welding sparks is insulation such as Styrofoam, followed by synthetic resins like PVC, papers and textiles.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the company’s founding. Mr. Lee, CEO of the company, began his career at Dongbu Steel, seemingly unrelated to his career, after graduating from Yonsei University and majoring in political science and diplomacy.
Having worked at Dongbu Steel for about 20 years and engaging in steel-related affairs, he believed that national development was derived from construction. With a sense of patriotism and pride, he established Shinsung C&S Co., Ltd., specializing in the scaffolding industry.
The company has about 80 employees and reported 50 billion won in annual sales last year, achieving 20 % of annual growth rate. As a solid mid-sized company, it has continued to increase hiring as part of its efforts to actively respond to government employment policies.
With an annual sales target of 80 billion won, Mr. Lee confidently predicts that a target of achieving 500 billion won in sales within three years is more than just a dream. He also emphasized that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety should mandate the use of non-welding truss construction methods at all construction sites, by citing the extensive support of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency.
Source: Kookto Ilbo (http://www.ikld.kr)
