4.1 - Target Market Overview

The construction industry and the private sector assume an important role in generating wealth and improving the quality of life for Malaysians through the translation of Government’s socio-economic policies into social and economic infrastructures and buildings. The construction industry also provides job opportunities to approximately 800,000 people. Further, the construction industry creates a multiplier effect to other industries, including manufacturing, financial services, and professional services

According to the “Yearbook of Statistics 2003”, Department of Statistics, construction means “new construction, alteration, repairs and demolition. Installation of any machinery or equipment which is built-in at the time of the original construction is included, as well as installation of machinery or equipment after the original construction but which requires structural alteration in order to install

The construction industry has endured lackluster financial performance over the past five years. While GDP grew at an average rate of 5.2% from 2000 to 2005, the construction industry stagnated, recording an average growth of 0.6% over the same period. Output for the construction sector hovered around the RM 7 billion mark, but steadily shrank as a share of GDP1, from 3.3% in 2000 to 2.9% in 2005 (refer to Table 1).

The construction industry enables the growth of other industries through its role as a fundamental building block of the nation’s socio-economic development. Educational institutions, Government offices, tourist attractions, transportation infrastructure (airports, seaports, roads), housing, commercial property - all the essential elements of a healthy, functioning economy, need to be built and maintained by the construction industry.

The return of a cyclical downturn in the business cycle is the second contributing factor to the industry’s recent performance. While most businesses are subject to the ups and downs of a business cycle, the magnitude of the construction industry’s fluctuation is atypical. A review of GDP and construction growth trend over a 30-year period (1974 to2004) reveals that the business cycle swings endured by the construction industry noticeably exceed those of GDP movements as shown in the diagram below.


Value added of the construction industry strengthened further by 5.3% (Q4 2007: 4.7%) attributed to higher civil engineering, special trade works and non-residential activities. The civil engineering sub-sector registered significant growth of 10.4% (Q4 2007: 3.5%) due to higher activity in the oil and gas sector as well as the implementation of projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP). Meanwhile, special trade works and non-residential activities expanded further by 5.0% and 2.1%, respectively (Q4 2007: 5.5%; 11.0%). On the other hand, growth in the residential sub-sector contracted by 1.2% (Q4 2007: 2.7%) due to lower housing starts.

4.2 - Projections About The Target Market

4.2.1 What proportion of your target market has used a product similar to yours before?


In a close market, competing soil laboratories are well aware of each others level of competence and capacity to undertake concurrent projects. Although competition is not overly fierce, the laboratory with better recognition and well-equipped facilities would be offered more projects. In many situations, a laboratory cannot differentiate or perceive the quality of services from those of its competitors. Each would have its own select clientele and there are usually enough projects for every laboratory. There are four major companies that involved in the market that similar to our company that is Geolab (M) Sdn. Bhd., Foundtest (M) Sdn Bhd, Soilpro (M) Sdn Bhd and also G&P Geotechnics Sdn Bhd. Based on this four company, only G&P Geotechnics Sdn Bhd and Geolab (M) Sdn Bhd have involved on soil testing and design of soil simultaneously

G&P Geotechnics Sdn Bhd


Ø Retaining Wall and Support Systems

Ø Planning and Design of Hill-Site Developments

Ø Dam Site Selection and Design

Ø Underpinning and Remedial Work

Ø Monitoring and Instrumentation Planning

Ø Soft Ground Engineering






Ø Alternative Design





Ø Preliminary Site Appraisal





Ø Embankment and Slope Design





Ø Foundation Design






Foundtest (M) Sdn Bhd

Ø Soil Investigation

Ø Mackintosh Probe Test

Ø Field Density Test

Ø Standard Proctor

Ø Cone Penetration Test

Ø California Bearing Ratio

Ø Dynamic Load Test

Ø Pile Integrity Test

Ø Sonic Logging Test

Ø Maintain Load Test

Ø Compressive Strength Test

Ø Rebound Hammer Test

Ø Windsor Probe Test

Ø Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity

Ø Steel Bar Tensile Test

Ø Aggregate

Ø Bitumen


Geolab (M) Sdn Bhd

Ø Moisture Content

Ø Specific Gravity

Ø Atterberg Limit Tests

Ø Particle Size Analysis (Seive & Hydrometer)

Ø Consolidation Test

Ø Triaxial Compression Test (Uu)

Ø Consolidated Undrained Triaxial Test

Ø Small Shear Box Test (Direct Shear Test)

Ø Point Load Test

Soilpro (M) Sdn Bhd

Ø In-situ density sand replacement

Ø In-situ density core cutter

Ø Insitu CBR

Ø Pavement Coring

Ø Dynamic Cone Penetration (DCP)

Ø Concrete Coring

Ø Compressive Strength (cylindrical)

Ø Compressive Strength (cube)

Ø Schmidt Rebound Hammer

Ø UU Triaxial Compression

Ø Unconfined Compression

Ø 1-D Consolidation (Standard test)

Ø Laboratory Vane Shear

Ø Direct Shear Box

Ø Rock and Concrete Tests

Ø Density (sand replacement & core cutter )

Ø California Bearing Ratio

Ø Plate Loading

Ø Dynamic Cone Penetration

Ø Pavement & Concrete Coring




4.2.2 How much your product or services might target buy?


From the market value in this sector, QGES believe we can gain annual growth around 3.00% to 4.00%. From the market value, we target to control 12% to 13 % market value in 5 years business. In the 5 years business, we aim to being top 4 main players in this business. In 5 year in business, we predict for self billing project from 2 to 8 project. For tendering project our company predict to have 4 to 5 project from one to five years


4.2.3 The proportion of ours target market might repeat customer


Ours target market is related to the construction project in Malaysia. In any construction project, geological test is a must according to government policies for safety of the ground beneath the building, bridge and etc. As the service provider for geological testing, ours service demand was related to the construction project

The chart above shows the yearly sum of tenders & contracts for construction project. From the data, we found that lately construction projects become stabilize because of constant demand for construction project from client in Malaysia

It can be concluded that our service demand will be constant according to current situation without interface from other outside factor such as political conflict. From our calculation, we estimate that from ours excellent and quality services provide, we will receive about 80-90% of repeat customer for first year target.


4.2.4 How might your target market be affected by demographic shift?


CONSUMER

Sector
The market of this business is affected by sector either government or private sector. The major customer that needs our services is construction

Education level
The target market for this business is company which want to develop or construct any building at one area or land. Only the educated person especially who have a civil background will need this service to proceed completing their project


INDUSTRIES


Number of employees
Number of employees is very affect the market. More employees will increase the efficient of the project or job that company get. However, it also can be decrease the profit if it is too much employees or when the job of this company is less

Size of profit
When profit is larger, it can be increase the investment done for the company. The more investment, more opportunity to increase the size of the company. Then, this will increase the size target market of this business

Location
The location of the company or laboratory also affected the target market. At the location that adjacent to construction or development site, the target market will be larger than the location that already developed

Type of agencies
Agency that involves in this business is Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR), Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran, Local Authority and so on.


4.2.5 How might your target markets be affected by economic events?

Our targets markets are very big that is all around Malaysia, and if there are an opening of economics events like local mill closing or opening of big box retailed should increase our business because a new construction is in progress. But maybe our business is depends most on the national economics events

4.2.6 How might your target market be affected by larger socioeconomic trends?

In this development country, there are so many building was developed. Because of that, the base of the construction is one of the important things for contractor or our target markets are looking for. With this, our business would not be affected by the larger socioeconomic trends now. It is because even there are inflation occurred, the construction are still would be continued and our services is still needed. To maintain our relationship with customers, we will offer our services with reasonable prices


4.2.7 How might your target market be affected by government policies?

ACT 197 REGISTRATION OF BUSINESSES ACT 1956 (REVISED - 1978)

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires - "appointed date" has the same meaning assigned to that expression in the Companies Commission of Malaysia Act 2001 [Act 614]

Any business which is exclusively owned and carried on by any company registered under the

Companies Act 1965 [Act 125]

Any business consisting solely of the exercise of any profession which under the provisions of any written law can be exercised only by those who possess certain qualifications prescribed by such written law and whose names are registered or otherwise recorded in manner prescribed by any written law. [Subs. Act A1119:s.5]


SKIM AKREDETASI MAKMAL MALAYSIA (SAMM)

General criteria, MS ISO/IEC 17025 or MS ISO 15189 (for medical laboratory) and SAMM policies are used in assessment and accreditation

Accredited Laboratories

The SAMM accreditation system is open to any testing or calibration laboratory that wants to be recognized as competent, operating to MS ISO/IEC 17025 “General requirements for the competence of calibration and testing laboratories” or MS ISO 15189 “Medical Laboratories-Particular Requirements for Quality and Competence” criteria for both its technical capability and competence and its management system

Proficiency Testing

Accredited laboratories are required to participate in available interlaboratory cross-check programms or other forms of comparison testing such as the proficiency testing programmes by APLAC (Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation). Directory or Listing of Proficiency Testing is available from STANDARDS MALAYSIA’s office and website