Specialized engineering firms

The full-scale entry of these oil companies into the chemical industry was hastened by the specialized engineering firms (SBFs). These firms became the critical unit in the industry s supporting nexus. Because the production of chemicals involved a very complex mixing of chemicals and other materials under a variety of temperatures and pressures with relatively few employees, its production technologies differed sharply from the mass-produc-... 

While this chapter concentrates primarily on the ten focused chemical companies, it also considers the evolution of a comparable set of specialty enterprises, the specialized engineering firms (SBFs). After World War II, the SBFs designed and built a substantial number of chemical processing plants around the world. These firms had the potential to become focused core companies, but in the United States, at least, only one such firm. Scientific Design, made the attempt, which proved unsuccessful. 

In the 1960s Air Products began to diversify through acquisitions, purchasing Catalytic Construction Company, a specialized engineering firm focused on gas processing. It moved into chemicals in 1962 with the purchase of Houdry Chemicals and two other small specialty chemicals companies. Then in 1971 it purchased the chemicals and plastics business unit of Air Reduction Company (Airco), a smaller rival. At the same time it acquired a small medical equipment enterprise. 

For the specialized engineering firms, see Ashish Arora and Nathan Rosenberg, Chemicals A U.S. Success Story, pp. 96-97, and Ashish Arora and Alfonso Gambardella, Evolution of Industry Strurture in the Chemical Industry, ... 

When a special expertise is required, it may be possible to avoid the large engineering firm by shopping around for individual experts to support the efforts of smaller contractors. 

The conventional fixed bid method of delivery project approach is characterized by a clear separation between the design phase and the construction phase. The owner hires an architect/engineering firm (A E) that turns the functional requirements of the building into a detailed set of construction drawings and specifications. These drawings and specifications, as well as schedule requirements and special conditions, become the basis of a request for proposal (RFP) that is issued to general contractors (GC) for bids. Bids are received and evaluated and a fixed price or lump sum contract is awarded to a GC. The GC purchases materials and awards subcontracts as required to satisfy his obligations as detailed in the contract documents. 

Miyamoto International is a global earthquake and structural engineering firm that specializes in designing earthquake engineering solutions. It has offices throughout Gahfomia, and in Portland-Van-couver and Tokyo, and specializes in viscous and liic-tion cross-bracing dampers. 

Primary business activities are based on the applications of structural composites as the business product. Secondary business activities serve the needs of the primary industries, often as suppliers of raw materials. A third level of business activity involves providing basic and specialized training for the use of structural composites in specific applications and markets. As an example, the primary industry might be an aircraft manufecturer or a construction engineering firm, the secondary industry could then be a cement suppher or a resin and reinforcement fiber manufacturer, and the tertiary industry could be an organization that provides training in the use of advanced composite materials for aircraft maintenance workers or in the use of concrete and paving blends. In a very real sense, the opportunity for an individual s success in this field is as limitless as the opportunities for new developments and applications of the materials. 

As far as the electrolytic cells are concerned, there are at present on the market some rather specialized plate and frame cells. Therefore, If there Is the opportunity of Introducing a new technology In some synthetic procedure. It Is necessary to base It on a plate and frame design, with relatively small modifications. Several other reactors have been proposed In the patent literature, and may be adopted as they can be developed by any reasonably competent engineering firm. The ultimate goal must be. In any case, to reach the simplest and cheapest solution of the problem. 

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