Highlights of the year

Change brings both challenges and opportunities, and demands constant seeking out of creative solutions to problems. Operating in an increasingly competitive environment, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Trading Fund (EMSTF) believes that success is attainable only if we continue to place the customer at the centre of all our activities.

We embarked on a strategic, ambitious 3-phase reorganisation and regionalisation exercise last year. The exercise involved more than 1,000 employees, many of whom were re-deployed to geographic locations at or much closer to clients' premises. This has enabled us to respond much faster to service requests and has improved efficiency. About $30 million in annual savings has been achieved as a result of reduced travelling time to work sites, reduced accommodation costs and productivity improvements.

The fourth phase of the exercise will be implemented by the end of 1998 to align our supplies functions with the new deployment of staff, and to transfer ten types of building maintenance works to the direct management of EMSTF.

Reorganisation and regionalisation changed the way we operate in a very profound way and have brought significant benefits to customers in terms of more efficient service. For example, the Municipal Sector Division set up a new sub-division to service state-of-the-art equipment at the new Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok, and to provide maintenance services for specialised systems such as airfield lighting, baggage handling and fixed ground power supply systems there. Drawing on our proven experience at Kai Tak, we are very pleased to be part of the team at Chek Lap Kok.

Indeed, all operational divisions reported above-target business results last year, either as a result of existing business growth or new business secured through negotiations or competitive tenders.