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CONTENTS

1. ECI News
2. ECI Events - register online below
3. ECI Master Classes- register online below
4. Other Events/News - register online below
5. Publications - order online

MD of ARAMCO OVERSEAS COMPANY (AOC) to speak about investment plans for the next five years at the ECI Conference, 23 – 24 March in Delft
Aramco Overseas Company (AOC) manages operations in Europe, Australia, Africa, South America and the Far East for its parent company, Saudi Aramco, the national oil company of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Aramco is currently running several oil, gas and refinery expansion programmes, totaling $73.7 bn.

The majority of their $46bn oil expansion projects are designed and executed by European and Asian engineering and construction companies. ECI member Shell is a partner in their $11bn Gas Initiative.

Abdalhafidh M. Nagshabandi has been Managing Director of AOC, based at Leiden, The Netherlands, since 2000. (For information about the conference, see events section below or go to http://www.eci-online.org/pages/events-conference.html)

Global Safety Project to be extended to consider migrant workers and communications
Further funding has been won to extend the Loughborough University Global Safety project which is being coordinated by the SHE task force.  The project, which is due to launch its manual at the ECI Conference in Delft, will now be extended to consider health & safety implications from the increasing employment of migrant workers on projects within Europe and elsewhere in the developed world.  Further work is also planned to develop visual methods to overcome language and illiteracy barriers in conveying health and safety messages to workers.

Delft First Dinner Lecture Well-Attended
Eighteen delegates attended the first dinner lecture to be held by the new Benelux team at TU Delft. The speaker, Chris Fox, gave an excellent lecture on Project Development and Definition. Delegates appreciated the networking opportunity and favourable comments after the event include “We are already implementing the lessons learned - that it is really important to talk/listen to the client and understand at the beginning what their priorities are to ensure it is the right project for their business objectives”. The next Benelux event will be a Masterclass on Public Private Partnerships. For further details, please see Masterclasses section below.

Successful New Masterclass on Managing Partnerships Effectively
ECI launched a very successful new masterclass on 9th February in Manchester dealing with the topic of how to manage your partnerships more effectively. The masterclass was led by John Carlisle who spoke at last years' ECI Conference in Newcastle. John is very experienced in the management of project partnerships all over the world and brought to the table some real examples of how partnering and cooperation in the supply chain can bring benefits. The masterclass was well attended with a good spread of companies represented, including operating companies from the petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, energy and oil and gas industries, contractors, consultants and academics. As a result, there was a wealth of experience round the table to be shared. The focus of the day was on effective behaviours in partnering relationships with strategies which will deliver better performance. Feedback from those who took part was among the most favourable that ECI has had from its masterclass programme.

ECI Implementation Support Service in Aberdeen
ECI has recently completed a three day masterclass programme specifically tailored to meet the needs of the senior staff of Expro Group plc in Aberdeen. The masterclass focused on developing project strategy and process, on how to manage fast track projects and how to capture learning from project experience. Expro Group are new members of ECI and the programme was run as part of the ECI Implementation Support Service. Terry Lazenby and Stephen Weatherley from ECI facilitated the event and the participants were Expro staff from all parts of the Expro Group organisation.

ECI ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2006
Date: 23 & 24 March 2006
Venue: Aula Conference Centre, Technical University of Delft, Netherlands
Theme: Global Construction 10 years on: adapting to change

Just three weeks to go to this major event in the European Construction calendar!

It’s an opportunity to network with industry colleagues across Europe, to hear stimulating and distinguished speakers and to debate the burning issues of the moment such as how to manage safety in other cultures, empowering stakeholders in major projects and the future shape of the industry.

In addition, there will be sessions on how to succeed in China from CEL International and investment plans for the Saudi oil company, Aramco. An international panel of speakers will also share their perspective on the main issues facing European construction over the next ten years.

If you have not already done so, send your registration in as soon as possible, and don’t forget to encourage your colleagues to join you – there are substantial multiple delegate discounts.

More information and a flyer containing the full programme and a registration form is available on the ECI website conference page or alternatively to register and for further information, please contact Anu Khandelwal at the ECI office on +44 (0)1509 228797

BENELUX MASTERCLASS
Public Private Partnerships
Date: 14 March 2006
Time: 10.00 - 17.00
Venue: Delft University of Technology

Tutor: Howard Lawrence – ECI Project Management Advisor. Formerly Director of Projects and Business Improvement with the UK Ministry of Defence, one of Europe’s largest public sector clients. Case Study: The A59 Project in the Netherlands

The Private Finance Initiative was launched in the UK in 1992. Since then Public Private Partnerships (PPP) , which now include both private and public financed projects , have been established as a successful procurement approach by a number of European Governments to deliver new and improved assets and services.

This Master Class will examine the PPP and other long-term partnering project processes with a view to highlighting successes and areas for improvement.

Delegates will have the opportunity to gain new knowledge from shared experiences, learn about innovative processes, make new contacts and establish networks through which future access to developing knowledge and skills may be possible.

For further information on the above masterclass please contact Danielle Timmer at the ECI Benelux office on T: +31 (0)15 278 9061 or E: danielle.timmer@kcbpi.nl

UK MASTERCLASS
Claims Management
Date: 4 April
Venue: Central London
Tutors: Jane Jenkins and Simon Stebbings, partners in Freshfields, Bruckhaus, Deringer

Badly handled claims and disputes can not only damage the profitability of the current project but can also lead to ongoing bad feeling between the parties, affecting their relationship for future projects.

This class aims to develop an overall understanding of the process of managing claims and disputes, starting even before the claim arises. It will also look at putting in place an environment in which the likelihood of a claim is minimised, but is also properly handled if it does arise.

For further information and to register for the above UK masterclass please contact Anu Khandelwal at the ECI office on +44 (0) 1509 228797 or visit the ECI website at http://www.eci-online.org/pages/events.html, where the full 2006 programme is available.

COMIT Workshops

Mobile Technology: Applications in Construction
Date: 30 March
Venue: Bristol

Date: 6 April
Venue: Durham

Construction professionals are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits that mobile technologies could bring to their work activities. A growing number of enlightened construction industry organisations have embraced this technology, They are now transforming the way they transmit and access information directly from the worksite using handheld computing devices.

These workshops will present a number of case studies and also examine the issues relating to process review. The case studies are different at each venue.

Radio Frequency Identification in Construction Projects
Date:11 May 2006
Venue: RFID Centre, Bracknell, UK

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tagging can be used to locate items using GPS (Global Positioning by Satellite). It has not been used much in construction so far but has considerable potential for such an application.

For more information and to register for these events, go to http:www.ciria.org/cpn_intro.htm, email: enquiries@ciria.org or telephone +44 207 549 3300.

ECI is a member of COMIT (Construction Opportunities for Mobile IT)

European Institute for Industrial Leadership March workshops:

SUS 6 Designing the Sustainable Organisation, 8th - 9th March
A sustainable company is one that can change - and change quickly. Trends can change at a moment's notice and companies always have to be aware of their internal strengths and weaknesses in order to react in time to gain advantage, designing a flexible organization that can adapt before it is too late.
http://www.eiil.net/mambo/images/stories/Course%20Details/coursedetailssus6.pdf


LPG 5 Partnering for growth, 14th -16th March
The fastest way to increase the size of your company is through partnership. This workshop will explore both the traditional areas for partnerships, and the the less conventional partnerships which must be actively sought and developed to grow the organisation.
http://www.eiil.net/mambo/images/stories/Course%20Details/coursedetailslpg5.pdf


MCE 30  European Enlargement and Eurofunding, 20th - 22nd March
This three day workshop will present a comprehensive overview of the States that became members of the European Union on May 1st 2004. It will enable participants to develop an in-depth understanding of the opportunities in the new markets, and the business opportunities becoming available and how
to capitalize on them. Also reviewing the funding program of the EU, the workshop will enable participants to explore opportunities for potential collaboration beyond the workshop with several NMC representations.
http://www.eiil.net/mambo/images/stories/Course%20Details/coursedetailsmce30.pdf


HPL 60 Personal Selling and influencing Skills, 20th - 22nd March
A repeat of this popular two and a half day workshop designed to enhance the ability of participants to convince others to accept their ideas. A key aspect of the Leader's ability to communicate change, this workshop will use theory and role play and the vehicle of selling a product or service, to
illustrate the persuasion process. From the importance of developing a clear goal and approach, through to ensuring commitment and follow-up, participants will be able to use the learning from this course in a wide range of selling and persuading situations.
http://www.eiil.net/mambo/images/stories/Course%20Details/coursedetailshpl60.pdf


SUS 3 Socially Responsible Investment, 30th - 31st March
What do companies today have to prove to attract sustainable investment? How does the introduction of SRI ratings and other such metrics affect the market valuation of firms? What are investors looking for in a modern company in terms of performance, behaviours and technologies? This workshop
takes delegates through all the pitfalls of the sustainable investment market and gives them a broad understanding of what behaviours from boardroom and down throughout the organisation can influence investor activity.
http://www.eiil.net/mambo/images/stories/Course%20Details/coursedetailssus3.pdf


All workshops will be held at the European Institute for Industrial Leadership, Chateau Latour de Freins. The chateau is situated in the forest surroundings of Uccle, about 20 mins from the centre of Brussels. For more information and to register for any of the above events please visit http://www.eiil.net/ or contact secretariat@eiil.net

NEW IN MARCH

Construction Health and Safety in Developing Countries
This manual has been written following a one-year research project at Loughborough University investigating the implications on health and safety of carrying out engineering and construction projects in developing countries. To order your copy, please contact ECI (details below).

OTHER RECENT PUBLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE

Managing people on construction projects
ISBN 1 873844 61 1

This major new ECI publication will introduce a suite of practical techniques to underpin effective project teamwork, leadership and empowerment strategies. Essential for all those involved with managing teams.

This publication is now available to purchase from the ECI office at £40.00 to members and £60.00 to non-members.

Project development and definition handbook
ISBN 1 873844 61 1

Effective project definition is a cornerstone of good practice. Engineering and construction projects are important components of business investment processes. Unless projects are properly defined, their chances of success are slim, often posing a significant risk to the overall business.

This ECI manual, written by Chris Fox, will be an essential tool for clients, contractors, advisers and suppliers.

This publication is now available to purchase from the ECI office at £40.00 to members and £60.00 to non-members.

ECI Pricing system for piping works - version 2
ISBN 1 873844 60 3

Since the initial publication in 2002, a number of owners, EPC contractors and construction contractors in our industry have applied the ECI Pricing System for Piping Works successfully on different types of project at various locations. Their contribution in providing comments and suggested improvements is highly appreciated and enabled the ECI Benelux Subcontracting Task Force to prepare this 'Revision 2005' of the system. In addition, a number of modifications were required to better support further automation of the execution work processes that interface with the system.

The system provides a structured approach designed to reduce bidding costs for owners and contractors alike, it includes a spreadsheet with multipliers on a CD-ROM, not a ready-made software package, but simple enough to integrate into any company's existing software.

This publication is now available to purchase from the ECI office at £40.00 to members and £60.00 to non-members.

A full list of publications available to purchase from ECI can be found on the publications page of the ECI website or contact Anu Khandelwal at the ECI office.

To learn more about the European Construction Institute (ECI), its members and work, please visit
the ECI website: http://www.eci-online.org/ or contact the ECI office on tel: +44 (0)1509 223526.