THE ROLE OF PROCESS PLANT CONTRACTORS IN TRANSFERRING TECHNOLOGY

Process plant contractors implement and bring to fruition the capital investment programmes in such sectors as chemicals and metals. In unde rtaking a contract they perform all or a number of the following: plan t design and engineering, supply of process technology, procurement of equipment, supervision of construction, plant commissioning, and the arrangement of project finance. Specific characteristics of the indust ry are the variety of functions undertaken by the contractor and opera tion on a worldwide basis. The nature and extent of contractor involve ment in transferring technology is determined by a complex interaction of a number of economic and technological factors. The source of tech nology may be 'in-house', a long term licence agreement, or some speci fic arrangement to meet a particular enquiry. The paper illustrates th e various means for technology transfer drawing on examples from the e xperience of one contractor.