CHINESE supplier Yuanda has won $85 million worth of contracts on the SA Health and Medical Research Institute and the new Royal Adelaide Hospital.
This month, Shenyang Yuanda Aluminium Industry Engineering trading as Yuanda began installing the much-publicised, pine cone skin-inspired facade of the SAHMRI.
The installation will be finished by June, with the completion date on the $200 million project now pushed out to the end of 2013 from the previously delayed deadline of October.
The diagrid facade will make SAHMRI, on North Tce, one of Adelaide's most recognisable buildings.
It is made up of triangular structures made of glass and diagonal steel beam supports and is designed to make optimum use of natural light and airflow to meet the ecologically sustainable design principles of the project.
The complex facade and the collapse of a key SA building contractor, Linear Roofing, have been blamed for the delays on the project.
It is understood a number of local companies were bidding for the SAHMRI facade contract and there was one South Australian contractor bidding in partnership with an offshore company for the new RAH facade.
Both tenders were eventually awarded to Yuanda, which has since subcontracted SA Structural for some of the SAHMRI installation work.
"It was a competitive procurement process, and Yuanda Australia (the Australian arm of the Yuanda) was awarded the package," SAHMRI project director Michelle Gheorghiu said.
"They are procuring their materials for the facade locally here within South Australia and globally."
The flower columns, or supporting beams, of the institute were contracted to SA-based Samaras Structural Engineers.
The institute will house about 600 top researchers who will be working in six or seven divisions.
Yuanda Australia is working with RAH developer HYLC Joint Venture to provide design, procurement, fabrication and installation of the new RAH's facade.
"There are no local contractors that have the capability of carrying out the facade works on the new RAH," HYLC JV communications manager Sian Dodd said.
China-based private entity Yuanda describes itself as the largest curtain wall company in the world and is a facade builder, fabricator and supplier to buildings around the world, including in Sydney, Perth and Melbourne.
Some of its notable projects include the Bird's Nest stadium at the Beijing Olympics, the Cocoon Tower in Japan and the Trident Pentominium Tower in Dubai.
Parent entity, Yuanda China Holdings, told investors the SAHMRI contract is worth approximately RMB 160 million ($A24.8 million). and the contract for the New Royal Adelaide Hospital was valued at approximately RMB390 million ($60m).
It was also a facade supplier to the $195 million, 17-level, Tower 8 building the largest office building in the CBD and the University of Adelaide's Illumin8 Building.
