Analysis of Factors Responsible for Low Utilization of Mechanical Plants and Equipment by Indigenous Construction Firms

Abstract

The study is concerned with identifying the problems of low utilization of plant and equipment by the indigenous building construction firms in Nigeria. The methodology involved the use of a well structured questionnaire complemented with an oral interview. The results revealed that (15) factors were responsible for low utilization of mechanical plants and equipment by indigenous construction firms in Nigeria. Some of the identified problems are; high cost of plant and equipment, high machinery maintenance cost, scarcity of spare parts, effect of government policies etc. Others are lack of indigenous manufacturing industry, domination of the construction industry by foreign firms, and lack of qualified expertise. Percentage severity index of 100% shows high cost of plant and machinery as the most severe factor, while the combined ranked agreement of the order of 15 shows a total disagreement with the shortage of manpower as the variable factor. The study recommended some factors to be considered when selecting plant and equipment for construction works. The work also reviewed the use of plant and equipment with particular attention to the indigenous construction firms in Nigeria.

Keywords: machinery, plant, equipment, indigenous contractors.