The future size of process plant

Abstract The size of plant in which (e.g.) chemicals and steel are manufactured has increased substantially during the post-war period. This increased size poses problems for the companies which build such plants (the process plant contractors). These problems arise from the fact that the size of each order is greater while there are fewer of them. Any future strategy which a plant contractor may choose to adopt in seeking to alleviate the difficulties which arise, is going to require an assessment of the order size which can be expected in (say) 5 to 10 years' time. This paper discusses a framework which may be used in striving to achieve a reasonably accurate assessment.