Deepening Engineering Expertise and Advancing Digital Transformation to Respond to Sustainable Urban Development and Industry Change
Since its founding in 1945, Continental Engineering Corporation (CEC), one of Taiwan’s leading construction companies, has played a long-standing role in the nation’s public infrastructure and urban development. The company has participated in major public infrastructure projects, commercial, residential, and mixed-use developments, including national landmark projects most notably the Taiwan High Speed Rail together with numerous metro and railway infrastructure projects. In recent years, CEC has also delivered near 2,000 social housing units and is currently constructing Taiwan’s largest urban renewal project —Nangang Rail Yard (Unit I) Project. With continued success winning major new projects, the company’s backlog reached NT$110.3 billion as of the end of the first quarter of 2026, equivalent to approximately 4.7 times its 2025 consolidated revenue, demonstrating stable growth and strong operational momentum.
Leading the trend toward sustainable urbanization, evolving construction models, and increasing project complexity, CEC’s strategy focuses on strengthening core capabilities while pursuing diversified business development. In civil engineering, the company is reinforcing self-delivered construction capabilities and expanding the use of prefabrication methods and modular construction to comprehensively improve efficiency and construction quality. In building construction, the company is focusing on high-quality private residential developments, commercial headquarters and large mixed-use projects, as well as opportunities related to urban renewal and transit-oriented development.
CEC’s CEO Simon Buttery stated: “Supported by our strong project backlog, we remain cautiously optimistic about our operational outlook for the coming years. However, across the world the Construction Industry is facing its greatest challenge in terms of resource and skills shortage. Traditionally the industry has always been slow to adopt new technology and building practices but now we are at an inflection point and must think and act differently. Even a construction company with an 80-year history must continuously evaluate how to adapt and evolve by harnessing the value derived from new technology including artificial intelligence (AI), in order to be agile and maintain long-term competitiveness and sustainable operations.”
To address industry labor shortages and operational challenges, CEC continues to optimize construction methodologies incorporating digital transformation as a key strategic priority. The company is further expanding the application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and AI-powered digital tools. Among these technologies, the application of DfMA (Design for Manufacture and Assembly) deserves particular attention. Simon Buttery further explained: “We learn from and adopt alternative process from other industries to meet tomorrow’s growth expectations.”
CEC applies manufacturing-style production processes by prefabricating building components in controlled factory environments, replacing traditional methods that require transporting numerous individual components to construction sites for on-site modification and installation. The company is currently applying this approach to the complex mechanical and electrical engineering works of the Jiantan TOD project, significantly improving construction precision and project scheduling while substantially reducing on-site labor requirements.
Since its establishment, people have always been at the core of CEC’s operations. In response to current labor market conditions and to support the company’s growth plans, CEC continues to strengthen engineering expertise through systematic talent development mechanisms, including professional training programs, technical knowledge transfer and mentorship systems, internship opportunities, and scholarship programs aimed at attracting younger generations to the construction industry.
As CEC reaches this important 80th anniversary milestone, the company is not merely reflecting on past achievements, but setting out its plans for the next chapter. During the anniversary period, CEC has temporarily understated its conventional corporate identity with a special 80th anniversary visual design. This symbolizes setting aside past achievements and comfort zones in order to return to the essence of engineering professionalism and the company’s founding aspirations, encouraging the organization to respond to industry and market changes with greater openness and agility.
At the group’s Employee Day event, Nita Ing, the Chairman of CEC’s parent company Continental Holdings Corporation, remarked: “For any enterprise, success is not defined by how long it has existed, but by whether it continues to create value and remain closely connected to the market.” She encouraged employees to continue striving for excellence and to create long-term contributions to society.
Building upon its strong professional foundation, CEC will continue to remain agile and pragmatic, creating long-term value for clients, the industry, and society through concrete actions as it steadily advances into its next stage of development.
