What is Plant engineering ? Factors considered for selection site

 Plant Engineering

              Plant engineering deals with the design, installation and improvement of the plant with its resources.

   The plant is a place combine of men, materials, equipment, money, machine etc. They are brought together for manufacturing products.

Plant location

   Plant location means deciding a suitable location , area, place etc. Where the plant or factory will start functioning. 

The problem of plant location araises when starting a new factory or during the expansion of the existing plant

Plant location involves main activities 

1) select a suitable geographic region.

2) Select a suitable  site in the region.

     There are a number of factors which affect the location of plant. The plant location very much influences the production system. Plant location influences the cost of getting raw material, cost of production and cost of supply to customers.

 No location can be ideal and perfect. So we have to select a location which is most suitable.

Factors considered for the select a site

         The following factors are considered for selecting a site for plant location

1) Land location

2) Availability of water

3) Availability of workers

4) Transport facilities

5) Availability of fuel and power

6)Waste disposal

7) Government concession

8) other facility

1) Land location 

     Topography, available area, cost, drainage and other facilities, probability of floods, earth quakes etc, influences the selection of site.

2) Availability of water

  It is one of the essential part of factory. Factory requires water for drinking purpose and sanitary purposes. some factories need water in large quantities for the production purposes.

Eg: Paper factory, chemical factory, leather factory, and thermal power plants. So these plants should be located where large quantity of water supply is available like river, lakes ,reservoir, etc

3) Availability of workers

    It is also one of the essential for factory required number of labour must be available near the plant.

They must be stable and must have right attitude toward work. The labour cost should be reasonable.

4) Transport facilities

  Normally, heavy amount is spent for transporting raw material and finished goods. Depending upon the type and size of raw material and finished goods, a suitable method off transport is selected.( road, rail, water or air ). Accordingly the plant location selected.

5) Availability of fuel and power 

   It is essential that continuous electric power is available in proper quantity at reasonable rates. Normally, steel industries are located near coal near coals field to cut down the fuel transportation cost.

6) Waste disposal

 Some industries like paper industry, chemical industry, leather industry, thermal power plants. These wastes are harmful to the environment. 

So they must be  disposed off effectively after waste treatment. so it is necessary to locate the plant away from the place where people live.

7) Government concessions

   Both central and state government give concessions for  starting industries in backward areas. these concessions are 

1) Tax exemption

2) Site and building at low cost

3) Reduced electric charges

   so to avail these concessions, plants can be located in backward areas.

8) Other Facilities

1) political and social environment

2) Presence of supporting industries and services nearby

3) Housing facilities

4) security

5) recreational facilities

6) Local bye - local, taxes, acts

7) Facilities for expansion