The Break Fast Show #658

In today’s show: Is this new electric compactor from Hamm Hot or Not? Refinery demolition from Down Under; adding versatility to Cat graders; an excavator gets its skates on; and why another Australian demolition company has put its faith in Kobelco.

PLUS can you guess the make and model of today’s Mystery Machine?

Join us LIVE for your daily fix of news, views, video and comment from the world of demolition and construction. We will also be opening up the airwaves to allow you to appear on the show via video link to ask questions, share your concerns and to make your voice heard.

Come for the news and stay for the chat in our after-show discussion session, The Craic.

A small victory

Councillors stick with decision to demolish Birmingham’s Ringway Centre.

Birmingham’s landmark Ringway Centre – described as one of the city’s ‘brutalist icons’ – is set to be demolished despite a campaign to save it. Birmingham City Council’s planning committee yesterday approved plans for the building in Smallbrook Queensway to be demolished and for three apartment blocks to be built in its place.

The committee initially voted in favour of the proposals last September but they were considered again on Thursday after a leading barrister, appointed by the Save Smallbrook campaign group, sent a letter claiming there were grounds for a legal challenge to the decision. A council report released in advance of this week’s meeting however said the authority was of the view that matters raised within the letter did not amount to a legal error in the decision made.

Backers have previously said the plans would ‘open up Southside and Chinatown to the rest of the city centre’ as well as address a housing shortfall in the city. But those critical of the proposals previously called the site one of Birmingham’s most significant heritage buildings and argued the decision ‘flies in the face’ of the city’s climate pledges.

Read more here.

Embodied carbon vice tightens

11 Trade bodies call for regulation of embodied carbon

Influential trade bodies including the Chartered Institute of Building, Construction Industry Council, Royal Institute of British Architects and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors have joined forces to warn political leaders about the urgent need for regulation of embodied carbon emissions in construction.

They warn regulation is necessary because buildings and construction form a substantial part of UK carbon emissions, which are a main driver of climate change. The group believes UK policy has stalled and that urgent action is needed.

Amanda Williams, Head of Environmental Sustainability at CIOB, says: “There have been numerous industry initiatives over recent years, calling for government action to reduce the construction industry’s embodied carbon emissions. We now join forces as an expert group to pull these proposals together, uniting with one voice for change and asking Government to ensure the UK keeps pace with those who are currently leading this agenda.”

As has been the case since concern over embodied carbon first raised its head, the UK demolition industry finds itself out of the loop and the conversation. It is not clear if the sector was invited to be a part of the lobby group.

A full list of the trade bodies involved can be seen below, while the Policy Position Paper can be viewed here.

• Association for Consultancy and Engineering
• Chartered Institute of Building
• Chartered Institution of Buildings Services Engineers
• Construction Industry Council
• Institution of Civil Engineers
• Institution of Structural Engineers
• Part Z
• Royal Institute of British Architects
• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
• UK Built Environment Declares
• UK Green Building Council

Kobelco giant assembled in Oz

A massive Kobelco SK1300 demolition excavator has taken its place in the fleet of Australian demolition giant, Liberty Industrial.

DemolitionNews exclusively reported on the sale of the machine last year. The machine – the largest OEM-built demolition excavator in the world – has ow made the journey from Japan to Gove in Australia where it is spearheading an industrial demolition project.

In this exclusive video, you can see the machine being assembled.

The Break Fast Show #657

In today’s show: Kobelco’s Aussie monster assembled; bringing machine control precision to the world of wheel loaders; your machine only lives twice with Caterpillars Rebuild programme; Bobcat targets the compressor sector; and a dumptruck like no other.

PLUS can you guess the make and model of today’s mystery machine?

Join us LIVE for your daily fix of news, views, video and comment from the world of demolition and construction.

Come for the news and stay for the chat in our after-show discussion session, The Craic.

The Break Fast Show #656

In today’s show: What does Volvo Construction Equipment have planned for Intermat 2024? Liebherr TA230 ADTs conquer a glacier; the birth of an electric equipment company; and why this dumptruck body liner is up for an innovation award.

PLUS we are celebrating one year of the Develon brand.

Join us LIVE for your daily fix of news, views, video and comment from the world of demolition and construction.

Come for the news and stay for the chat in our after-show discussion session, The Craic.

The Break Fast Show #655

In today’s show: Is this Multiview Italian dumper Hot or Not? We go behind the scenes at OilQuick; we’re checking out the latest telehandlers from Magni; there’s no trouble at mill, thanks to Bobcat; and the Chinese breaker maker that has set up shop in Europe.

PLUS there is an Intermat notebook and pen up for grabs; and we will be testing your machine knowledge with our first-ever GUESS THE MACHINE slot.

Join us LIVE for your daily fix of news, views, video and comment from the world of demolition and construction.

Come for the news and stay for the chat in our after-show discussion session, The Craic.

The Break Fast Show #654

In today’s show: The latest compact excavators from Volvo – Are they Hot or Not? The maiden voyage of a massive Liebherr crawler crane; Bobcat is laser focused; and we’re crushing it with the Mobirex.

PLUS it is mud, mud, glorious mud for these Kobelco excavators

Join us LIVE for your daily fix of news, views, video and comment from the world of demolition and construction.

Come for the news and stay for the chat in our after-show discussion session, The Craic.

The Wrap #1

In the first-ever episode of The Wrap: Begbies Traynor raises red flag for construction; there is a breakthrough at HS2; more redundancies at Laing O’Rourke; and Squibb Group creditors are told there is no prospect of them getting their money from the failed company.

Squibb creditors left high and dry

Construction Enquirer has reported that creditors hit by the demise of demolition contractor Squibb Group late last year have no prospect of getting their money.

Squibb collapsed in 2023 owing twenty four point six million pounds to its creditors.

The company has cited the impact of covid and a drop in scrap sales in its untimely demise.

Squibb was also among 10 members of the National Federation of Demolition Contractors fined for their involvement in a bid-rigging scandal by the Competition and Markets Authority.