Three lucky Demolition News readers are celebrating a winning start to the New Year having won our New Year’s competition.

The winners are:

• First Prize (a JCB JS 200W excavator model) goes to John Lee

• Second Prize (a Liebherr 435-13 telehandler model) goes to Karl Baxter

• Third Prize (a Bobcat S250 skid steer loader model) goes to Jack Westwood

Their prizes will be sent to them shortly.

As we prepare to say goodbye to 2008 and herald in 2009, Demolition News has been speaking to some of the leaders on the demolition industry to gauge their personal, business and industry hopes, aspirations and fears for the coming year.

These will be posted as they arrive, starting with this surprisingly bullish comment from the US’ National Demolition Association’s Executive Director, Mike Taylor:

“…I am bullish about 2009. I think it likely that our long commitment to the Iraqi people will be winding down and the $12 Billion Dollars a month we are spending there may decrease. I am excited, as is the world, about the promise of our new President. In addition to helping end our long psychological battle with the whole issue of slavery in the United States, the election of Mr. Obama could spell a new era for America. I await with great anticipation what he will say on January 20th at his inauguration and the plans he has for us.

I think our industry will persevere as it always does in difficult economic times. We are nothing if not flexible so if one market dries up, our people adjust and look for opportunities in other segments. We represent that “last of the great American and Canadian rugged entrepreneurs” who know how to survive and prosper, lessons learned through years of trial and error.

I recently told my Board that one of the things that gets me up and out of bed every morning is what Ronald Reagan used as an early campaign slogan in the 1980s. “It’s dawn in America.” Corny though it be, I believe it. Our best days are ahead of us…”

Michael R. Taylor, CAE
Executive Director
National Demolition Association

During 2009, I would like to see:

• The IDE develop a route, via the NVQ system, to ensure that the older IDE enrolled members, who are apprehensive of the entrance exam, become full members of the only institute in the World that promotes the science and skills of demolition engineering;
• More government funding to develop demolition operatives at “grass roots” level and encourage people to enter the demolition industry via college courses. At present in the Midlands courses are available to allow school leavers to become “nail technicians” and “hair stylists” but not to become demolition operatives. ConstructionSkills run courses at Bircham Newton but places are for those who already have a job placement rather than school leavers;
• Banks realising that small businesses of 2009 can become major employers in 2012 and help from time to time as required. Many businesses need short term funding to assist with cashflow rather than loans secured against property holdings. A more flexible approach will pay dividends in the long term;
• The HSE prosecuting a couple of “big name” developers for the consistent failure to appoint CDM-C’s on time (or at all) for demolition projects. The best way to move CDM forward is to make examples of those who should know better.
• The demolition industry to continue, via the NDTG, to train our workforce and managers to ensure that the deaths and major injury incidence continues to fall.
• The industry continueing to lead the way with recycling of products such as blown foam composite panels, plasterboard and UPVC, and that guidance is published quickly to provide advice as to how to deal with these issues.

From a more personal standpoint, I would like:

• Wolves to win promotion to the Premier League (as Champions) and then to be able to stay there rather than go straight back down like they did last time.
• To spend more time coarse fishing and to catch increasingly bigger carp.
• To lose the weight I put on over Xmas, and then to keep it off as I will soon need to change my car to a low loader to move around the country!
• To spend more time with my wife Jill doing the things we both like to do.

John Woodward
Vice-President
Institute of Demolition Engineers

Please use the comments facility below to add you own thoughts on the coming year.

The Pennsylvania attorney general’s office is to investigate how more than 20 tonnes of construction and demolition waste found its way into an operational cement works.

Read the full story here.