Breaking down the walls in Singapore…

August 12, 2009 General

Asia’s first Brokk 400 has been put to the test on a fascinating contract in Singapore.

Singapore has started building a large hotel and casino complex and the project is expected to be completed in record time. The entire complex is built on reclaimed land and the soft ground conditions create major challenges for the foundation. Thick diaphragm walls had to be demolished after the foundation was laid.

This tough job – in confined space and under a tight time schedule – was an excellent job to test the first Brokk 400 in Asia.

Click here to read the full, fascinating story.

CPCS consultation starts to look like Durcaell bunny…

August 12, 2009 General

In a bizarre piece of deja vu, the CPCS consultation programme has reared its head…again.

The CPCS scheme was revised in April 2008. But ever since then, its negotiation and implementation has moved with all the haste and urgency of wind erosion.

And just when the industry thought the matter had been laid to rest, ConstructionSkills (via the National Federation of Demolition Contractors) has now announced that the scheme will be the subject of a new round of industry-specific consultation meetings, a fact that is set to make it the longest running saga since Coronation Street.

Further details can be found here.

Summer 2009 edition of Demolition & Dismantling out now…

August 12, 2009 General, Publications

Complete Drilling Services enters administration…

August 12, 2009 General, News

London-based Complete Drilling Services has gone into administration.

The ongoing recession and credit crunch has claimed another victim. UK trade magazine Construction News is reporting that concrete cutting and controlled demolition company Complete Drilling Services called in the receivers at the end of July.

Complete Drilling Services was founded in 1991 and started by offering concrete cutting services to the construction industry. It then branched out into demolition, construction and structural steel installation, creating four divisions under the name CDS London.

Read the full story here.

Video from operator’s viewpoint…

August 12, 2009 General, Video

New video gives unique insight into demolition job from the machine operator’s perspective.

Here at Demolition News, we regularly scour YouTube, Metacafe and Vimeo to bring you the very best and the very latest demolition videos. But time and again, we come back to the work being done in the US by Stephen SetteDucati Photography, a video company that has a real knack for producing interesting and unusual footage of demolition works.

Take this latest video for example, shot unusually from the operator’s cab of a Testa Corp. Komatsu 1250 excavator. Enjoy:

Free redundancy advice line…

August 11, 2009 General, News

Employment law specialist Peninsula offers demolition contractors free redundancy advice.

It is a sad indictment of the parlous state of the UK economy that our latest free offer involves advice on the subject of redundancy law. However, employment law specialist Peninsula is offering demolition contractors some free advice on this tricky subject.

Simply call 0844 892 2772.

Coleman & Co high reach in action….

August 11, 2009 General, Video

New video showing Coleman & Co’s high reach excavator in action.

We received this video of Coleman & Co’s high reach excavator at work on the demolition of the North Staffordshire Hospital in Stoke on Trent just this morning. It comes courtesy of John Woodward of C&D Consultancy, who shot the video on his very smart Flip video camera.

Thanks John.

Rats before wrecking balls…

August 11, 2009 General, News, People

Canadian officials are considering making rat extermination a demolition pre-requisite.

Following a recent incident in which hundreds of rats fled a Vancouver demolition contract, Canadian officials are believed to be considering the extermination of the animals a condition of contract on forthcoming demolition projects.

Faced with an exploding rat population, partially the result of a strike by refuse disposal and collection workers, the officials are believed to be reviewing their policy on pest control.

Read the full story here.

It is ironic that, on this side of the Atlantic, many contractors are now required to build alternative accommodation for bats, voles, and a whole variety of bird species!

Giant Kobelco in action…

August 10, 2009 General, Video

Nice video of a Kobelco SK950 (LC) D excavator in operation.

Business Directory…

August 10, 2009 General, News

Don’t forget to secure your space on the Demolition News Business Directory.

In typical entrepreneurial fashion, last week we launched the Demolition News Business Directory that is designed to allow manufacturers and product and service providers to display their wares to a highly targeted readership of demolition professionals.

Now launching this in the midst of (a) a global recession and (b) the start of the holiday period is probably not the best idea we’ve ever had. But the feedback has been entirely positive and we also received some very favourable comments at last week’s Institute of Demolition Engineers’ roadshow.

So this is just a short not to remind you to register.

The cost of just £75 + VAT for a whole year, well within the reach of even the smallest manufacturer or consultant.

And registration couldn’t be easier. Just click here, hit the Join Directory button, fil in the very simple form and you’re good to go.