The UK’s respected Daily Telegraph today published the latest in an ongoing series of articles that speculate that supposedly well-meaning recycling activities may, in fact, be contributing to global warming.

However, the Government backed Waste Resources Action Programme has responded quickly, refuting these claims in a hurriedly assembled press release from CEO Dr Liz Goodwin.

I will be the first to admit that I was more than a little surprised at yesterday’s announcement that Terex was to create dedicated “centres of excellence” for crushing and screening. Don’t get me wrong; I am all for the concept of excellence, it just seemed strange that Terex was putting such a positive spin on an industry that is teetering on the bring of an economic precipice.

Today’s announcement that Powerscreen is to cut another 90 jobs seems far more in keeping with the current economic climate.

To better serve its customers, leverage the benefits of scale and lend its factories more readily to lean manufacturing techniques, Terex Materials Processing is proposing to revise its global operational footprint, creating dedicated “centres of excellence.”

Under immediate consideration is the consolidation of manufacturing and assembly facilities to concentrate production, skills and expertise in identified “centres,” for the Terex® Finlay, Terex® Pegson and Powerscreen® brands as follows:

• Centre of Excellence: Screening equipment for both Terex Finlay and Powerscreen would be produced in Dungannon, Northern Ireland (currently produced in both Dungannon and at Omagh, Northern Ireland).
• Centre of Excellence: Crushing equipment for both Terex Finlay and Terex Pegson would be produced in Omagh, Northern Ireland (currently produced in both Omagh and Coalville, England).

Coalville will continue to house the Terex Global Chamber Design Centre – the centre of excellence in bringing Terex crushing technology to the forefront of the industry.

Each of the Coalville, Dungannon and Omagh locations would continue to provide aftermarket support, applications and sales services for their respective products through their customary points of contact. The current ranges of crushers, screens and wash plants would continue to be available.

It is proposed that the new centres would be established in stages throughout 2009 and into 2010.

Regarding the establishment of the centres of excellence, Kieran Hegarty, Vice President of Terex Material Processing commented: “We look forward to the many opportunities for synergies, efficiency and concentration of talent that these ‘centres of excellence‘ would afford us. By focusing on similar products at one location, we would be able to provide our customers with the best possible value offerings; therefore, we firmly believe,” Hegarty added, “that the proposed changes would allow us to retain and grow our strong global presence in the crushing and screening market.”

Caterpillar, the world’s biggest manufacturer of construction and demolition equipment, has announced that it is to slash its global workforce by a staggering 20,000 people.

The announcement coincides with the company’s announcement that it had achieved record sales and revenues of $51.324 billion for 2008, up 14 percent from 2007. Profit per share was $5.66, up 5 percent and profit after tax of $3.557 billion was about flat with 2007. The company also reported record fourth-quarter sales and revenues of $12.923 billion, 6 percent higher than the fourth quarter of 2007. Profit per share for the quarter was $1.08, down 28 percent from the fourth quarter of 2007.

However, underlying the good news was a very clear statement on the future of the company’s business and the sectors it serves.

“We have initiated actions which will remove about 20,000 workers from our business and every indirect spend dollar will be heavily scrutinised,” says Caterpillar CEO Jim Owens.

To read the full story, click here.

Anyone that has worked in the demolition industry for more than a few days will quickly realise that the general public very rarely supports their work. Conservationists, historians and vocal locals with a NIMBY (not in my back yard) attitude often voice their opinion against any form of demolition work, many staging protests that merely delay the inevitable.

So it is pleasing to note that local in Kansas City have not just welcomed the commencement of demolition works at the Old Bannister Mall; they’re actually turnining out to watch the works in progress. Admittedly, the mall has been overdue for replacement for some time and the current works will make way for a new soccer stadium for the local Kansas City Wizards team. But seeing families bring their children to watch a non-explosive demolition project in action is both unusual and welcome.

Caterpillar Work Tools B.V. has announced the introduction of the B-Series versions of its mobile Scrap and Demolition shears. The new S320B, S325B and S340B extend the range of B-series to the previously released S365B and S385B shears.

The shear and knife design improves cutting performance and the hardened piercing tip of the upper jaw maximizes productivity when piercing is required. All S300 shear models are equipped with field proven 360° rotators ensuring a quick and precise placement of the jaws in an optimum cutting position without moving the excavator. The high force-to-weight ratio enhances faster cycle times, resulting in more cuts per hour.

The S320B, S325B and S340B series fit CAT excavators from 10-ton to those in excess of 60-ton operating weight. The shears can be mounted on either the boom or stick, and caters to all needs for scrap-processing- and demolition applications.

The new shape of the housing provides improved protection for shear components and better positions the jaw relative to the stick. The cutting edge design greatly improves the protection of the cylinder that eliminates the use of a cylinder guard by extending the housing to cover the cylinder rod. A newly designed hub is better protected against damage.

Large access panels on the top, bottom and sides of the shear housing make it easier to service inside components. The unique hub adjustment quickly compensates knife wear. The threaded pivot-pin holds the jaw in positive alignment without the need for external retention. The gap between upper and lower jaw can be easily adjusted, keeping cutting capability high – even as blades wear. The piercing tip in the upper jaw is made of hardened steel and can be repeatedly hard faced – helping increase the intervals between tip replacements.

According to the UK trade magazine Construction News, industry pundits Off-Highway Research are forecasting a very gloomy 2009 for plant manufacturers. No great surprise there, nor in OHR’s contention that much of this universal woe stems from a lack of available credit with which to purchase new equipment.

So how is the credit crunch and the resulting recession impacting upon your business?

Please use the comments box (below) to tell us how you’re coping with a downturn in work and what you’re doing to cut costs. Have you laid off staff or outsourced certain duties; and will the downturn impact upon your spend on vital things like training and staff improvement.

We look forward to receiving your feedback.

In 1969, the British Steel Corporation constructed a major ore terminal near the mouth of the River Tees. Opened in 1973, the terminal was equipped with two conventional grab-type Ore-Unloaders capable of handling iron ore, coal and concentrates. Ore Un-loader No.1, supplied to a William Arrol design, was capable of a 2,000 tonnes/hour discharge rate. It operated until 1995 when the refurbishment of the adjacent Ore Un-loader No.3 (which had been added subsequently) rendered it surplus to requirements. Unloader No.1 was parked in the stops at the end of its tracks, isolated and left in place until 2008 when a rise in the world scrap prices gave the opportunity to recover the cost of its disposal.

UK demolition specialist Thompsons of Prudhoe was awarded the contract to dismantle the structure. The Ore-Unloader weighed approximately 1,500 tonnes and stood at a height of 66 metres. The structure was dismantled into sections using oxy/propane hot cutting equipment. The sections, each weighing approximately 65 tonnes, were lifted from their resting position by a 1,000 tonne crane and transferred into a processing area at ground level. All access stairways to the structure had been previously removed for safety reasons and the only access available to operatives was via a 40 metre MEWP (manual elevated working platform) and two man-baskets suspended from 100 tonne cranes.

Prior to commencement of work each day, Thompsons’ Site Management met with Corus’ appointed Management Team to discuss the proposed work and to plan and agree the lifting procedures. Each section of the structure had to be removed with extreme care, due to the presence of three live conveyors located directly beneath the Unloader (which were used to discharge iron ore and coal removed from ships berthed along the dockside).

The demolition team consisted of a team of eight Demolition Operatives and their Site Supervisor (who worked directly alongside the team). In addition two demolition specification excavator machines – a Caterpillar 750 (equipped with pulveriser) and a Hitatchi 600 (equipped with hydraulic shears) – handled the scrap. The contract ran for a five week period, seven days per week. The demolition works were conducted under a possession period due to ship movements (delivery to the Wharf) and demolition progressed through adverse weather conditions.

The Corus Group were pleased with the operatives work and the removal of the hazardous structure. The whole project was completed without accident or incident and the Group Safety Manager commended the team.

Another story on Thompsons’ close working relationship with Corus is scheduled to appear in the March issue of Demolition & Dismantling, the magazine of the National Federation of Demolition Contractors.

Brandenburg Industrial Services, one of the US’ largest and best-known demolition companies, is to collect a health and safety award from the Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration in honour of its work tearing down Xcel Energy’s old High Bridge power plant at 501 Shepard Road in St. Paul.

Full story here.