It’ll be standing room only when Coleman and C&D implode two tower blocks on Sunday.

While the cream of the UK’s demolition companies will be in Ireland this weekend for the National Federation of Demolition Contractors’ 2009 Annual Convention, spare a thought for John Woodward of C&D Consultancy and the team from Coleman & Co. who will be making running through their final checks before “popping” a pair of tower blocks in Glasgow.

The explosive demolition of 124 & 142 Shawbridge Street, Pollockshaws, Glasgow, which will be achieved in a single controlled explosion, is scheduled for noon on Sunday 30 August. This blowdown is the second phase of the work being carried out by Coleman & Co for Glasgow Housing Authority and follows on from the successful explosive demolition of 2 tower blocks at Riverford Road last summer.

C&D’s John Woodward predicts that the implosion will be watched by a large crowd of local people, but says that anyone wishing to visit the site to witness the implosion for themselves can do so from the viewing area in Pleasance Street and Shawhill Road or from the Aldi car park in Riverbank Street.

And for those that can’t make it along on the day, we’re hoping to bring you the video footage from the very edge of the exclusion zone early next week.

Series of photos shows what can be done with the appliance of teamwork.

Do you remember those mathematics questions from your schooldays that went: “John can dig a two foot hole in 27 minutes using a six inch spade. How deep would the hole be if he dug for seven days?” Ever wondered how that might pan out in a demolition environment?

Well, apparently, the guys at Champion Environmental Services did their sums and decided that the demolition of a three-storey structure in Wisconsin required not one, not two but FOUR hydraulic excavators. And judging by the following photos, it’s a system that works really rather well:

CG Comley & Sons bucks the cost reduction trend, buying two new Doosan excavators.

There was a time, in the not too distant past, when we could have filled each page of Demolition News with stories of new equipment being bought and sold. Sadly, a combination of reduced workloads and lack of available credit has largely put paid to that.

So it’s somehow refreshing to note that Hampshire-based CG Comley & Sons has just dipped its toe back into the equipment procurement waters with the purchase of two new Doosan excavators from local dealer Promac Solutions Ltd.

The order comprises a 14.5 tonne DX140LC, and a 22.5 tonne DX225LC, both of which join a Comley equipment fleet that also has a 45 tonne Daewoo high reach unit.

We’re hoping to speak to Comley managing director Richard Comley about his latest purchase during this weekend’s National Federation fo Demolition Contractors’ 2009 Annual Convention in Killarney.

Leading quick hitch supplier Miller International publishes new coupler guide.

Still confused over the legality of semi-automatic quick hitches. Then worry no longer. Miller International, a supplier of quick couplers and a leading light in the battle against confusion over this highly contentious (and almost never-ending) semi-automatic quick hitch debate, has published a new guide to help ensure that you stay safe AND sty on the right side of the law.

A copy of the new guide can be downloaded by clicking here.

The Institute of Demolition Engineers has finalised details of its Autumn seminar in London.

The IDE has now finalised the programme for the Autumn Seminar at One Great George Street, Westminster in London. The speaker list is as follows:

• Ruud Schreijer, managing director of Rusch and designer of the world’s tallest high reach excavator.

• Rainer Cremer of SB-Mende who is speaking about demolition of concrete chimneys by robotic machines.

• Arne Marx from Genesis will be speaking about the new generation of demolition shears designed specifically for the super high reach machines and for oil rig demolition duties.

• Dick Green of Independent Explosives will speak about explosive demolition in India.

• Phil Burgess and Jan Andreson from the Health and Safety Executive will speak about the training given to HSE inspectors who deal with demolition projects.

• Peter Jones will give an alternative view to the problem of disposal of composite panels.

• Riverside Consulting will bring us up to date with regard to the changes to type 3 asbestos surveys.

• Alex Albon of Earth Exchange will discuss the importance of minimising waste and maximising the re-use of hardcore, soils etc.

• Simon Simpson of Wentworth House will speak on demolition from a structural engineer viewpoint.

Tickets are still available at www.ide.org.uk, but are expected to sell out quickly with such a varied programme.

US magazine Construction Equipment looks into the future of equipment theft prevention.

Keyless starting, radio frequency systems and GPS-based technologies are just some of the deterrents that tomorrow’s equipment thieves and joyriders will face in the future, according to US magazine, Construction Equipment.

In a detailed article, the magazine speaks to a range of OEMs and specialist theft deterrent manufacturers to get their take on what the future might hold. And while it’s unlikely that the costly problem of equipment theft will ever be totally eliminated, it appears that the thieves are going to have to try just that little bit harder in the coming years.

Read the full article here.

Top-down contracts usually involve mini excavators; but not in China.

In recent weeks, we have seen much debate about US contractors’ tardiness in adopting the ultra high reach (UHD) machines favoured by their European counterparts. But based on the following series of photos, even the most conservative US contractor remains streets ahead of the Chinese contractor that thought this was a good idea:

Violation of clean air act results in indictment for two US demolition companies.

Two demolition and salvage companies and three of their respective owners and supervisors were indicted today by a federal grand jury in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Justice Department announced.

The indictment describes a year-long scheme in which the former Standard Coosa Thatcher plant in Chattanooga was illegally demolished while still containing large amounts of asbestos.

Read the full story here.

DIY superstore in Manchester demolished to avoid empty building rates.

Vacant areas of a retail park in the town centre of Rochdale have been demolished by J Freeley Ltd. This followed the closure of two superstores on the site which closed due to the recession. The land owners were faced with having to pay large business rates bills if the buildings remained unoccupied, and so they appointed J Freeley to demolish them.

The project involved the clearance of 9,290 m2 of retail space, comprising the disused MFI and Focus DIY superstores. As part of the contract, J Freeley also demolished other buildings on the site formerly occupied by a veterinary practice and the Samaritans.

The six week demolition project began with the controlled removal of large quantities of asbestos from the building. J Freeley worked closely with Rochdale Council on health and safety aspects of the demolition: in particular ensuring the safety of pedestrians and vehicles on part of the site fronting onto Oldham Road.

There was a strong emphasis on sustainability during the project, with the various waste streams – including 3,000 tonnes of hardcore and concrete, metals, plastics and timber – all segregated and recycled.

Following the demolition, J Freeley carried out landscaping, boundary treatment and fencing, leaving the site ready for future redevelopment.

“This was a case where the two superstores fell victim to the recession and closed,” says managing director John Freeley. “The landowners were faced with a potentially massive business rates bill if the buildings remained unoccupied, and so they chose to demolish them. They plan to redevelop the site once the economy improves.”

A pair of new videos showing Allied-Gator demolition attachments in action.

Let’s face it. There’s only one thing better than watching demolition attachments rip steel and munch concrete, and that’s watching video footage of them doing so. So here’s a pair of new videos from attachment specialist Allied Gator. The first shows one of the company’s MTR 10C units mounted on a skid steer loader; while the second is a nice video of a pair of excavators working in tandem to take down a steel conveyor bridge using MTR 70S and MTR 90S attachments.

And there’s plenty more where these came from. In fact, Allied-Gator has an entire area of its website dedicated to video footage of its products in action. You can view or download them all here.