Neath-based Cuddy Group has been named Demolition Contractor of the Year.

The annual event has become a major milestone in the construction calendar, with the aim of highlighting the critical role of specialist contractors in the industry. Joint managing director John Cuddy, who accepted the award on the night said: “Having been a finalist 6 times in the past, we are delighted to have finally won this esteemed award, which reinforces, and gives credibility to, the claims that we are proud to boast. Since our inception in 1983, we have worked hard to build a solid reputation for professionalism that treads beyond the traditional realms of the demolition industry. Especially in the current climate, clients need to invest their trust in a hard-working, dependable and technically capable company, and this award is welcome recognition of our ability to fulfil these requirements and expectations – all whilst ensuring a continuous investment in health and safety, staff development and sustainability.

“Whilst we are obviously incredibly proud of this achievement, our skills actually span much wider than just demolition. We now want to work hard to ensure that our other areas of specialism – including decommissioning, land remediation, civil engineering and asbestos removal – achieve the same level of recognition as our demolition division.”

The project that helped Cuddy to win the coveted award was the much anticipated and high profile demolition of Mansfield Brewery last year, in which the 12-man team combined traditional dismantling techniques and the controlled use of explosives to clear the site. Councillor Kate Allsop said at the time: “Cuddy did a truly excellent job and ensured a safe, professional and organised approach throughout. That’s what I expected from them, but they went over and above my expectations.”

Exclusive video introducing the new demolition-jobs.co.uk website.

Mark Anthony, press officer of the National Federation of Demolition Contractors and the editor of Demolition & Dismantling magazine, narrates an introduction to www.demolition-jobs.co.uk, a new website developed to help the demolition industry’s unemployed back into employment.

Sophie Francis & Howard Button provide update on NDTG training.

The National Federation of Demolition Contractors took the opportunity to update its members of progress with a multitude of training-related matters at the Annual General Meeting on London on Friday 6 March.

In this exclusive video, NDTG training officer Sophie Francis and NFDC chief executive Howard Button discuss key matters including the latest progress on the CPCS/CSCS card scheme.

New NFDC President David Darsey gives his inaugural speech.

On 6 March 2009, David Darsey of Erith Group became the youngest-ever president of the National Federation of Demolition Contractors.

In this exclusive video, Demolition News captures Darsey’s inaugural speench:

Demolition News launches demolition-jobs.co.uk to help demo workers back into employment

www.demolitionnews.com and the National Federation of Demolition Contractors have today officially launched demolition-jobs.co.uk, a FREE website designed to allow newly-redundant and long-term unemployed demolition workers to advertise their skills and qualifications to prospective employers.

As the worldwide economic crisis deepens, demolition workers have started to feel the effects with an increasing number of temporary worker lay-offs and permanent staff redundancies.

Against this background, www.demolitionnews.com and the National Federation of Demolition Contractors have joined forces to launch www.demolition-jobs.co.uk, a recruitment website with a difference. “Traditional recruitment websites charge employers to advertise jobs to potential candidates but we wanted to take a different, more altruistic approach,” says founder Mark Anthony. “We have effectively turned the recruitment process on its head to provide the demolition industry’s unemployed workers with a FREE medium through which to display their skills, experience and qualifications to prospective employers.”

Mark Anthony reports that the concept of demolition-jobs.co.uk was driven by the fallout from the current recession and by some wise words from a demolition industry veteran; the late Sidney Hunt Snr. “Sidney was one of the most influential figures the UK demolition industry has ever produced. He once described his industry peers as ‘hard bastards, but with a heart’,” he explains. “I have witnessed this first-hand over the years and have seen the NFDC raise countless thousands of pounds for charitable causes. Even in the midst of recession, it is an industry that is unparalleled in its willingness and eagerness to help its own. That really was the inspiration behind demolition-jobs.co.uk.”

NFDC chief executive Howard Button, another driving force behind demolition-jobs.co.uk, says that the time is right for a different approach. “There is no doubt that the UK demolition industry is on the brink of an unprecedented recession,” he says. “Through the NFDC and the National Demolition Training Group, we have invested heavily in the people that work within this sector. With our backing of demolition-jobs.co.uk, it is our intention to invest in people that used to work and still want to work in this industry and to safeguard valuable demolition jobs by helping people stay within this vital industry.”

Although the site is intended for use purely by UK employees and employers and, therefore, utilises many UK specific terms and qualifications, Mark Anthony is hopeful that other countries and regions will follow the UK’s lead. “The site has been designed to be easy to translate and replicate,” Mark Anthony concludes. “If any other country or trade Federation would like to replicate this, we can help them to set this up quickly and cost-effectively.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: www.demolition-jobs.co.uk is the brainchild of Demolition & Dismantling editor Mark Anthony and is funded jointly by the National Federation of Demolition Contractors and Demolition Publications. It is a not-for-profit organisation established to provide unemployed demolition workers with the ability to advertise their availability to prospective employers free-of-charge.

World famous Dunlop Bridge bites the dust in controlled demolition contract.

A video showing the final (and extremely windy) seconds of the famous bridge can be viewed by clicking here. Please be aware that the video does contain some strong langauge.

13 of the UK’s highest profile demolition companies are competing for the Crossrail works.

UK trade magazine Contract Journal is reporting that 13 companies are vying for the £20 million demolition works associated with London’s controversial Crossrail project that is due to commence in April.

Read the full story here.

Taekwon-Do campaign hits the £800 mark, thanks to the generosity of the UK demolition industry.

The campaign to send British Taekwon-Do champion Leanne Evans to the European championships in Croatia has picked up pace.

Thanks to the generosity of AR Demolition C&D Consultancy, Cantillon, Demolition News, Erith Group and one sponsor who has chosen to remain nameless, the fund now stands at £800.
However, our stated aim was to raise more than £1,000 so www.demolitionnews.com will be stepping up the collection, starting at the NFDC AGM in London this Friday.

Even if you can only spare £10, please try to support this worthwhile campaign. There is every likelihood that Leanne will be competing at the London 2012 Olympics, an your generosity might just help the Great Britain team secure another gold medal.

Engineers are pre-weakening and lightening a disused Ohio bridge in readiness for implosion.

Although no date has yet been set, the Ohio Department of Transportation is trying to lighten the structure as much as possible, taking it down to a skeleton meaning less materials will be brought down when the bridge is eventually detonated.

Full story here: