C&D Consultancy is offering a FREE, no-obligation demolition training audit.
Midlands-based C&D Consultancy has announced that it is to offer a free, no-obligation consultation with its training co-ordinator to help clients develop a training plan for their employees. This free “audit” will also include advice about specific courses, the latest legislative requirements, and relevant CSCS/CPCS card schemes.
Click here for further details.
UK demolition contractor wins contract at The Orb Steelworks in Newport.
Lawson Demolition has been chosen to undertake a demolition project at the site of the Orb Steelworks in Newport. The old steelworks, which was once a central part of Newport’s industry, is due to be given a new lease of life as part of a development by Taylor Wimpey South Wales; the first stage of which is the demolition of the current buildings, due to commence at the end of June 2009. The demolition, which is due to continue through to October 2009, is the initial part of the plans by Taylor Wimpey to redevelop the site.
Read the full story here.
Caterpillar announces the launch of its first “retail lifestyle” store.
There was a time, not so long ago, when a person could show their love for their Caterpillar equipment with a simple, understated baseball cap sporting the US giant’s familiar three-letter logo. But then came the worldwide explosion in the popularity of Caterpillar boots and the earthmoving-fashion landscape was changed forever.
But, in a bizarre twist, this is set to continue with the opening of a “lifestyle retail store” in the Dubai Mall.
Given the fact that Dubai, currently the world’s largest construction site, is today the home away from home for Premiership footballers and their “WAGs” (wives and girlfriends), expect to see Caterpillar workwear gracing the terraces of Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford and Upton Park very soon.
Read the full story here.
In our first Project Profile podcast, we look at the deconstruction of a gasholder near Liverpool.
The use of an 80+ metre crawler crane to dismantle an MAN gasholder in Southport near Liverpool has attracted considerable media interest. However, as our first-ever Project Profile podcast highlights, the use of the crawler crane was hampered by high winds and the CDC Demolition team were forced to adapt and overcome to keep the high profile project on schedule.
Click the blue link (below) to listen to the podcast.
Edinburgh-based demolition contractor invests heavily in Bobcat equipment.
A C Jardine Demolitions Limited has purchased new Bobcat compact loaders and excavators from Motherwell-based George Colliar Ltd trading as Bobcat Strathclyde, to meet the specific requirements of demolition and refurbishment contracts in Edinburgh, Scotland’s historic capital city.
Cunningham Thomson, the owner of A C Jardine Demolitions, said: “Our purchases followed an exhaustive investigation of the equipment available on the market. The Bobcat equipment was chosen for the high quality of engineering involved, along with the robustness of the machinery; which are definite requirements for our industry, together with the wide variety of specialist tools available. They also meet our goal of increasing the mechanisation of demolition work inside buildings or in confined spaces to meet health and safety requirements for our staff and to improve the efficiency of operations.”
A controlled implosion has removed an unfinished hotel eyesore from the Palermo coastline.
One of Italy’s most notorious eyesores, a huge unfinished hotel complex on a Ligurian island, disappeared Friday after decades of campaigning by environmentalists.
Some 50 kg of explosives was used to bring down the seven-floor building, known as the Scheletrone (‘big skeleton’), overlooking a beach on the island of Palmaria, which forms part of the region’s Cinque Terre UNESCO World Heritage Site.
See the final moments of the “big skeleton” below or click here for the full story.
The latest of Demolition News’ audio podcasts is now available here and on iTunes.
We promised you more audio content and we like to keep our promises. We have today recorded two new podcasts, the first of which – an interview with Dig A Crusher founder Sean Heron – can be downloaded below (and heard on iTunes).
The second requires just a little more polish but we’ll have that one up and out just as soon as we can.
To listen to the Sean Heron interview, you have two choices. You can listen to it here by hitting the blue link below.
Alternatively, you can visit iTunes and take it with you wherever you go.
St Paul’s and RVA Group help revive former West Yorkshire chemical works.
The site of a former chemical works is being brought back to life by commercial property specialist St Paul’s Developments plc, creating future employment opportunities for West Yorkshire.
Despite the recession, the South Yorkshire-based developer is forging ahead with plans to transform the chemical production facility at Common Lane, Knottingley, into a mixed-use site that will potentially include offices and light industrial units as well as housing and associated amenities.
Managing Director (Technical) David Elliott said: “Whilst other property developers appear to be hibernating, St Paul’s is continuing with its site acquisitions and development activities, ensuring ongoing investment in regeneration sites in Yorkshire and beyond, despite the economic downturn.
“Unlocking a site of this kind can ultimately achieve significant benefits for the community. Our re-development of Common Lane over the next five years will create a range of job opportunities to offset losses incurred in recent times.”
The Knottingley plant, which officially closed last summer, provided jobs for the last 70 years in the production of final and intermediate products for the chemical market. Its list of previous owners includes Midland Yorkshire Tar, Croda, Shell, Inspec and Degussa.
Decommissioning the 25-acre plant is however a complex process, not least because it remained a top tier COMAH site until very recently. Many of the chemicals it produced – to aid the manufacturing of antioxidants, sun screen agents, and agrochemicals for example – were of a hazardous nature. The decontamination process required to bring the plant to a ‘known state’ in readiness for demolition, must therefore be strictly regulated to prevent avoidable operative and third party exposure.
For that reason, St Paul’s has brought in leading project managers and construction design management (CDM) co-ordinators RVA Group, to oversee the removal of asbestos and residual waste, demolition, dismantling and complete clearance of the site.
On the site until the end of August, RVA will deliver a bespoke and closely controlled engineering strategy for the decommissioning, decontamination and isolation of process plant, tankfarms, storage facilities, laboratories and offices – many of late 1940s origin.
In addition to bringing down the various low level structures, a 50m chimney stack close to the Aire and Calder Navigation Canal, will be demolished using one of the tallest long reach excavators in the UK. The Hitiachi excavator has a 60m telescopic boom and 120 tonne base.
Commenting on the project to date, David Elliott said: “We have never worked with RVA before but we have been very impressed by the company’s professional and meticulous approach. Work is progressing well.
“Once all structures have been removed, the next step will be to finalise the planning application before commencing with ground reclamation works.”
The first-ever NFDC/NDTG Working Wednesday mini seminar was oversubscribed.
The Working Wednesday concept was created jointly by NFDC CEO Howard Button and by the National Demolition Training Group training manager Sophie Francis, and is designed to throw a spotlight on a specific and current issue.
Last night’s event, which was sponsored and hosted by Miller International, looked at the timely issue of semi-automatic quick couplers and the confusion surrounding changes in legislation. Judging by the fact that extra chairs had to be brought in at the last minute to seat an unexpectedly large number of delegates, it would appear that the Working Wednesday concept was as popular as it was timely.
“We came up with the idea of the Working Wednesday during a marketing meeting and it went from concept to reality in about 30 seconds,” Button recalls. “We have excellent facilities here at Resurgam House and this is an excellent way to use these facilities to the benefit of our members.”
A video of the proceedings is currently being edited but, for those wishing to hear what they missed last night, please click the blue link below to listen to a (raw) audio recording.
Alternatively, you can download the audio file as an iTunes podcast by clicking here.
Demolition News and Demolition Podcast Network unveils forthcoming show schedule.
Having recently had our podcast feed accepted by iTunes, the time has come for Demolition News and the Demolition Podcast Network to start creating some valuable shows and content.
To this end, we have started to compile a programme schedule that we are HOPING to achieve. Of course, our ability to achieve any or all of these will hinge largely upon the input and support of you, our readers (and listeners).
So if there are any subjects here that you feel strongly about or that you believe you could add value to, or if there any subjects that you believe we have overlooked, please let us know.
We are not setting any deadlines for these as their broadcast will again depend upon our ability to speak to the right people at the right time. However, we hope that this will give you an indication of what we have planned:
Show – Equipment/Manufacturer Profiles – Manufacturers to be confirmed but first show likely to be Dig A Crusher.
Show – Demolition Issues (subjects to include occupational health, drink and drugs on site, noise monitoring, gypsum recycling, demolition training, confined space regulations, face mask regulations, equipment theft, quick hitches AND in-depth reports from the forthcoming European Demolition Association conference and the National Federation of Demolition Contractors’ annual convention).
Show – How to – (subjects to include oil analysis and cleanliness, hydraulic hammer maintenance, undercarriage maintenance, online marketing etc)
Please drop us a line at manthony@markanthonypublicity.co.uk if you would like to be a part of any of these forthcoming broadcasts, or if you have suggestions for any more.
