Deconstruct has been given the green light on the demolition of Grenfell Tower. The company is the right choice for many reasons.
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Justice prevails at Grenfell
Four jailed in latest corruption probe
Three former Keltbray emoloyees and a labour supply specialist have been jailed for their part in yet another corruption scandal to hit the UK demolition industry.
At Southwark Crown Court, Arben Hysa was convicted of bribing three Keltbray site managers to secure labour supply contracts for London-based Tony Demolition Workers Ltd worth £15 million.
Bribes totalling more than £600,000 were paid by Hysa between 2012 and 2018 to three Keltbray managers: Michael McCarthy, Simon Lacey, and John Burke.
The Keltbray three were jailed for receiving the bribes, which represented a ‘breach of trust’ in respect of their obligations to their employer Keltbray.
Keltbray was one of 10 NFDC member companies fined a total of almost £60 million back in March 2023. The company was the recipient of the largest fine stemming from the CMA investigation.
Hysa, Burke and McCarthy were all sentenced to three and half years in prison; Lacey was sentenced to two years.
Read more here.
The Break Fast Show #923
In today’s show: Develon – Driven by innovation; Hitachi goes large with its wheel loaders; Caterpillar looks ahead to its next 100 years; and in the latest instalment of our Bauma recap series, we’re visiting the biggest stand at the show in the company of Liebherr (plus a few special guests).
PLUS in Mark’s Morning Monologue: A single word to cure the industry’s ills – Respect.
Join host Mark Anthony LIVE for The Break Fast Show – the ONLY daily LiveStream built exclusively for demolition, construction, and equipment fanatics worldwide.
Breaking news. Expert views. Unmissable videos. Raw opinions. If it matters in the industry, we’re talking about it – LIVE.
Test your knowledge with the Mystery Machine, have your say in the Question of the Day, and don’t miss Mark’s Morning Monologue – a no-holds-barred take on the hottest topics.
And when the show’s done, the conversation’s just getting started. Stick around for The Craic, our legendary after-show chat!
Set your alarm. Grab your coffee. It’s time to break fast, and to break new ground.
Beyond the veil of ignorance
What would the demolition industry look like if we could start afresh, with the very latest tools and technology at our disposal?
What if you had to design the demolition and construction industry from scratch, without knowing your place within it? You might be a labourer on the ground, a machine operator, an engineer, or even someone affected by noise, dust, or the loss of a historic building. You might be a woman stepping onto a male-dominated site for the first time, or someone with a disability trying to access a training pathway. You might be a migrant worker, a subcontractor, or a local resident living in the shadow of a high-rise demolition.
This is the challenge posed by philosopher John Rawls and his concept of the Veil of Ignorance; a moral thought experiment first proposed in his 1971 book A Theory of Justice. Rawls asked us to imagine designing a fair society without knowing who we would be within it. No knowledge of your race, gender, wealth, skills, or position. Just a blank slate and a fair mind. The idea is simple: if we don’t know our future role, we’re more likely to design systems that are fair to everyone.
So what would the demolition and construction industry look like if we applied Rawls’ veil of ignorance to it?
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Deconstruct gets Grenfell nod
Construction Enquirer is reporting this morning that Deconstruct has been selected to tackle the highly-sensitive demolition of Grenfell Tower.
Deconstruct has been active on the Grenfell site since 2017, handling propping, clearance, and safety monitoring.
The Government awarded Deconstruct (UK) the deal without competition under a contract variation, citing technical reasons and the risk of delays and higher costs if a new contractor were brought in.
The Government said Deconstruct’s in-depth knowledge of the tower and the surrounding area made the firm uniquely qualified to carry out the sensitive deconstruction works.
The complexity and sensitivity of the Grenfell Tower demolition project was covered in this exclusive article back in January of this year.
The Break Fast Show #922
In today’s show: We’re beside the seaside with Kobelco excavators; a telescope station takes the long view with Volvo electric machines; John Deere’s SmartWeigh system explained; and in our latest look back at Bauma 2025, Develon showcases the old alongside the new
PLUS in Mark’s Morning Monologue: We’re looking behind the veil of ignorance.
Join host Mark Anthony LIVE for The Break Fast Show – the ONLY daily LiveStream built exclusively for demolition, construction, and equipment fanatics worldwide.
Breaking news. Expert views. Unmissable videos. Raw opinions. If it matters in the industry, we’re talking about it – LIVE.
Test your knowledge with the Mystery Machine, have your say in the Question of the Day, and don’t miss Mark’s Morning Monologue – a no-holds-barred take on the hottest topics.
And when the show’s done, the conversation’s just getting started. Stick around for The Craic, our legendary after-show chat!
Set your alarm. Grab your coffee. It’s time to break fast, and to break new ground.
EXCLUSIVE – Develon in demolition
Develon used the Bauma 2025 exhibition to showcase the new DX140RDM-7; a compact high reach demolition rig in interchangeable boom configuration.
DemolitionNews caught up for an exclusive conversation with Develon Product Manager – Special Applications. Jan Breburda to discuss the new machine and its place in Develon’s demolition line-up.
The Break Fast Show #921
In today’s show: Magni unveils a pair of new telescopic handlers; the latest from Leica; we’re in the swim for some Dutch pool demolition; and in the latest instalment of The Break Fast Show at Bauma, we’re sitting down with Develon’s demolition specialist, Jan Breburda.
PLUS in Mark’s Morning Monologue: Longing for leaders.
Join host Mark Anthony LIVE for The Break Fast Show – the ONLY daily LiveStream built exclusively for demolition, construction, and equipment fanatics worldwide.
Breaking news. Expert views. Unmissable videos. Raw opinions. If it matters in the industry, we’re talking about it – LIVE.
Test your knowledge with the Mystery Machine, have your say in the Question of the Day, and don’t miss Mark’s Morning Monologue – a no-holds-barred take on the hottest topics.
And when the show’s done, the conversation’s just getting started. Stick around for The Craic, our legendary after-show chat!
Set your alarm. Grab your coffee. It’s time to break fast, and to break new ground.
All aboard the progress express
Evolution is not optional. You might choose to disembark from the progress train, but that train is going to continue its journey, with or without you.
Now, admittedly, I am not the best person to deliver this not-very-surprising news. The most-listened-to album on my iPhone was released 43 years ago. I firmly believe that men dressed best in the 1930s and 40s, that the 1970s largely gave us the best music, and that the 1980s was the greatest decade of all time.
It has been a very long time since I discovered a meaningful new band; even longer since I discovered one that didn’t just remind me of something from my youth. I am not someone who stays on top of what’s “trending.” I don’t know who half the new celebrities are. And when I hear someone mention TikTok, my instinct is to reach for a wristwatch.
But I’m also not stubborn enough or delusional enough to believe that my preferences freeze time. I’m willing to accept that Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift are the sound of today. They’re not for me, and they were never supposed to be. And just because I find them both bland, vanilla, and far too safe and corporate for my tastes, I don’t resent their existence.
I don’t have to like everything new. But I do have to acknowledge it. That’s the price of living in the present.
All of which brings us to the subject of demolition and construction equipment. More specifically, it brings us to the issue of people dismissing the new in favour of the tried and tested.
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The Break Fast Show #920
In today’s show: A JCB 4CX Groundworker PRO goes to work; we’re feeling the Sunward spirit at Bauma; and we have a double dose of CASE that includes an unlikely link with Metallica.
PLUS in Mark’s Morning Monologue: All aboard the progress express.
Join host Mark Anthony LIVE for The Break Fast Show – the ONLY daily LiveStream built exclusively for demolition, construction, and equipment fanatics worldwide.
Breaking news. Expert views. Unmissable videos. Raw opinions. If it matters in the industry, we’re talking about it – LIVE.
Test your knowledge with the Mystery Machine, have your say in the Question of the Day, and don’t miss Mark’s Morning Monologue – a no-holds-barred take on the hottest topics.
And when the show’s done, the conversation’s just getting started. Stick around for The Craic, our legendary after-show chat!
Set your alarm. Grab your coffee. It’s time to break fast, and to break new ground.
