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SITE REPORTS
JULY-AUGUST 2013
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special heavy duty version of the cutter wheel
with very close pick spacing. Demcon fitted
a water spray dust suppression system using
the unlimited water supply from the harbour
and the resulting absence of dust allows other
operations to be carried out in close proximity
to the cutter wheel, speeding up the overall
demolition and construction process.
OPEN MINDS
Although originally designed for shallow
trenching applications, Anders Ståhle,
managing director of SMC, Sweden, was one of
the first equipment suppliers to recognise the
potential for the cutter wheels in demolition
applications. He was aware of the importance
of speed at this project and introduced the
cutter wheel to Demcon.
“The new cutting wheel is a safe and
efficient demolition tool. There are strict
requirements preventing us from allowing
concrete to fall into the water. The cutter wheel
is great because we can use it to cut through
concrete and rebar in a controlled manner.
Reliability has increased and consequently it
gives us better performance,” said Andreas
Svensén, production manager major projects,
Skanska Sweden.
Klaus Ertmer, the managing director of
Erkat said, “if we hadn’t listened to the needs
of our customers and worked with them to use
products like the cutter wheel, we would miss
out on many opportunities to provide unique
solutions to some of the most interesting
challenges facing demolition contractors.”
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The resulting clean cut through
the slab allows lifting chains to be
fitted and the remaining rebar cut
by torch or by a breaker, with the
sections then removed for recycling
