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SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER2014
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WORLDNEWS
Hartl adds to Blue bow
Specialist crushing, screening andmaterials handling distributor
Blue Group in the UK has been announced as distributors
for the range of specialist screening and crushing excavator
attachments produced by Austrianmanufacturer Hartl. The
former will be responsible for the sale of the latter’s ranges
of hydraulically operated crushing and screening buckets, with
a series of specialist options such as dust suppression, quick
coupling and integral magnets for trampmetal extraction during
processing.
The Shabolovka radio tower
(also known as the Shukhov
Tower after its architect) in
Moscow, Russia, has been
placed under a preservation
order by city officials that will
prevent its demolition. The
160m (525 ft) structure
had been at threat,
with the Russian State
Committee for Television
and Radio Broadcasting
having announced plans to
dismantle it after it had been
left to deteriorate over a
number of years.
The Indian state of Tamil
Nadu is to establish a
facility to separately handle
constructions and demolition
waste to recycle asmuch of
thismaterial as possible with
the aim of avoiding waste
being dumped on vacant
land, in wells, drains and
water bodies and alongside
road, as happens currently.
Funding to pay for the facility
will come from government
(90%) and the civic body
(10%). However, those
generating the waste will be
charged on the basis of the
polluter pays tomake the
project sustainable on a long
term basis.
The National Stadium in
Tokyo, Japan, scheduled
for demolition twomonths
ago tomake way for a
new stadium for the 2020
Summer Olympics, is
still standing waiting the
awarding of a contract to
carry out the work. Two
rounds of bidding have so far
failed to find a contractor.
DEMOLITION BITS
The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Greater Houston Chapter has
awarded Cherry Demolition its highest level Award – Diamond – for the latter’s
Safety Training Evaluation Process (STEP). This is the second year in a row that
Cherry has been recognised at this level. The Awardwas presented to Cherry
vice president of safety operations, JayMarak, at amembership breakfast on
July 11, 2014.
ABC represents all specialities in the US construction industry, withmembers
largely consisting of contractors engaged in the industrial and commercial
sectors, with the goal of assisting itsmember companies in advancing their
safety and training efforts to achieve a zero incident workplace.
Keltbray sees
positive results
OnFriday31 July, leadingUK
contractorKeltbray reported
positive financial results for its
financial year that endedon31
October 2013– the company
sawoverall turnover riseby
15% to£145million (US$249
million), up from126million
(US$212million) for the same
period to2012. Ina company
statement, it said that thiswas
thebest performance ever seen
in the company’s 38yearhistory.
Keltbrayalso said that grossprofit
improvedby29%,withoperating
profit remaining stableat £2.6
million (US$4.4million).
The company’sdemolition
and civil engineeringdivision,
whichaccounts for some66%of
itsbusiness, saw turnover increase
by12% -due to its increasingly
integrated servicesoffering,
andby securing long termand
complex contracts, suchas the
flagship regenerationprojects at
TheHeygateEstate inLondon for
LendLease, and the lresidential
development inEurope forQatari
Diar atChelseaBarracks.
ChiefExecutiveOfficer
BrendanKerr saidof these results:
“I ampleasedabout the continued
Deconstruct UKwins
London contract
An enablingworks contract at
WatergateHouse inLondon,
UK,worth£1.2million (US$2
million)hasbeenawarded to
DeconstructUK. Part of theDE
Group,Deconstructwill carryout
soft strip, demolition, pilingand
structural alterationsonbehalf of
client IgnusUKPropertyFund,
whowas advisedbyParagon
BuildingConsultancyLtd. The
workalso includes thedemolition
of an existing lift coreand further
relocationand construction
of anew core.Work isdue for
compeltion byFebruary2015
afterwhich itwill be fittedout to
toprovide six floorsof high end
commercial office space.
Paul Ford, chairmanofDE
Group commented: “This is
yet another great project for
DeconstructUK. Situatedat
the endof anarrow city centre
road in closeproximity to the
Strand, the site is alsoadjacent
to residential accommodation.
Strict logistical planning twinned
with considerateneighbourhood
liaisonwill ensureminimal
disruption toall surrounding
stakeholders.”
The first of London’s
Battersea Power Station’s
iconic chimneys is now being
dismantled from the top
down using a climbing work
platform around the outside,
with debris being removed
down through the centre of
the structure. Once brought
down, the chimney will then
be rebuilt to its height of
101m (332 ft). The other
three chimneys will follow
the same process, with work
expected to be completed
in 2016. The chimneys
have deteriorated over the
years and the internal steel
reinforcement has corroded,
necessitating their repair.
DEMOLITION BITS
strengtheningof
ourperformance
andour consistent
improvements in
turnover growth
andmaintenanceof
operatingmargins.”
“Tomeet increasingmarket
demands,we investeda record
£9million (US$15.2million) in
newplant andassets in2013.
Wealsobolsteredourhuman
resources and training functions
tomanageour future skills and
labour requirements effectively.
In2013wealsoproducedour first
sustainabledevelopment report
to recordprogresswearemaking
inaligningouroperations to
includeagreater awarenessof our
corporate social responsibilities.”
