Demolition magazine - Issue 9 by Mark Anthony

ISSUE 9

DEMOLITION The industry magazine like no other

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Recessionary Aftershocks

It’s just a few months since I last sat at my cluttered desk, engaged the stream of consciousness drive and set about writing a Demolition magazine leader. And yet, in that short space of time, the UK demolition ranks has been shrunken by the demise of first Masterton and then Andrew Connolly Demolition, the two following the path - well-trodden by EDS and Lee Demolition before them – to the industry boneyard. That these companies each managed to survive such a severe recession only to fail during a steep economic upturn is ironic. But it is also entirely explainable, according to BDO’s David Gilbert (see Page 12), who suggests that companies stripped to the bone to fend off recession are ill-equipped financially to cope with a sudden upswing in demand. But the financial challenges are only a part of the problem. For in addition to cutting back on luxuries such as new plant, flash cars and exotic holidays, the recent recession also saw companies cutting back on both recruitment and training. Not only are some companies now financially unable to meet increased demand, they no longer have workers with the requisite skills to do so.

And it is this recessionary aftershock that will linger longest. It can take years to upskill a person from wet-behindthe-ears site newbie to experienced site supervisor or contracts manager standard. And we are now emerging from a period of almost six years in which training, upskilling and career progression were forced to play second fiddle to mere survival. There is, therefore, likely to be a large hole in the demolition workforce that could take years to fill. And even those companies that did manage to maintain training and recruitment levels through the recession will likely feel the pinch as nomadic staff move on in search of an additional £5 per week from a local competitor with a full post-recession order book. Such a situation bodes well for former Masterton and Andrew Connolly Demolition workers who should find it relatively easy to find alternative employment. For the wider industry, the recession might be over but its damaging and injurious effects look set to remain for quite some time. Mark Anthony

Editorial Mark Anthony - Mark Anthony Publicity markanthony@markanthonypublicity.co.uk 07973 456 166

Management Managing Director Jim Wilkinson Director Mark Anthony Director Jamie Wilkinson

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App Happy Must-Have Apps Smart phones travel with us everywhere and are now our go-to source of information and general computing power. In this edition, we look at those ads that you really shouldn’t be without: Snapseed – Turn your mundane photos into something of which David Bailey would be immensely proud. Snapseed offers the ability to edit photos in a variety of ways and can literally make a snap look like a work of

Converter – If you were born when feet and inches reigned supreme and are still struggling to get your head around newfangled metres and centimetres, this is the app for you. Just enter a measurement value and the app does the rest. Also great for working out the difference between horsepower and kW and to see how much per gallon you’re really paying for diesel.

artistic genius. Hyperlapse – If you watch DemolitionNews with any regularity, you will know that we have an insatiable appetite for time lapse films of demolition in progress and machines in action. But true time lapse can be prohibitively expensive and require huge amounts of time. Hyperlapse, which is free from the Apple App Store at the time of writing, delivers the same effect (although you probably wouldn’t want to leave your phone on site for days and weeks at a time).

TripIt – We have mentioned this superb app previously but it remains one of our favourites. A single destination for all your travel documentation including tickets, hotel reservations etc. Never mind the American Express card, we never leave home without TripIt.

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4 1

W e A r e Fa m i ly

We Are Famil It is just over a year since the UK demolition industry prematurely lost one of its favourite sons. Mark Anthony revisits Comley Demolition and finds a resilient company and an even more resilient family. Julia Comley has a new tattoo on her wrist. Her late husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s initials etched onto the radial artery pulse point on her wrist, it is elegant, subtle and beautiful; a constant and permanent reminder of the man with whom she shared much of her adult life. Their daughter Jennifer has a similar tattoo on her arm, while their son and Comley Demolition managing director Toby has the same initials etched into a simple cygnet ring that he wears proudly yet discreetly. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My dad would never have forgiven me for getting a tattoo,â&#x20AC;? Toby says.

Wrong Side of the Desk Visiting the company for the first time since the premature death of former managing director Richard Comley, little seems to have changed: the front door wide open and the kettle seemingly permanently on giving the place the feeling of a home rather than a thriving demolition business; the battered, shabby-chic 22RB crawler crane still stands in the yard, an unfinished restoration project that Richard Comley never got to complete.

“It was always the intention that I would eventually come over to the demolition side of the business,” Toby says. “It just happened a lot sooner than any of us planned.”

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CD But things are different. The office that was once illuminated by Richard Comley’s infectious smile is now occupied by his son. And if that feels strange to me – an occasional visitor – it feels even stranger to 26-year old Toby. “I am still not used to sitting this side of the desk,” he admits. “I spent so many years sat the other side - talking over work and just chatting with my father - that coming this side of the desk just feels strange.”

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Not that he hasn’t earned the right. Toby Comley worked as a demolition labourer prior to going to university. He ran the successful Jeto Ltd asbestos division of the company for several years. Together with his father and best friend Richard, he has become a familiar face at NFDC and IDE meetings. And he is a co-author of a new set of NFDC guidance notes.

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LOOKING FOR WORK? 7

W e A r e Fa m i ly

Meticulous Manner His sister Jennifer has also joined the company in the wake of her fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s untimely passing, sharing her time between marketing and business development activities and the accounts department. Proudly overseeing the very public maturing of her children is Comley Demolitionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sole shareholder, Julia Comley, supported by operations director and Comley Demolition stalwart David Armstrong.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;At the time that he was diagnosed in January 2012, we knew that the cancer would limit Richardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life,â&#x20AC;? Julia says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;While that was hard to deal with, it allowed Richard to ensure a smooth handover of the business. By the time he died, he had taken care of all his affairs in his typically meticulous way. He passed the company on to me but insisted that I should not keep it running purely out of sentimentality and that I should sell it if it became too much.â&#x20AC;? At this comment, Toby Comley laughs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s funny because he made me promise to keep it going,â&#x20AC;? he says.

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Julia says she has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from within the demolition industry. “There were more than 350 people at Richard’s funeral, many of them from the demolition industry,” she says. “And on the anniversary of his death, I received literally dozens of messages from the industry as well.” Such sentiment has also been forthcoming from clients who rather than using Richard’s death as an opportunity to renegotiate or take their business elsewhere – have been equally supportive of the new management. Despite this, Toby is mindful of the need to expand and renew. “I had no intention of coming in like a new broom and sweeping away all that Richard had created and built,” Toby asserts.

LOOK NO FURTHER WWW.DEMOLITION-JOBS.CO.UK 9

W e A r e Fa m i ly “But many of our client relationships were built around my father. It is important that I build my own relationships and client base while meeting the needs of our longstanding clients too.”

Also present in the yard is the 22RB that Richard bought, largely on impulse, as a long-term refurbishment project. The machine has been static since its outing at the DemoExpo last year but Toby says that its refurbishment remains very much on the “to-do” list.

RB Refurbishment Despite his reluctance to be the “new broom”, I noted that the company now has a couple of Hitachi excavators in its traditionally all-Doosan fleet. Is that a sign of Toby marching to the beat of his own drum? “Funnily enough, my father ordered those. The engineer in him appreciated the fact that they were easy to maintain and repair,” Toby says. “And yet, just before he died, he changed direction and bought two Hitachis.”

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Equally on the to-do list is a continuation of Richard’s commitment to training. Although ill health robbed him of the opportunity to become chairman of the National Demolition Training Group, he remained a keen advocate of training across his entire workforce. “That commitment to our staff is something that Richard instilled in me, even though I didn’t realise it at the time,” Toby says. “And it is certainly something that I intend to maintain.” “No-one here thinks that Toby has been handed the silver spoon,” Julia says. “He has operated machines, worked as a labourer and the guys respect him for that. He is also demonstrating his own commitment to training and has recently sat his NVQ6 exam too.”

Permanent Legacy A year on since the Comley family was robbed of its patriarch and joker in chief (who else would insist upon their ashes being put through the company’s crusher as a dying wish?) and the demolition industry was robbed of one of its good guys, Comley Demolition is in rude and almost defiant health. Despite Richard’s untimely passing, the company is stable and unwavering. More importantly, the family ties seem even more binding. Mutley Plant Service Ltd can supply all your work tools • big or small • new or used • sale or rent • with a deal to suit you.

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Julia Comley admits that she still hasn’t grieved; that she has thrown herself into the day-to-day running of the business as a buffer between

herself and the emotional trauma of losing her husband, her best friend and her soul mate. I can see that her eyes are sparkling, treading a fine line between laughter and tears when she speaks about Richard Comley. This seems even more evident when she speaks of her pride at the way in which her children have taken up her late husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mantle. Richard Comleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest legacy is not a successful and respected demolition company; it is not a 30+ year catalogue of successful demolition contracts; and it is not a hulking

crawler crane gathering rust in the company yard. His legacy is having provided for his family; having given them the gift of guidance and friendship, of discipline and good humour; having set them on the path to independence and freedom of expression. That legacy will not be withered with age nor tainted by the passage of time. That legacy is permanent; every bit as permanent as the tattoo of a loved oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name over the point of the body where a heartbeat can be felt most strongly.

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For Some, The Recession’s Not Over It is almost two years to the day since the UK officially emerged from recession. But since economists sounded the “all clear” signal, EDS, Lee Demolition, Masterton and Andrew Connolly Demolition have all succumbed to liquidation of one kind or another. BDO partner David Gilbert sheds some light on why.

The UK SME market is still reeling from the consequences of deep recession and financial crisis. The survivors have transformed themselves into lean, mean, fighting machines led into battle by hardened management teams. So why are businesses more at risk of failing emerging from a recession than they are during its peak?

Now is the time for management to be contingency planning for growth rather than failure. Ask yourself; if turnover increased say by 10, 20, 33 percent what would you have to do to cope with those various levels of growth? Without adequate working capital, your business is at risk of total collapse. Top tips to avoid failure out of a recession l Act now, growth could kick in at any time and you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be playing catch up with your stakeholders.

Many businesses have been cutting waste and inefficiencies to preserve growth and stay afloat for several years. Many have successfully released working capital back into their businesses but most management teams have been forced to seek out fresh funds or restructure loans to fully repair the cash flow deficit during this period.

l Prepare a financial model, comprising of 12 monthly integrated balance sheets, profit and cash flow projections sensitised to reflect differing levels of growth so as to be able to identify additional working capital parameters.

So when the wheels of economic recovery are deemed to be in motion, management teams heave a sigh of relief when the orders start flowing again.

l Reflect upon the likely working capital needs of the business in a growth scenario and engage with shareholders and lenders to gauge their appetite for further investment/funding.

But has the business considered: l How much working capital is needed to fund significant growth?

l Face facts if lender fatigue has set in, rebuild your relationship or explore alternatives.

l How much resource is required to meet the increased demand from customers?

l Speak to your advisers. Providing the financial position and growth prospects of your business look reasonably good there will be other lenders with an appetite/ excited about the prospect of a new client relationship.

Generating enough profit and having sufficient working capital to fund growth is todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s battle for businesses. As businesses grow coming out of recession overtrading sets in, in many cases putting serious strain on financial and operational systems and controls manned by depleted teams. After surviving the longest and deepest recession of our time â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it would be all too devastating to fail at the growth hurdle.

For more information please contact David Gilbert on 020 7893 3212 or Steve Cooney on 020 7893 2215.

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Quickfire In honour of our unrequited love for social media platform, Twitter, our QuickFire interview limits participants of 140 characters or less. Not a problem for straight-talking Aussie Neile Rosenlund of Rosenlund Contractors. What is the one thing you take with you everywhere? Smart Phone

Nicest place you've ever been? Antarctica What time do you start work? Whenever I bloody well want to.

Favourite gadget? Smart Phone

Do you have a morning ritual? Coffee, newspaper

Favourite or dream car? Been there done that. None Favourite book? Any of John Grishams, Beefy Bothamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biography is also a good read.

If you didn't work in demolition, what would you be? Mechanical Engineer designing construction and demolition attachments

Favourite sports team? Australian Cricket Team. Love it!!!!

What aspect of demolition do you most enjoy? The machinery

Last holiday destination? France

What aspect of demolition would you change? To have Australian demolition professional organisations similar to what the UK has, to represent our industry, or have our standards and pre-qualifications aligned with yours.

Favourite item of clothing? Comfortable, casual training shorts Favourite food? Mud Crab

What would be the first thing you'd do if you were King for a day? Summon Pippa Middleton

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Picking up Good Vibrations Fortum takes no risks at Sweden's largest development project in central Stockholm. Demolition magazine reports.

Regeneration sites in central Stockholm or any major city around the world, make stringent vibration monitoring a vital requirement of a project’s infrastructure. When the site is right next to a power plant in full operation, the requirements reach an entirely new level. ÅF has been assigned the responsibility of all land project planning for a site in the city of Stockholm, by the client, Fortum Värme AB. "The entire Värtaverket co-generation plant is in operation, producing electricity and heat throughout the redevelopment process," explains Martin Jonsson, Regional Manager at ÅF. "So vibration measurements are an important part of our work for securing the electricity supply for Stockholm residents. A major power outage simply cannot happen. There is a vast amount of sensitive equipment here that could be damaged by vibrations; rotating machines like turbines and fans, distribution substations and 100-tonne transformers. Investigating risks and insulating what could be damaged from vibrations has been a complicated process. Besides the existing power plant, there are also nearby homes, cable tunnels and important parts of the city's road network to take into consideration."

as accelerometers were placed at strategic points around the site to register data over an extended period of time. "We chose Ava Monitoring since our measurement consultants worked with the AvaNet web-based measurement system before," says Martin Jonsson, Regional Manager at ÅF. "This meant that we had a very short start-up time and all the measurement data was presented automatically online every day." He went onto say that for this project the long battery life was one of the biggest advantages of the system, and the very good support they had from AVA Monitoring throughout the project, made for a collaborative and straight forward working relationship.

CDM-C services & the for demolition industry

l CDM-C services for the demolition industry.

With over 300 measurement points at Värtaverket producing large amounts of vibration data, traditional vibration monitors requiring mains power or frequent battery changes was not an option for AF, and the ability to download data automatically and remotely was crucial. For uninterrupted, complete control of the site, a state of the art, reliable measurement system was required. AF selected the AvaTrace M60 field instruments – now available in the UK through Campbell Associates and currently in use in London with Keltbray- for their five month battery life, automatic download and data reporting function via email and SMS alerts. Vertical, horizontal and tri-axial geophones, as well

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Electrifying! Mark Anthony gets behind the wheel of a Tesla Model S electric supercar and is left with a serious case of car envy and a smidgeon of environmental smugness.

Objects of Desire Let’s face it. Just about every man with a fully functioning set of testicles and an indifference towards show tunes and the career of Lady Gaga secretly craves a supercar. Sure they’re scarily impractical and buttclenchingly expensive but they’re also a statement; a statement that beats its chest and proclaims “I am man, hear me roar”. Nobody tunes in to Top Gear to check out the ashtray styling features of the new Suzuki Liana; they tune in to see Clarkson and his cohorts driving supercars sideways around corners, shredding tyres and punching a Ferrari-shaped hole in the ozone layer.

However, just recently, the desirability of supercars has faced a dual threat. On the one hand are the environmentalists that look upon the ownership of a car developing more than 75 horsepower as some dolphin-bludgeoning, neo-Fascist threat to global harmony. On the other are women who advertising moguls have led us to believe are struck down with involuntary nudity and lust by the sight of a prancing horse logo but who, in fact, regularly dismiss these engineering marvels as a “penis extension”.

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So Far, So Supercar But now from the supercar backwater that is the United States of America comes a new breed of car that will appeal equally to macho men, treehugging environmentalists and bra-burning feminists alike. Totally electric-powered – there’s none of that hybrid nonsense here – the Tesla Model S boasts a level of performance to make seasoned Ferrari engineers weep into their spaghetti vongole. In disconcerting silence, the Tesla Model S zips from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds before powering to a top speed of somewhere North of 200 mph in a smooth, gear-changeless surge.

to Birmingham and back without the inconvenience of recharging. When a recharge is required, the battery shifts from empty to half full in under 30 minutes thanks to the Tesla supercharger system. And that “fuel” comes free of charge at the majority of UK public charging stations. That’s the tree-huggers happy then. So what about the ladies? Well, for one thing, there’s no engine in the Tesla and no engine means not one but two boots in which to store shoes, make-up, hair and beauty products and salad.

So far, so supercar; but the power and performance of the Model S is the tip of a gamechanging iceberg that will redefine the car. For one thing, there’s the battery. Guaranteed for eight years, the lithium power cell affords the supercar with a range of 600 regular driving miles on a single charge. Even when driven Clarkson-style, owners have sufficient juice to drive from London

Despite the supercar performance credentials, the Tesla is also a family car, switching from five to seven seats with an ingenious design that folds two additional seats from beneath the rear boot space. If the men manage to wrestle the keys from the ladies’ grasp, there is sufficient room in the rear

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boot for a full set of golf bats, the front boot better suited to storing the prerequisite argyle sweaters and pimp trousers. Inside the car itself, the ladies can content themselves by checking their emails, surfing the web and buying more shoes on Asos via the 17 inch touchscreen display that doubles as a sat nav and reversing camera display and system diagnostic and control panel.

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iPad on Wheels But to concentrate on the fixtures and fittings of the Tesla Model S is like discussing the leg room in a Stealth Bomber. For the Model S is WAY beyond a car. It is a design and engineering marvel; it is an iPad on wheels and on steroids; it is the future right now. If the thought of driving an iPad leaves you cold (and if it does, you need to get back to your cave painting), then you seriously need to give this a try. The lack of engine and gearbox has also left room for more innovation than you can shake a large, expensive stick at. In addition to ensuring you can find the nearest golf course and that you don’t back into the lesser car parked behind you, that

huge central display is also home to a control system swiped straight from the bridge of the Starship Enterprise (the Next Generation one; not the cardboard and gaffer tape 1960s version). That control hub is constantly beaming system data back to Tesla’s UK headquarters in West Drayton, allowing the boffins to monitor performance, upgrade system software, and carry out genuine

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system fixes in the event of a failure. (As an example, customers familiar with driving a standard automatic car called for a “creep” mode that would make the car move slowly when the drive gear was engaged. That creep mode was added remotely.) And that level of electronic innovation extends to the driver too. Each car comes with an iPhone/Android app that allows the owner to interrogate the system’s controls, check “fuel” consumption.

purchase cost of the car – and that it is congestion zone exempt, and this is a supercar that is super in more ways than one. For all of this, the Tesla Model S remains a supercar. And supercars have no place on a demolition site; after all, not even the best penis extensions are in constant use. Which is precisely where Evision comes in.

But practicality is for Mondeo drivers. It is the clever quirks of the Tesla system that really mark it as unique. Using the app, you can pre-cool or pre-warm the car’s interior to ensure that it is the correct temperature long before you climb behind the wheel. You can also pre-heat the seats too if you’re that way inclined. When you get back to Heathrow having just been to Zurich to visit your money, you can use the app to make your car easier to find, remotely flashing the lights or honking the horn. Oh, and the “key” - which never does anything as mundane as being pushed into the ignition - is shaped like the car itself and uses proximity sensors to extend the door handles when the driver approaches to grant access to the gorgeous interior. Add to that the fact that it carries no taxable benefit in kind – meaning that the kindly George Osborne is effectively paying roughly a third of the

Demopedia Evision is the appropriately-named brainchild of Hugh Edeleanu, the man behind plant hire giant H.E. Services. The new company has invested in a fleet of Tesla Model S supercars that are now available for long and short term self-drive hire or as part of a chauffeur service. The fleet is operated from a new outlet in Rochester, Kent, overlooking Edeleanu’s H.E. Services and original Diggerland ventures. While they’re off hire, the fleet is recharged from an impressive solar powered network at the Evision and H.E. Services headquarters that generates almost half a megawatt of clean, green power. “People are increasingly looking to hire premium cars for both business and leisure and we’re excited to be the UK’s first to offer the Tesla Model S in both the rental and chauffeur markets,” says Edeleanu. “Whether for business or pleasure, a city break, long weekend or a longer period, it’s the perfect choice for those looking for a luxury supercar experience that won’t cost the earth!”

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FFI â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Unpopular but Effective Derided upon origination and vilified upon implementation, the Health and Safety Executiveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fee For Intervention scheme has, in fact, achieved its aims according to health and safety practitioner David Cant. Introduced in October 2012 as a way for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to recoup some of its running costs, the Fee For Intervention (FFI) is now a routine part of prosecution costs. Businesses that are found to have made a material breach of health and safety legislation, and that are later convicted, must pay for:

stuff l The HSE’s costs incurred as part of the inspection. l A charge relating to the hours spent investigating the issue (currently around £124 per hour). l Any costs associated with applying enforcement actions. At the time of its implementation many industry leaders questioned the long-term effect of FFI. Some believed that the charge would result in increased HSE action as a way to boost earnings. Others, such as EEF chairman Martin Temple, suggested that imposing FFI could damage the generally positive relationship between the HSE and employers if they suspected the charge was being levied unfairly, or purely to create new revenue for the cash-strapped executive.

The report concluded: "It is critically important that the revenue raised by FFI is seen in terms of its effectiveness in shifting the cost burden of certain aspects of health and safety regulation to non-compliant businesses and does not become subject to a revenue target system in future. We urge HSE to ensure that future revenue-raising from FFI does not play any role in future decisions about the size of the inspectorate and the way in which their work is targeted." Ultimately FFI charges are seen as a way for the HSE to help manage its own running costs and reduce government funding whilst driving up health and safety standards in general.

avoiding ffi charges The only way to avoid FFI charges is to remain fully compliant with legislation. It is worth noting that FFI charges are only levied for “material” breaches – not for general inspections or those carried out by nonHSE inspectors.

Generating HSE Revenue FFI recovery is obviously unpopular with firms that have been fined. A recent independent review found that FFI had raised almost £10.7 million pounds between October 2012 and January 2014. Around 40 percent of FFI fees were levied on manufacturers (£4.2 million), with another £2.8 million paid out by construction firms. The same review found that despite initial concerns the FFI scheme was being applied consistently and fairly, overcoming many of the early objections. The review went on to recommend that the FFI scheme be extended. There were also calls for FFI charges to be applied to businesses who are currently exempt, or who are regulated by other enforcement regimes, to further help ensure consistency across all sectors.

Despite the Independent FFI Review Panel recommendations, the need to compensate for a reduction in government funding could see more frequent, stricter inspections taking place. Whether these fears are realised or not, employers need to ensure that they are devoting sufficient time and resources to maintaining high levels of safety in the workplace. Even if they are never subject to a Fee For Intervention, they can be sure that their staff and the general public are well-protected through the application of stringent safety standards. David Cant is a Chartered Safety and Health Practitioner extraordinaire. He has a wealth of Industry experience and is the Director of Veritas Consulting Safety Services.

ON SITE

Strike it Rich Just over three years ago, Rich Holt had never set foot on a demolition site. Today, his designs and fabrications for demolition specification excavators are the standard by which others are judged. Mark Anthony reports on the meteoric rise of “Cobbles”. Every demolition company worth its salt has ready access to a metal basher that is seemingly able to fix anything with little more than a welder, a ball of twine and a well-aimed hammer. These are the guys that straighten out the bent bits of excavators injured in battle; the guys that restore machine buckets that return to the yard looking like a slovenly teenager, their rear end hanging out. Rich Holt is one such metal basher; but he’s so much more.

Rich Holt Hallmark Rich Holt – or Cobbles as he is known in industry circles – is a relative newcomer to the demolition arena. Although his fabrication experience was forged on a range of agricultural equipment, he readily admits that up until three years ago he had never set foot on a demolition site and that he thought all diggers were called JCBs.

But, thanks to his youthful enthusiasm, some visionary designs, and the stewardship of his father and a number of notable names from the industry, Cobbles has stamped his name firmly onto the demolition map.

He has carried out fabrication work for the likes of Rye Demolition, Armac and SE Davis. But it is with AR Demolition that his fresh, non-demolition perspective and creative flair have truly taken flight. It is his tribal tattoo-style hard facing that provides AR Demolition’s excavator buckets with additional wear protection whilst making them easy to identify and less likely to be stolen. It is his rebar traps that help protect the undercarriage and underside of the AR Demolition excavator fleet. It is his purpose-built toolboxes that have become a distinctive feature on AR Demolition machines. And while they carry the AR Demolition name and livery, the purpose-built ram guards and custommade cab guards each carry the Rich Holt hallmark. Indeed, all new machines joining the burgeoning AR Demolition fleet now pass through the hands of Cobbles and the team at Fabrication by Design to bring them up to a full demolition specification.

“But with every new machine, the design has improved and been refined. Looking back at some of those early machines now just makes me cringe!” One of the secrets of Holt’s success has been his hands-on approach and his willingness to take on board the thoughts and ideas of others.

Evolving Design Holt says that the development of a proven demolition specification for AR Demolition’s excavator fleet has been one of evolution rather than revolution. “The first few machines that we modified with hinged cab guards, rebar traps and toolboxes were very well received by AR Demolition and the company’s operators,” Holt says.

on site

While excavator demolition packages from OEMs are usually designed by highly qualified, whitecoated engineers that only leave the air conditioned luxury of their office under sufferance, Holt spends a lot of time on site working with the operators to see how designs might be enhanced to the benefit of those using them. As a result, each new cab guard is matched not only to the machine to which it is fitted but also to the operator that will be driving it. “We like to sit the operator in the seat to make sure that the position and angle of the protective fins are matched precisely to his requirements and do not impair his vision,” Holt asserts. Bizarrely, Rich Holt’s bespoke demolition spec packages come in at around half the price of those supplied by an OEM.

Are Friends Protected? The latest machine to benefit from a visit to Cobbles is a Volvo EC380 excavator. Although difficult to distinguish from the Swedish-built machine’s familiar form factor, the modifications are numerous. Working lights have been fitted both fore and aft; rebar traps – now featuring the AR logo and punch plate pattern – hover above the tracks; a steel toolbox runs the entire width of the machine’s belly between the tracks; an extended ram guard now protects both the ram, the hydraulic cylinder and much of the dipper’s leading edge; and operator Ben Saxon now peers out from behind a cab guard that has been designed and installed to match his specific needs.

This degree of personalisation and bespoke build requires Holt to work closely with the operators, often for an extended period. As a result, he is now friends with each of them, a fact that also influences his designs and fabrications.

Rich “Cobbles” Holt is a mature head on irritatingly young shoulders; a perfect mix of hands-on experience and youthful exuberance. Under the guidance of his father and the tutelage of the likes of Richard Dolman and Andrew Thompson at AR Demolition, he has already come a long way in a relatively short period of time. Quite where that enthusiasm might lead is hard to tell. But mark my words, in the months and years to come, all the best-dressed demolition excavators will be sporting Cobbles couture.

“I worked with Ben (Saxon) to ensure that the cab guarding on his machine was absolutely perfect for him and, like the other AR Demolition operators, he is now a friend,” he insists. “I would not put one of my friends into a demolition machine unless I was 100 percent certain that they were fully protected. I can go to sleep at night knowing that if anything should fall onto the cab of one of the AR Demolition machines that I have worked on, my friend behind the levers will walk away.”

Cobbles couture Having already built an impressive and growing reputation in the demolition business, Holt’s enthusiasm and ambition shows no signs of abating. Describing David Kocurek as “an inspiration” in the way that only those under the age of 30 and X Factor contestants can, he says he would relish the opportunity to work his magic on a high reach machine. He also believes that there is scope for a range of standardised demolition spec packages that could be ordered off the shelf although he admits that his desire for constant and continual improvement might make that problematic.

On SITE

Fall of an Icon Demolition magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mark Anthony waves goodbye to the famous Folkestone Harbour pilot house as the town undergoes a radical change with Ling Group leading the way.

The pilot house has stood like a beacon at the entrance to Folkestone Harbour for as long as anyone can remember; helping to guide the famous Sealink Ferries into port. But, in recent years, ferry services ceased and seaborne traffic into and out of the famous harbour has been in decline. As a result, the iconic building closed and quickly fell into disrepair. However, a harbour revision order is being sought by the Folkestone Harbour Company. This could see the harbour close to commercial shipping ahead of the redevelopment of the whole seafront area into shops, homes, restaurants and leisure facilities

Ahead of those proposed works, demolition of the former pilot house has been charged to Canterbury-based Ling Group. The work started a fortnight after the Office of Rail Regulation ratified the closure of the Folkestone Harbour branch line and old railway station which served the port. To see a video of the Folkestone Harbour contract, please visit: http://tinyurl.com/pa2s9vh

On site

The Cream of DRS Demolition rode out the recession like a ship on the treacherous waters off the nearby Cornish coast. And now the company has set its sights on expansion with a major investment in new kit from Hyundai. Mark Anthony reports.

f Cornwall The head office of DRS Demolition National is everything you might hope the home of a Cornish demolition contractor to be. Set in picturesque countryside seemingly torn straight from clotted cream fudge packaging, the buildings are constructed from grey Cornish stone hewn from the local landscape today much as it has been for thousands of years. But while the surrounding area has built its reputation upon traditions like Cornish pasties and beardy fishermen, DRS Demolition is more inclined to look ahead. Indeed, with much of the industry still afraid to emerge from its shell lest the recession return, DRS Demolition has come out all guns blazing. In the past 18 months or so, the company has re-equipped its busy recycling yard with a Powerscreen crushing and screening system. Meanwhile, at the sharp end of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s demolition business, it has invested just shy of ÂŁ2 million with local dealer Molson Group to boost its fleet of demolition specification excavators.

ON SITE Narrow Winding Roads From the outside, the thought of running a demolition company in Cornwall holds a certain appeal. The county gets the very best of the British weather; there’s an abundance of stunning countryside; and property is relatively inexpensive. It is little wonder that London’s high flyers often see Cornwall as an ideal location for a weekend home away from home from which they can sample the surfing, fishing and whatever Rick Stein has plonked on the menu of his famous Padstow eatery. But the area is not without its challenges. The South West was one of the first and worst hit areas when the construction downturn hit in 2008. While the region enjoys the very best of the British weather, it also endures the very worst. And then, of course, there is the challenge of moving plant and equipment on already narrow and winding roads that are clogged for at least two months of every year by a seemingly endless surge of grockles and emmets (that’s tourists to the uninitiated) in caravans, motorhomes and 4x4s of every hue. Despite these challenges, DRS Demolition has prevailed, remaining loyal to its St Austell home for more than a quarter of a century, all the while establishing a track record and reputation that is unmatched locally.

When the famous Falmouth Hotel was destroyed by fire, it was DRS Demolition that made the structure safe. When the SS Napoli ran aground at Lyme Bay, it was DRS Demolition that was summoned to break the wreck. And the company was also one of the first to shrug off the heavy cloak of recession, investing around ÂŁ1.4 million in new equipment last year while, all around it, other demolition contractors were peering nervously from their boltholes, struggling to believe that the recession had finally ended.

Repeat Business The company has invested again this year, upgrading its mobile crushing capabilities with the delivery of a Powerscreen crushing and screening station that switches between on-site duties and the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recycling yard. DRS has also increased its holding of Hyundai equipment, a fact that owes much to its relationship with local dealer Molson Group.

on site In the past 18 months, the company has bought four Hyundai R330LC-9A excavators, four R220LC9A models, a R140LC-9A and a R140LC-9, three R80-9 compact excavators, an R55-9 and an R359 together with an HL740-9A wheel loader. All of the larger Hyundai excavators (above 5.5 tonnes) were delivered with full demolition specification including cab and ram guarding, additional side and track motor protection, hammer lines and proportional controls. Furthermore, all of the Hyundai equipment is subject to a 6,000 hour full service contract backed by an extended three-year warranty. These are complemented by two new Merlo telescopic handlers and a pair of NPK hydraulic hammers. “We had been using Doosan excavators for a number of years and had been quite happy with them.

But you have to keep the fleet fresh, partly to ensure reliability but also to show clients that you’re still investing and committed. We trialled a couple of smaller Hyundai machines and we were very impressed, not just by the base machines but by the demolition package and the aftersales support on offer so we decided to make the switch,” says Darren Shrigley, son of DRS founder Dave. “You only have to look at the larger machines to see they’re suitable for a demolition application. They looks as though you could drop them on them upside down onto the cab and they’d come back for more. With the belly plate protection, ram guards, undercarriage reinforcement and cab protection, these machines are just built to be hurt.”

Shrigley is similarly impressed by the Hyundai brand and by the support demonstrated by Molson Group. So much so that he intimates that there could be a further purchase in the offing. “We are very seriously considering adding a high reach machine to our existing fleet,” Shrigley concludes. “And if we do, it is very likely to be a Hyundai.”

Shrigley says that although the latest machines are relatively young, they have already passed a significant test in winning over operator Fred Laity. “Fred has been with us for years and he’s a huge fan of the Doosan machines. He likes his machines in orange,” Shrigley says. “But he has moved from a Doosan 340 to a Hyundai 330 and has been really impressed. We fitted his machine with a big shear and, even at full reach, the back end hardly moved. I think Fred’s a convert now.

To see DRS Demolition’s Hyundai equipment in action, please visit: http://tinyurl.com/nad9u5g

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Put That on my Demolition and recycling company Sutton Services, of Lakenheath in Suffolk, has added a JCB JS260XD crawler excavator to its growing fleet of specialist equipment.

TAB The machine replaces a JS220 and has been purchased to meet a growing requirement for heavier equipment and an increasing workload. The company has ordered the machine, its largest JCB excavator to date, with a triple articulating boom (TAB), adding to the versatility and flexibility of the JS260XD.

High Reach Work With a length of 6.24 metres, the TAB boom is longer than the standard 5.85 metre monoboom, providing an increased digging depth of up to 12.12 metre with a 3.53 metre dipper arm and a digging reach at ground level of as much as 11.13 metres. This additional length also provides improved access for high-reach work with a range of demolition attachments. However the articulating boom also allows the operator to work right up to the tracks, particularly useful when operating with a grab or shear and handling demolition waste. This ability to vary the excavatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s working envelope using the articulating boom, provides the operator with increased versatility and flexibility, particularly when working in confined operating conditions. The JS260XD is equipped with a full array of auxiliary piping, providing Sutton with a machine that can be used with hydraulic breakers, pulverisers, shears and grapples.

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Per Ardua ad Astra

The excavatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quick hitch has been converted to work with the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s existing buckets and attachments and the additional weight of the XD machine, up to more than 27 tonnes, delivers a stable base for a range of demolition and recycling attachments. The TAB boom retains the powerful breakout forces of the standard machine, with dipper tearout of up to 18,272 kgf and a bucket tearout of 19,574 kgf.

The JS260XD has gone straight to work at the nearby RAF Mildenhall air base, where it is being used to demolish an accommodation block known as Building 479, for base facilities management provider Vinci Facilities. Sutton has a number of demolition projects ongoing for Vinci and has found the JS260XD to be better equipped to handle the two and three-storey buildings.

The JS260XD is powered by a Tier 4 Interim/Stage IIIB compliant four-cylinder diesel engine, delivering 140 kW. This drives through a proven twin pump, variable flow, load-sensing hydraulic system, with flow on demand and variable output.

JCB’s Smart Control System provides easy access to variable working modes with manual selection of High Plus mode for 100 percent productivity. By matching engine and hydraulic output to demand, the system guarantees minimum fuel consumption and maximum productivity. Sutton Services uses the JS260XD with buckets, shears, grabs and a pulveriser. A quick hitch allows the operator to rapidly change between attachments to better meet the needs of the job. “I’m really happy with it so far,” says Saunders. “The boom makes it easier to work with a bigger machine, even in a confined site. Sutton Services was formed in 1992 and has been operating from its current location in Lakenheath since 1994. With a range of machines from 2.5 tonnes right up to the 26 tonne JS260XD, plus crushing and screening machinery and a fleet of road-going tippers, Sutton is well equipped to carry out a range of demolition and recycling operations for customers throughout East Anglia.

“The JS260XD with the TAB boom gives us better reach,” says operator Robert Saunders. At full height, the TAB boom gives operators 28 percent more forward reach than a traditional boom. “We have been using JCB excavators for a long time and we thought we would try the TAB boom to see how it performs in demolition. Not only does it give me more reach, but I can work right in by the tracks if I need to, which means there is less need to move the machine.”

All of the company’s JCB equipment is supplied by local dealer Watling JCB, with the company providing essential back-up and service work when required. “Watling has been very good to us, very reliable, and they are one of the main reasons that we buy JCB machines,” says company owner Glenn Sutton. “You ring them up and you get an answer straight away. They are a really good dealer.”

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Avant and the Spirit of Finnovation With a new managing director, new demolition specialist and a product range bursting with new products, Avant Tecno (UK) Ltd will be one to watch in 2015. Mark Anthony visited sunny Norfolk to get the inside track. Raimo Ala-Korpi, the new Finnish-born managing director of Avant Tecno (UK) Ltd, is settling well into his new home in rural Norfolk. Well-travelled and a former resident of Canada, he speaks English better than most people born here; his three children have acclimatised to their new English school; his wife is busily making friends with the Norfolk locals; and Raimo is developing a taste for English beer. The one element of English country life that still evades him, however, is our universal love of tea. “In Finland, everything stops for coffee,” he says. “I just can’t get the hang of tea.”

Exciting Times Ala-Korpi arrives in the UK at an exciting time for Avant Tecno which appears set to deliver upon its promise to shake things up in the demolition field. There has never been any question about the quality of its remote controlled demolition robot, even if it was something of a peripheral machine for the company in years gone by. But with the arrival of Alan Matchett – former Mr Rammer and an honorary Finn by osmosis – Avant is now equipped to make some serious inroads into what has traditionally been exclusive Brokk territory. “The Avant demolition robot is better in just about every way,” Matchett claims. “It can reach higher, dig deeper, has a lower centre of gravity, and can be divided into two pieces – undercarriage and superstructure – for easier deployment in top down or internal applications.

It also comes with a range of attachments and, above all, it is manufactured in Finland. Anyone that has ever run a Rammer hammer or a Metso crusher will know that means it is built to last.” Certainly, the business end of the Avant robot will be familiar to Rammer breaker users, a new Rammer 455 – in the striking green Avant livery – is the weapon of choice for most users. But the two tonne unit is also offered with a formidable pulveriser that carries more than a whiff of Mantovanibenne about it. Furthermore, Avant is planning to back sales of its robot machines with training provided by former IDE president and the UK’s leading demolition trainer, John Woodward.

k i t ta l k No One Trick Pony But Avant Tecno is no one trick pony with just a single machine and a handful of attachments to offer the demolition man at large. Indeed, Alan Matchett – who has probably forgotten more about the UK demolition sector than most of us will ever learn – waxes equally lyrical about the potential of the company’s mainstay wheel loader range in the tough demolition environment. “We have a comprehensive range of articulating compact wheel loaders that are available in a demolition spec and which are ideal for a variety of tasks that are normally entrusted to a skid steer loader,” he says. “But the Avant machines offer so many advantages. They’re faster, more powerful and they’re offered with a range of

around 150 different attachments, providing them with incredible operational flexibility and high levels of utilisation. The only area where they lose to a skid steer is that they can’t turn within their own length. But with articulation and all-wheel steer, they get pretty close.” Ala-Korpi agrees and says that the Avant loaders are purpose built for a life in the demolition firing line. “They are built in Finland using the very best materials. All the hoses are well protected, the tyres are built to withstand punctures, and the operator is protected by a full ROPS and FOPS canopy,” he explains. “In addition, our demolition-ready machines are offered with additional side and underbelly protection.”

k i t ta l k unsung stars of Finnish equipment manufacturing. And while Matchett and Ala-Korpi are still settling into their new roles, they remain optimistic about the company’s demolition prospects in the months and years to come. Just don’t expect Raimo AlaKorpi to celebrate with a cup of tea.

Ace in the Hole Quite possibly the Avant ace in the hole, however, is the 525 loader, a 1.3 tonne machine that can take an 800 kg load to a dump height of 2.8 metres, making it ideal for skid loading duties. But what makes the Avant 525 special is the fact that it is powered by a 16 kW LPG-fuelled Kubota engine that makes it perfect for internal applications and works where emissions are unacceptable.

Our visit to Avant Tecno’s Bridgham home in Norfolk proved doubly fortuitous. Not only did we get to hear about the company’s demolition plans, hopes and aspirations, we also got a sneak peek at a new Tier 4 Final compliant wheel loader – the Avant 760i – which will not even be launched until November. The new 2.1 tonne machine is designed primarily to meet US emissions standards and is powered by a Kohler KD11903 TCR engine that develops 42 kW. It boats a tipping load of 1.4 tonnes and a list height of 3.1 metres and – in keeping with the rest of the Avant range – is offered with a multitude of front end attachments.

“The Avant 525 is totally unique,” Ala-Korpi says. “Being LPG-fuelled means that it can be used inside. TThe machine in standard format is also just over a metre wide and has an outside turning radius of just two metres. However there is also an option with a change to narrower tyres where the 525LPG is less than a metre wide. It could easily replace two or more men and make internal strip out works safer and more efficient.” There is many a slip twixt cup and lip but it seems that the planets have finally aligned for one of the

To see the new machine in action before it’s even launched, please visit: http://tinyurl.com/pun52yk

Make an Impact.

www.bretec.com

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Talking to Excavators Telemetry has leapt from the Formula 1 pit lane into the construction and demolition equipment mainstream as companies seek ever greater levels of control over their fleets. Demolition magazine spoke to Finning’s Lucy Couturier for a greater finsight. Imagine your machine could talk. What would it say about how it was feeling, how it was being treated and how thirsty it was? Lucy Couturier is the Doctor Doolittle of the construction and demolition equipment world and speaks fluent excavator, wheel loader and dumptruck. Together with the team at Finning’s Cannock headquarters, Couturier monitors hundreds of machines across the UK, constantly checking their vital signs and ensuring that they’re not having a bad day.

k i t ta l k Greater FInsight Remote monitoring of equipment is nothing new, of course. Indeed, through oil sampling, the ability to monitor machines and predict failures has been around since the 1980s. But the advent of wirelesss communications has given rise to some significant rises in the capability of remote monitoring systems. “Machine telemetry hardware has been around for many years and is largely unchanged. But the wireless communications capability and our ability to monitor, analyse and advise based upon the findings of those systems has made huge advances,” Couturier asserts. “And what sets our finsight service apart from the competition is not the information that is produced but the way in which it is used.” Finning has set in place a dedicated team of six highly experienced engineers whose sole job is to analyse, interpret and report upon the findings of the finsight system to machine owners and operators. “Our engineers look at the data produced holistically and the offer specific advice on potential problem and issues,” Couturier explains. “And they don’t just advise on components. In fact, that is merely the tip of the iceberg.”

Fuel optimisation With fuel making up an increasingly large part of the owning and operating costs of any item of construction equipment, Couturier says that fuel consumption and potential fuel savings are two key areas of interest from finsight engineers. “As part of our analysis, we look at how much fuel is being used accomplishing individual tasks. This might suggest that an operation could be done differently to cut fuel costs,” she says. “In this instance, one of our advisors might visit the site to explain the findings and make detailed recommendations on how fuel consumption might be reduced.”

This system might even extend to the training of operators to make them more fuel aware,” Couturier says. “We might propose some targeted operator training to address a specific area of concern,” she continues. “Our Ecodrive training courses have been developed to advise on operating best practice and – above all, fuel optimisation.”

It is unlikely that any of us will ever speak excavator quite as fluently as Lucy Couturier and her team. But rest assured, there will come a time when telemetry, telematics, remote diagnostics and finsight are as much a part of everyday demolition language as Toolbox Talk, risk assessment and “put the kettle on”. To find out more about telematics and finsight, you can listen to an exclusive audio podcast here: http://tinyurl.com/lp76yht

Demopedia finsight is a proactive analysis process using machine-installed hardware and application data to gather information for to make recommendations to the customers in order to avoid, eliminate or minimise the consequences of an unpredicted failure. The finsight team brings together data and makes recommendations based on a variety of reports. These range from maintenance inspections to fluid analysis and live satellite feeds that constantly transmit data direct from the heart of the machine. Analysing fuel consumption, idle and operational time and live diagnostic alerts not only signals potential mechanical faults, it also highlights areas where operator performance and equipment utilisation can be improved. By analysing machine data the finsight team enables Finning to work with its customers and recommend solutions to extend the life of components, minimise downtime and optimise overall machine performance. Historical data can be key to predicting how equipment will perform in the future. By comparing service reports and past maintenance records with current Vision Link and Fluid Analysis results we are able to put forward recommendations to help prevent faults reoccurring.

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Backhoes and Beyond Think JCB is all about backhoe loaders? Think again. The company’s latest international press showcase demonstrated the sheer breath of the British manufacturer’s range. Mark Anthony reports from Rocester. But that will not detract from its likely popularity on demolition and construction sites in the company’s native UK and beyond.

The JCB name is unquestionably synonymous with the ubiquitous backhoe loader upon which the company’s foundations were built. But there is far more to JCB than backhoe loaders, telescopic handlers and excavators these days. Indeed, during a two-day press event at the company’s World Headquarters, JCB unveiled more than a dozen new machines. And the most interesting and innovative among them has neither wheels nor tracks; it is the world’s first intelligent hybrid generator.

New Power Generation Based on JCB’s QS generator range, the IntelliHybrid has a series of high capacity, deep cycle battery cells are stored in the base of the unit. These batteries are charged by the generator during periods of higher load, when the engine is running at its most efficient output.

During periods of low load, the engine can be stopped and the batteries continue to supply the power, increasing efficiency much like an automotive Stop/Start system, reducing fuel consumption and cutting emissions. Typically a 100 kVA generator on a construction site will use up to 120 litres of fuel per day running at low load, creating up to 340 kg of carbon. By turning the engine off for up to 10 hours in a 24-hour period and relying on battery power, a customer could potentially save up to 40 litres of fuel per day, with a similar reduction in emissions. In addition, while the generator is operating on battery power, potentially through the night time period, there will be no noise emissions, making it an ideal solution for urban and city sites. By reducing engine running hours the customer can also extend the regular service period, cutting maintenance costs and reducing cost of ownership. The base unit of the generator, powered by JCB Dieselmax engines, has the same footprint as the standard QS machine, contains 24 battery cells connected to a high power inverter unit. The inverter converts the stored energy within the batteries into a 230V 50Hz, or 220V 60Hz, AC supply.

Right on Track

latest development of the smallest model in its backhoe range: a tracked version of the 1CX. The 1CX-T is a compact loader and a mini excavator in one machine, but it is far more than that. With powerful high-flow auxiliary hydraulics both machines are capable of driving a host of attachments on the front loader or the rear backhoe, making the 1CX-T the master of many tasks in many industries. While the 1CX-T boasts the power of a 2.5 tonne mini excavator, the standard sideshift backhoe digs up to 36 percent deeper with the Extradig option, more digging depth than a comparative skid steer with a backhoe attachment. JCBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s telescopic dipper arm design provides the 1CX-T with outstanding loadover and dump heights. As the backhoe has been designed as an integral part of the machine the 1CX-T also retains far more compact dimensions, making it the ideal machine for confined work sites. The tracked machine has 14 percent greater bucket capacity than the standard 1CX too, thanks in part to its superior stability over rough terrain.

JCB purists will be happy to hear that the company has not abandoned innovation in its backhoe loader range. In addition to a specialist waste management model (see Watching the Waste line, below) and an additional model aimed at pothole repair applications, the company has unveiled the

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Small but Perfectly Formed The company also unveiled its latest (and smallest) entrant to the compact telehandler market: the 516-40. The 516-40 is powered by a 2.2-litre JCB Diesel by Kohler engine, producing 36.6 kW of power. With permanent all-wheel drive and fourwheel steering, the 516-40 offers a turning radius of just 2.8 metres. A lift capacity of 1.6 tonnes and a maximum lift height of 4 metres, makes for a powerful performer on house building and general construction sites, despite the machine being just 1.56m wide and 1.8m high. These dimensions will allow the telehandler to operate in underground or multi-storey car parks, making it an ideal machine for residential and office development.

The 100C-1 shares the new JCB midi excavatorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; appearance, with a revised H-design undercarriage, robust steel body panels, a spacious operator environment and powerful Tier 4 Final engine that delivers increased efficiency and lower operating costs for the customer. The machine is powered by a JCB by Kohler diesel engine delivering 55 kW. This drives through industryleading Bosch Rexroth hydraulic valves and Nachi slew motors and track drives. With an operating weight of 9,500 kg, the 100C-1 is the same width and height over the cab as the lighter 86C-1, but has a 450 mm rear overhang, just 90 mm larger than the 8.6 tonne machine.

The improved hydrostatic transmission delivers increased pushing power and higher travel speeds in both low and high travel ranges. A constant-flow hydraulic option can be used to power rotary sweeper brushes and other attachments, independent of travel speed. A single proportional joystick controls all boom and auxiliary hydraulic functions for ease of operation. A choice of attachment carriages is available, making the 516-40 compatible with a wide range of buckets and work tools. This also makes it easy for customers to integrate the 516-40 with other machines in a rental fleet.

Watching the Waste Line Demolition companies seeking a little more versatility at their waste facilities would do well to check out the new JCB 5CX Wastemaster; a highly specialised backhoe loader designed specifically for the waste handling sector. This specialist new model incorporates additional length rear stabilisers and a front frame or Waste Multishovel with top grab, both incorporating hydraulic legs. This combination raises the entire machine well clear of the ground, offering exceptional views into a bin, shredder or baler when compacting or loading material with a selector grab, jaw bucket or dedicated compaction wheel.

Mini, Midi, Meaty JCB also announced that it is to launch a 10 tonne conventional tailswing midi excavator. The 100C1 is based on the frame of the 8.6 tonne 86C-1 midi machine, but with a more powerful engine, larger dig end and increased hydraulic capacity to boost performance.

However, additional attachments ensure that the JCB 5CXWM is highly effective for more than just loading or compaction. These include a selector grab for handling or sorting waste material, bale grabs for loading out bales, and a sweeper collector for keeping the site clean and tidy. Furthermore, a unique hook lift for manoeuvring bins and skips gives clear advantages over other machines in terms of site productivity. The range of purpose-designed bucket options opens up a wide array of typical waste re-handling tasks. At the loader end, users can choose between high-capacity general-purpose, 6-in-1, or top grab buckets, depending on the application and nature of the load. At the excavator end, a hydraulic jaw bucket, a selector grab or a mechanical grapple both deliver highly effective materials handling capabilities.

Miller GroundBreaking’s decision to position its new hydraulic breaker sales and service hub in the shadow of the Dartford Crossing constitutes a right place, right time move by the North East based attachments company. Following hot on the heels of the recent launch of its 21-model hydraulic breaker range, the opening of a new dedicated sales and service hub in the midst of the hydraulic hammer business’ spiritual home demonstrates the company’s determination to carve a slice of the breaker business for itself. The new Grays depot – which will be the national sales centre for the hydraulic breaker range and a service hub for the company’s well-known range of buckets and quick couplers – is run by Keith Evans, formerly of Sandhurst and one of the UK’s best attachments brains.