Demolition News Radio

Eight years after four men were killed in the worst accident in UK demolition history, Thames Valley Police and the Health and Safety Executive ,have STILL not delivered any answers, explanation or closure.

So there I was at Plantworx, minding my own business and watching some attachments being put through their paces on the AugerTorque stand. A young guy comes up to me and we get to talking. A few minutes later, he is picking my brains about social media while I am picking his brains about attachments. He’s a nice guy. Very enthusiastic. We get on well. Turns out, that young guy was William Forrest, the head of what is now The Attachment Company. So, having got on so well during our chance encounter, I thought it was high time that we did something a bit more formal together. That is how this episode came together.

Construction giant Mace has just published a new report entitled Closing the Circle in which it lays out its hopes and fears, plans and aspirations for a sustainable construction industry of tomorrow. Refreshingly, while some within the built environment seem keen to push demolition to the very edge of acceptability, Mace believes that demolition has a vital role to play. But it also suggests that that role might require some fundamental change. DemolitionNews' Mark Anthony caught up with Ged Simmonds, managing director of Mace’s offices division, to find out more. You can download a FREE copy of the Closing the Circle report here.

The world's first (and only) demolition ghost story, resurrected for Halloween 2023.

Tilt rotators. They are probably the single most divisive item in the field of construction plant and equipment. There are some operators that love them and that would refuse to work without them. And there are some that believe the use of a tilt rotator makes them less of an operator; less of a man even. Despite those reservations, tilt rotators have proliferated. Visits to the Bauma exhibition in 2022 and the Plantworx exhibition in 2023 proved that the acceptance of tilt rotators is on the rise; and that an increasing number of manufacturers are adding these divisive tools to their product line. But not all tilt rotators are created equal. In this exclusive interview with Kinshofer’s Adam Haycock, we address that unfounded resistance; why Kinshofer’s cylinder-less design has advantages in certain applications; and how a tilt rotator can save time and money.

John Lynch was elected President of the National Federation of Demolition Contractors (NFDC) back in March, less than 24 hours after the Competition and Markets Authority handed down fines of almost £60 million to 10 NFDC member companies for their part in a bid-rigging and price-fixing scandal. In his first interview since his election, Lynch comes out fighting and sets his sights on rebuilding the Federation with a new CEO, a new headquarters and an expanded membership.

Imagine sitting down with Willi Liebherr to talk about how his father designed the mobile tower crane. Or being granted an audience with Lord Bamford to learn how his father Joe perfected the backhoe loader that would forever sport his father’s JCB initials. Well, during a trip to the Bobcat facility in the Czech Republic, I was given just such an opportunity. Together with a couple of other people, I got to speak to Joe Keller whose father Louis and uncle Cyril invented the Keller Loader. That Keller Loader would evolve into the world-famous Bobcat skid steer loader of today. Joe traced the creation of a machine designed specifically for mucking out turkey sheds in Minnesota through its development into a more versatile construction machine. In addition, he explained how he has become the unofficial historian safeguarding his family’s proud legacy. The following podcast was captured during an open discussion so it does get a little disjointed at times. But Joe Keller’s passion for the subject and his dedication to his family’s history shines through. We really hope you enjoy this chat.

On Friday 28 April, Ann Mackay should be celebrating her wedding anniversary. Instead, she will be attending a Workers Memorial Day event in her native Scotland. She will be there to remember her husband John who – together with Tommy Williams – died in an horrific demolition accident at the former Teesworks facility in Redcar back on 19 September 2019. Three years and seven months after John and Tommy died, Ann Mackay is still waiting for answers. She knows how her husband died, but she has no idea why. This is Ann's story in her own words.

Under normal circumstances, the 20th anniversary of a consultancy company is not something I would get too excited about. It might be big news for them but it’s not generally a big deal for the rest of us. C&D Engineering Consultancy is different. The company is so closely allied to the UK demolition industry that its 20-year history is interwoven into the very fabric of the sector. Many of the changes that have taken place in the demolition sector over the past two decades is reflected in or was actually pioneered by C&D. So, as the company marks its 20th anniversary, we caught up with founder John Woodward; current owner Mike Kehoe; and the man tipped as the future of C&D, Matthew Bardgett.

Welcome to the first-ever episode of our brand-new show – Construction Equipment News – Your up-to-the-minute resource for the latest and greatest developments in the field of construction and demolition equipment. In this week's episode: Kobelco launches a pair of new mini excavators: https://tinyurl.com/ycyc8jf7 Caterpillar unveils the latest additions to its range of rotary cutters: https://tinyurl.com/djc45azu Volteq joins the charge towards an electric future: https://tinyurl.com/2p9emwna And Epiroc has set its sights on The Moon: https://ispace-inc.com/

An investigation into bid-rigging, price-fixing and collusion within the UK demolition industry has finally delivered its findings after more than three years. Three company directors have been disqualified and ten companies have received fines that total almost £60 billion. But while this marks the closing of the Competition and Markets Authority investigation, at least for now, the story may be far from over. You can read full details of the adjudication here. If you enjoyed this episode, if you got value from it or if you would like to help support this podcast, then please consider buying the author a coffee...or two. You can do so here.

Developers in the City of London will henceforth be asked to consider alternatives to demolition at the earliest stage of the planning process. Meanwhile, a Labour peer has tabled an amendment to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill currently before Parliament that could make it mandatory for ALL demolitions to require planning permission. You can read more below: City of London: https://tinyurl.com/ymz87ebp Bill amendment: https://tinyurl.com/44frads2 If you enjoyed this episode, if you got value from it or if you would like to help support this podcast, then please consider buying the author a coffee...or two. You can do so here.

On 23 February 2016, the boiler house at the Didcot A Power Station partially collapsed, killing four demolition workers: Michael Collings, Ken Cresswell, Christopher Huxtable and John Shaw. Seven years on, the investigation into their deaths remains ongoing. To mark this tragic anniversary, DemolitionNews hosted a dedicated LiveStream in memory of the four men. This is a recording of that LiveStream.

I recently produced a film on the impending removal of Grandfather Rights under the CSCS Card Scheme. That video prompted groundworker Ollie Gunns to produce his own film for his growing social media audience. Given that we both had such strong feelings on the subject, I reached out to Ollie with a view to recording a podcast together. I have picked the highlights of that conversation in the episode that is about to begin. You can check out my original film on Grandfather Rights here. And you can check out Ollie Gunns' original film here.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the key to machine learning and to machine autonomy. But just how good is it? In this latest episode of Tech 4 Sites, we put it to the test and find it to be staggeringly good. So make sure you stick around for the big reveal at the six minute mark. If you enjoyed this episode, if you got value from it or if you would like to help support this podcast, then please consider buying the author a coffee...or two. You can do so here.

A wave of projects being halted or cancelled due to embodied carbon concerns is sweeping through the UK construction industry and threatens to wash away at least part of the demolition industry workload. And, all the while, the demolition sector remains silent. If you enjoyed this episode, if you got value from it or if you would like to help support this podcast, then please consider buying the author a coffee...or two. You can do so here.

Depending on your viewpoint, robots are the keys to man’s freedom from labour or a mass unemployment event just waiting to happen; the inevitable next step in human development or the first step towards a dystopian future. Regardless of your viewpoint, there can be little doubt that the robots are coming. And one of the key areas they’re targeting is demolition and construction. Tech 4 Sites caught up with Sam Wood at Navtech Radar to discuss the potential for robots in the construction sector. If you enjoyed this episode, if you got value from it or if you would like to help support this podcast, then please consider buying the author a coffee...or two. You can do so here.

The New Year is just a few weeks old and it already looks set to be a challenging 12 months filled with financial woes and workload lows. But there will be highlights too. In this special one-off LIVE show, Mystic Mark Anthony breaks out his crystal ball in an attempt to see the future for the demolition and construction sector. If you enjoyed this episode, if you got value from it or if you would like to help support this podcast, then please consider buying the author a coffee...or two. You can do so here.

Ben Wade is just 17-years old. But he has set his sights on inspiring the next generation of construction professionals. If you enjoy this episode, please be sure to follow Ben on Instagram - @bentheoperator And please be sure to subscribe to this channel. Better still, please leave us a review.

The demolition and construction industry is facing its biggest change since mechanisation - The switch from traditional diesel fuel to a new and largely unproven future fuel. Quite what that fuel might be is still open to discussion. But, having experimented with electric and hydrogen fuel cell technology, construction equipment giant JCB looks set to pioneer and pursue a hydrogen combustion path. Please consider subscribing to this podcast. If you would like to speak to the author - Mark Anthony - you can book an appointment here. If you enjoyed this episode, if you got value from it or if you would like to help support this newsletter, then please consider buying the author a coffee...or two. Just click here. Mark Anthony is the founder of DemolitionNews.com.