Specialists Awards 2012 Demolition WINNER THE EDS GROUP


Filming of this demolition had to be programmed into EDS’s tight schedule


FINALISTS BROWN & MASON


CLIFFORD DEVLIN CUDDY GROUP DECONSTRUCT DSM DEMOLITION LAWSON GROUP LEE DEMOLITION T.E. SCUDDER


JUDGES’ COMMENT


“Excellent all- round submission with clear training focus on a company that operates globally”


Global demolition contractor EDS has been operational for nearly two decades, and commands a turnover in excess of £54 million. The company has the in-house


capacity to undertake highly complex projects from start to fi nish. Buildings accommodating chemical, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, brewing and specialist manufacturing industries have been decommissioned by the group. A recent project in Reading


involved demolishing the existing structure to the ground in just six months. The Heineken Berkshire brewery site consisted of 7,124 tonnes of steel-framed buildings and the job involved stripping out and dismantling the structure, plant, equipment, pipework and electrical systems. A project of this scale would usually take 18 months to complete, but client Heineken needed the work done in six months in order to keep its buyer. The only way to meet the six-


month deadline was to use an exceptional hydraulic excavator which could work up to a height of 37.8 m while carrying heavy loads. This extensively enhanced Hitachi EX1200 safely and


40 | 5 April 2012


effi ciently tackled cutting through large pieces of steel at height to meet the 500 tonnes weekly scrap metal target. The safe removal of the 67 m,


150-tonne chimney was carried out using Volkswagen Amarok pick-up trucks rather using traditional demolition techniques. The event was fi lmed and used to promote the vehicle by Volkswagen’s creative agency. EDS has worked throughout


the brewing industry on various large-scale projects that have combined the decommissioning, dismantling and demolition of plant with asset recovery programmes. Last year, the company decommissioned the Diageo Port Dundas distillery, Glasgow and the Carlsberg brewery in Pori, Finland. The famous Tetley’s brewery on the Hunslet site in Leeds has also recently been handed over to EDS, with 37 buildings being earmarked for demolition. The successful delivery of the


project at Reading has led to more contracts with Heineken – Bulmer’s cider mill in Hereford and buildings at Heineken’s Royal Brewery, Manchester.


FOCUS DARREN PALIN


EDS Group managing director Darren Palin says: “Over the past 15 years, EDS has evolved into a total service provider and our track record of handling highly complex projects has enabled us to expand, most recently with the establishment of our Canada office. In order to ensure continued high levels of service, we work closely with local partners and make a positive contribution to local economies through job creation. We hope to open an Australian office in the next five years.”


The fi rm takes staff training


seriously and an in-house competency framework identifi es skill requirements for each grade of employee. Personal progression and training plans run alongside a weekly scoring system for operatives. This identifi es both poor and excellent performance; those scoring consistently high are chosen for progression. EDS has also taken on 10 new apprentices to train on the job.


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