owners, there was a Volvo in the business, and that’s proved to be a good introduction to a well-built range of excavators,” he says. “And we’ve added more Volvo’s ever since.” With 3,500 hours under its belt, the EC300E has so far proved itself a sound investment for the firm. Reliability, comfort and performance have never been questioned by its operator. “It’s a heavy enough machine and is well-suited to this type of demolition work,” he adds, “and having a tilting cab does make long days at the controls a much more comfortable experience.”
Using the high-reach machine and working from the top, Paul Hougham is systematically lowering the building by weakening the floors and their supporting pillars. This lets the team lower sections of floor on a layer-by-layer basis until concrete slabs are within reach of the more powerful, heavier EC480E.
The impressive reach also lets the EC300E stand back at a safe distance which keeps the machine and its operator in a safer environment. “We’ve tried a nibbler, but the density of steel within the concrete is doing such a good job of holding it all up that the only way to make initial progress is with a hydraulic breaker,” he says. “But there’s plenty to go at as we bring the layers down.”
Concrete is being crushed on-site and used for bunding and fill material with steel being sorted and cut, ready for disposal.
The waterfront building also occupies a jetty which is to be cleared, leaving it as a viewing plaza within the redevelopment. Once the main structure of the building has been taken down, the firm will also need to dismantle the basement.
“Being close to the waterfront, we could also face a few challenges with water management as the project moves forward,” he says. “Demolition is one of few jobs where material content and dismantling is an unknown process –
Operator Paul Hougham is pleased with the stability and performance of the EC300E
you don’t know what you’re going to really find, until you get stuck in.”
One thing is for certain, the firm’s skill, precision and professionalism is helping it to make light work of this building with its complexity and challenges. ■
As sections of the building are brought down, Goody Demolition’s heavyweight EC480E moves in to dismantle and separate materials
THE VOICE MAGAZINE No 33 2018 39
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