The biggest demolition event of the year – in pictures!

The 15th World Demolition Summit and Awards returned to North America in 2023, taking place in Canada for the first time.

Winners of the 2023 World Demolition Awards on stage in Toronto, Canada.

ALL PHOTOS: D&RI MAGAZINE

An event like no other

This year’s WDS was significant for a number of reasons: it was the first time the summit and awards had been held in Canada, it was attended by more female leaders and demolition experts from minority backgrounds than ever before, the awards received a record number of entries, it was the first time a senior government minister attended the event, and it was our 15th anniversary.

James Milburn, President of the US National Demolition Association (NDA), opened the conference, which drew over 150 delegates representing 151 companies from 18 countries. James emphasized the need for greater cooperation, saying that “the more members and the more demolition professionals that we have involved and that get together in settings like this, the better we’ll all get.”

Chaired by (left) Margaret Taylor, Executive Director of the Ontario Association of Demolition Contractors and QM Environmental’s President and CEO Agnes Wietrzynski, the conference saw experts from both contractors and clients take to the stage to share their experiences.

WORLD DEMOLITION SUMMIT & AWARDS

Colleagues from around the world had plenty of time to mix and mingle.

In what proved to be one of the highlight presentations of the morning, LaJuan Counts, Executive Director at the City of Detroit Construction and Demolition Department, received rapturous applause in response to her insights into the strategic demolition and stabilisation of over 16,000 blighted properties in Detroit.

The industry’s representing bodies were out in force, with the presidents of both the NDA and EDA playing a leading role at the conference and awards. (Left to right: James Milburn, NDA President, and Stefano Panseri, EDA President).

The World Demolition Awards

■ Best Contract of the Year under US$1 million: P. Olesen

■ Best Contract of the Year over US$1 million: Thompsons of Prudhoe

■ Best Urban Demolition of the Year: Trifecta Services Company

■ Best Civils Demolition of the Year: Max Wild GmbH

■ Best Industrial Demolition of the Year: Manafort Brothers, Inc.

■ Innovation: Plant and Equipment: Despe and Caterpillar

■ Innovation: Tools and Attachments: Rotar

■ Safety and Training: Despe

■ Recycling and Environmental: Colemans

■ Best Explosive Demolition of the Year: Controlled Demolition, Inc.

■ Best Collaboration in Demolition: Independence Excavating, Inc.

■ New Entrant Award: Target Contractors

■ Best Demolition Contractor of the Year Overall: Colemans, for its project in the Recycling and Environmental category

Tom Kroener, Operations Director at Thompsons of Prudhoe, rounded out the morning session with a detailed overview of the company’s works on the former Redcar Steelworks in the United Kingdom.

From left: William Sinclair, former EDA President, Steve Ducker, outgoing editor of D&Ri and lead organiser of the World Demolition Summit, Stefano Panseri, President of the EDA, Francisco Cobo, former president of the EDA.

D&Ri editor Leila Steed with the team from Colemans.

Thank you Steve!

Steve Ducker, outgoing D&Ri editor and lead organiser of the WDS, was presented with a special World Demolition Award and a commemorative plaque from the European Demolition Association (EDA), in recognition of his “contribution and active participation in the development of the demolition and recycling industry”.

Simone Bruni, Owner and Founder of Demo Diva, reveals how the impact of hurricane Katrina led her to establish to establish her own demolition company despite having no experience in any part of the construction sector.

Dr Ahmed Amir Khalil, Director of Engineering at ASI (pictured) and Simon Hebert, Delsan-AIM’s Civil Works Manager and Project Director provided insight into risk analysis and the use of 3D modelling on Delsan-AIM’s Champlain Bridge project.