Oh, how far we have come… THANK YOU!

D&Ri celebrates its 25th anniversary, with a look back to the very first issue of the magazine. To all the contractors, associations and OEMs that collaborate with us: Thank you!

This year marks the 25th anniversary of D&Ri. Oh, how far we have come since the first pages rolled off the printers in March of 1999.

It is customary on birthdays (particularly big ones) to take a moment to reflect on the years and events that have long since passed, but since I only recently became the editor of D&Ri, I cannot comment on those years with any real depth of understanding.

As someone that was only 15 years old when the magazine came out, I can't help but wonder what it would have been like to be there when the original KHL team launched the magazine.

What would the industry have been like at that time? What challenges were demolition contractors facing and how much progress has industry made towards overcoming them?

Reading through the very first issue of D&Ri ever printed, which depicted a Komatsu PC750-6 high reach excavator owned by United Kingdom-based contractor Brown & Mason on the cover, one thing that was still a dominant topic of conversation was the amount of construction and demolition waste being produced.

Governments too were concerned about the impact that dismantling works in urban areas were having on their local communities.

Thus, Walter Werner, the European Demolition Association’s President at the time, summed up what this meant for contractors:

“It means working in a fast and efficient manner, reducing nuisance (dust, noise and vibration), and reducing the debris to an absolute minimum by increasing the re-use and recycling of demolition materials.”

Thus in 1999, the market for used recycling equipment was growing like never before. Particularly as many countries and states around the world were introducing waste recycling targets.

According to Floyd E. Riley, President of United States-based equipment broker Global InterMark, demand was increasing by around 20% each year.

WORKING WITH CONTRACTORS

For demolition contractors around the world, the work to improve efficiency and to reuse materials onsite was already their focus.

Key milestones

In 2015, D&Ri reached its landmark 100th issue. The November -December publication included a feature on the fine art of concrete cutting and a site report about Fabio Bruno Construções blowdown of 19 silos and a concrete building in Brazil's capital city.

As fate would have it, our 25th anniversary year will also see D&Ri publish its 150th issue.

Of the demolition projects showcased in the first magazine issue, the close relationship D&Ri had with demolition contractors was central to the editorial direction of the magazine.

The work of contractors in the US, Spain, Germany, Sweden and the UK was documented in detailed write-ups, with many contractors carrying out mechanical demolitions with the latest and biggest high reach machines.

Spanish company Ferrocomodities was using a 1488 LC demolition excavator from Case to tear down a cement works factory in Madrid, Penny Demolition in the UK had put its Fiat-Hitchi FH450 machine to use on chocolate factory demolition, while Brown & Mason's Komatsu PC750-6 - thought to be the largest demolition machine in Europe at the time - was tearing down an 18-storey office block in London.

Similarly, contractor Meyer Erdbewegung und Abbruch shared details of the work being done with its O&K RH excavators in Germany, explosives specialist Sath AS revealed how a directional implosion of an 11-storey building elsewhere in the country saved it US$29,000, and Swedish company Sysav shared insight into a pilot project involving a newly-designed recycling plant that aimed to develop new materials by combining asphalt and concrete.

Having this insight from contractors was at the heart of what D&Ri was trying to accomplish, and it was further supported by KHL's relationship with other leading industry organisations.

WDS 2023 Welcome Reception in Toronto, Canada

PHOTO: D&RI/KHL GROUP

Demolition united

In 2009, the World Demolition Summit and Awards were launched to recognise the achievements of the demolition industry.

Despite the still lingering economic difficulties from the 2008 global financial crisis, the WDS and Awards quickly established themselves as a highlight of the year, attracting contractors from around the world.

In its early years, the WDS took place in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. But its growing popularity, along with that of D&Ri, soon led it to became a bi-continental event ; alternating between Europe and North America each year.

As we head into our next quarter century, the D&Ri team have big plans for expanding the WDS event.

While we are keeping our lips sealed on the details for now, to all the contractors, associations and OEMs out there, I say: watch this space, “something wicked (cool) this way comes”!

SHOUT-OUT TO THE OEMS

It’s no secret that events such as this cost a lot of money to host. Big bucks!

But what industry professionals gain from the WDS, is both invaluable and immeasurable. This is why the WDS has become one of the largest and most well-attended events in the demolition calendar.

We have been incredibly privileged to have had the support of the most innovative construction and demolition equipment manufacturers in the world. Without their support, the WDS simply would not exist. For all that they have done in helping to bring us all together;

THANK YOU!

SUPPORTING ASSOCIATIONS

When the team at KHL Group decided to launch a title for the demolition and recycling sector, they knew it could not be done without the support of the associations.

At the time, KHL’s leading publication was Construction Europe magazine, and so it was natural to approach the European Demolition Association (EDA) for their support.

Fortunately, the team at the EDA were just as enthusiastic about such a publication as KHL was, and a partnership deal was promptly drafted and signed by both parties.

D&Ri's first site report.

D&Ri #1.

While in later years, a similar relationship would also be established with the US National Demolition Association (NDA), following this, the first issue of D&Ri featured an article written by Robert Basart, Secretary General of the EDA. One of the most interesting articles in the issue, it was about the incoming European qualification system, which was being brought in for all major public procurement contracts. Aiming to address the “deep underlying dissatisfaction” felt by the entire construction sector when it came to public works, introduction of the legislation would essentially mean that ‘good’ contractors with a proven track record, would be separated from the 'bad'.

Something that would have a huge impact on competition. ■