Do you remember when you were younger. You’d get some new clothes, a suit maybe, or a new haircut. As a result, you walked just a bit taller. You had an air; a swagger.
During the back-to-back presidencies of Dr Terry Quarmby and John Woodward, the Institute of Demolition Engineers had that same swagger. It was brimming with self-confidence and ambition. And that ambition was both magnetic and contagious.
Sadly, in the years since John Woodward relinquished the IDE hot seat, that swagger has been slowly eroded by Brexit, a global pandemic, some presidencies that were so forgettable that I genuinely cannot remember them, a stalling in the Institute’s Degree Course, and by the protracted process of parting ways with the former National Secretary.
Aside from a smattering of Midlands events, I stopped attending IDE meetings a good number of years ago. Those events were still attended by (and even organised by) people for whom I have the utmost respect. And the IDE’s heart was always in the right place. But these were the wilderness years. The sparkle was gone.
However, as of today’s Annual General Meeting, the IDE has turned a corner; the sparkle has returned in the shape of new President, Adrian McLean of Armac Group.
McLean arrives laden with universal industry respect. He is the demolition man’s demolition man. And his impact has been as immediate as it is welcome. Out has gone the swanky hotel meeting venues; and in has come a return to the industry’s proud working class routes, epitomised by a lunch of Irish Stew – perfect for both the audience and the chilly autumn day.
The IDE, for so long insular and inward-looking, once again has an outward-focused public face. It has finally set its sights on the global demolition industry, and its long-held ambition for an international membership will soon come to fruition. Furthermore, the IDE’s revived degree courses look set to be ready for a fresh intake of candidates by September 2025.
There is plenty to look forward to for IDE members. Key among them, though, is Adrian McLean’s presidency. He is revered, respected, admired and liked in roughly equal measure. He has the ability to reinvigorate the IDE and push it to new heights. And the feeling among those in attendance is that they’re keen to make the journey with him.
It will not be easy, however. Adrian McLean’s new broom will certainly be tested as he shapes the Institute in his own image. There has been a growing sense of apathy among members that has manifested in the form of several poorly-attended events. The man whose company goes by the nickname “The Bridge Busters” will be tasked with building bridges for once.
The IDE presidency is a demanding and often thankless task. But the pride and emotion he displayed when giving his first-ever address as IDE President suggests that Adrian McLean is more than equal to the task.
Adrian McLean himself is far too humble to swagger himself. But make no mistake, his arrival in the presidential hot seat has put a spring back in the step of the Institute. The IDE has got its mojo back.
