The Break Fast Show #890

February 26, 2025 Video

In today’s show: Things get windy for Liebherr; we’re doubling down on Dieci; Komatsu gets smart; and Manitou puts the fun into weighing.

PLUS in Mark’s Morning Monologue: On the day I turn 60 years old, I have compiled just a few of the life lessons I have learned along my way.

Join host Mark Anthony LIVE for The Break Fast Show; the world’s only daily LiveStream show dedicated to demolition, construction and construction equipment.

In each interactive episode, we’ll deliver your daily fix of news, views, video and comment from across the sector and around the world.

Take part in our Question of the Day, try to identify the Mystery Machine, and be sure to stick around for Mark’s Morning Monologue and the chat in our after-show discussion session, The Craic.

The Break Fast Show #889

February 25, 2025 Video

In today’s show: Happy Hyundai customers toil n the soil; Develon keeps the wheels turning with its uptime centre; we have a sneak peek at the latest loader from Shantui; and the intricate process of mining marble.

PLUS in Mark’s Morning Monologue: The industry’s mantra of just enough is no longer good enough.

Join host Mark Anthony LIVE for The Break Fast Show; the world’s only daily LiveStream show dedicated to demolition, construction and construction equipment.

In each interactive episode, we’ll deliver your daily fix of news, views, video and comment from across the sector and around the world.

Take part in our Question of the Day, try to identify the Mystery Machine, and be sure to stick around for Mark’s Morning Monologue and the chat in our after-show discussion session, The Craic.

The Break Fast Show #888

February 24, 2025 Video

In today’s show: LiuGong’s wide load; meet the new Cat 330 UHD; where wood has no chance; and, when you see an opportunity, GRAB it.

PLUS in Mark’s Morning Monologue: When did we all become so afraid?

Join host Mark Anthony LIVE for The Break Fast Show; the world’s only daily LiveStream show dedicated to demolition, construction and construction equipment.

In each interactive episode, we’ll deliver your daily fix of news, views, video and comment from across the sector and around the world.

Take part in our Question of the Day, try to identify the Mystery Machine, and be sure to stick around for Mark’s Morning Monologue and the chat in our after-show discussion session, The Craic.

Nine Years – A Didcot tribute

February 23, 2025 General, Video

Four demolition workers went to work at the Didcot A Power Station on 23 February, 2016. They never made it home.

Nine years later, the investigation into the tragedy remains ongoing.

In this video, we honour the memories of Mick Collings, Ken Cresswell, Christopher Huxtable and John Shaw and their families.

BBC South Today – Didcot Disaster

February 21, 2025 Didcot, News

DemolitionNews editor Mark Anthony was on BBC South earlier today, talking about the national disgrace that is the nine year investigation into the Didcot Disaster in which four demolition workers were killed.

Cottam probe underway

February 21, 2025 Accident

The BBC is reporting that an investigation is underway following an incident at Cottam Power Station, which is being demolished by Brown and Mason.

Cottam Power Station, near Retford in Nottinghamshire, closed on 30 September 2019 with its demolition ongoing.

East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) confirmed on Friday it deployed an ambulance and three paramedics to the site after being called at 09:03 GMT on 10 February, and a patient was subsequently airlifted to Sheffield Northern General Hospital.

A spokesperson for Brown & Mason Ltd said their worker “is being monitored by medical professionals and a full investigation is being carried out to understand the incident”.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) had been notified of the incident, the demolition firm added.

NFDC member company Brown and Mason is widely regarded as a leader in power station demolition. But this is not the first incident on one of their power station sites.

The company was fined £1.0 million following the death of worker Gary Robertson in 2019 who was killed while working at Longannet Power Station in Fife, Scotland.

Fed responds to Rudall departure…

February 21, 2025 News, People

After DemolitionNews exclusively revealed that Duncan Rudall has quit as CEO of the National Federation of Demolition Contractors, the NFDC has issued the following statement.

The National Federation of Demolition Contractors (NFDC) regrets to announce that Duncan Rudall is stepping down from the position of CEO. Duncan has spent much time away from home and travelling on behalf of the NFDC. After his wife’s cancer treatment, he has made the decision that he must spend more time at home with his family, where he’s needed most.

Duncan has worked tirelessly to modernise the Federation, support current members, and remove barriers to make it more accessible to new members, which has been successful. He has built greater ties and bonds with other industry representations, including the Institute of Demolition Engineers (IDE), the National Demolition Association (NDA), and the European Demolition Association (EDA), as well as regulators, in the push for transparency and better levels of competence.

Duncan will be in post until the 21st of May 2025 and will remain an active participant in the NFDC but in a lesser role. The NFDC would like to express its deep gratitude to Duncan for his dedication, leadership, and the transformative impact he has had during his tenure. His contributions have strengthened the Federation’s position as a leading voice in the demolition industry and paved the way for continued growth and progress. The NFDC will provide further updates in due course.

John Lynch NFDC President

The Break Fast Show #887

February 21, 2025 Video

In today’s show: We’re up close with the new Komatsu PC900-11; la grande demolition noire; Hitachi homes in on hydraulics; are you using your Allu screening bucket correctly?

PLUS in Mark’s Morning Monologue: Thames Valley Police have issued their annual statement on their investigation into the Didcot Disaster which has now been running for nine years. We’ll bring you that statement and then we can discuss it.

Join host Mark Anthony LIVE for The Break Fast Show; the world’s only daily LiveStream show dedicated to demolition, construction and construction equipment.

In each interactive episode, we’ll deliver your daily fix of news, views, video and comment from across the sector and around the world.

Take part in our Question of the Day, try to identify the Mystery Machine, and be sure to stick around for Mark’s Morning Monologue and the chat in our after-show discussion session, The Craic.

Rudall resigns

February 21, 2025 General, News, People

DemolitionNews understands that Duncan Rudall has resigned as chief executive officer of the National Federation of Demolition Contractors.

Although he shadowed former CEO Howard Button for a time, he has been officially in the role for a little over two years.

The timing of his arrival was not ideal. He inherited the fallout from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into bid-rigging and collusion that resulted in fines of almost £60 million for 10 NFDC member companies.

The timing of his departure is no more ideal. The Federation is due to elect a new president next month. In all likelihood, that president will be Adrian Corrigan. And one of his first tasks will be to find a suitable replacement for Rudall.

Nine Years On – Police statement on Didcot

February 21, 2025 Didcot, News

On Sunday 23 February 2025, the demolition industry will mark the ninth anniversary of the Didcot Disaster in which four men – Mick Collings, Ken Cresswell, Christopher Huxtable and John Shaw – were killed.

In advance of that anniversary, Thames Valley Police has issued its latest annual statement.

Today marks the ninth anniversary of the partial collapse at Didcot Power Station.

Thames Valley Police and the Health and Safety Executive continue their joint investigation, led by the force, into the collapse.

Deputy Chief Constable Ben Snuggs said: “We today pay tribute to the four men who lost their lives following the partial collapse at Didcot Power Station and my thoughts remain with the families of Michael Collings, Ken Cresswell, Christopher Huxtable and John Shaw, who lost their lives.

“Our dedicated joint investigation team continues to make meaningful progress in this highly complex case which is actively investigating offences of corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter and Health and Safety at Work Act offences.

The scale of the investigation is almost unprecedented. To date, the investigation team has collated and analysed over 6,500 exhibits, 90,000 images, and 230,000 digital media artefacts.

Over 180 hours of video recorded witness and suspect interviews have been conducted, in addition to the 2,812 statements taken.

The investigation team also continues to conduct further interviews and, while we cannot put a specific timeframe on when the investigation will conclude, we are confident that we are moving towards the latter stages of our enquiries.

Our officers continue to provide regular updates to the families on the investigation progress, as well as to the Crown Prosecution Service.

We remain totally committed to investigating what happened at Didcot and providing the answers the families deserve. I want to thank them for their ongoing and unwavering support.”