40 | Manawatū: Central Demolition REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Art of demolition and asbestos removal Kim Newth Central Demolition has grown exponentially over the past five years, fuelled by substantial investments in plant, machinery and staff development. 06 323 9999 10 Gladstone St, Feilding Auto glass replacements, Including Heavy and Agricultural machinery Windscreen Chip Repairs General Glazing Pet Doors Automotive and Residential Tinting www.wisemanpanel.co.nz “Proud to be associated with Central Demolition as their local auto and general glass supplier/installer” Founded in 2002 by Ian Butcher, Central Demolition is a successful Manawatū-based demolition and asbestos removal specialist servicing commercial and residential customers throughout the North Island. Over the past two years, the company has entered an exciting new phase to demonstrate environmental best practice. An old effluent pond site in rural Fielding is being transformed into a large new construction and demolition (C&D) waste recycling base for Central Demolition’s sister company Central Environmental. Once fully developed, it will include a concrete disposal and sorting area, and includes concrete crushing and aggregate screening plant, as well as processing and sorting areas for waste wood, Gib and general construction materials, bricks, recycled metal, green waste and more. A value-added construction hub is also planned, as well as offices and other amenities. “It has been hard work and we’ve had to buy a lot of equipment, along with additional diggers and trucks but I’ve been very keen to see this happen,” says Ian. “It’s a personal passion of mine because it makes so much sense, both environmentally and economically. “Once it’s all up and running, we expect to be employing at least 20 or more people on site.” The big vision includes training opportunities that would enable people to see how C&D waste can be transformed into a valuable resource. “We could show them what we’re doing here and highlight that there’s a career pathway in this too.” Ian is currently working with Waihanga Ara Rau (Construction & Infrastructure) Workforce Development Council and UCOL Manawatū to try and develop industry training and certification qualifications specific to demolition and resource recovery. Central Demolition has grown exponentially over the past five years, fuelled by substantial investments in plant, machinery and staff development. New branches have opened in Tauranga and Wellington, with another set to open in Hamilton early next year. From a team of 12 or so, the company now employs around 80 people servicing clientele across the North Island. “We could show them what we’re doing here and highlight that there’s a career pathway in this too.” “We’re currently working on a large building at Palmerston North Hospital that has heavy concrete panels at the front. “We’re using an abseiling crew to cut those down with support, with the panels then lowered onto the roof of another building for us to break up and take away, as the site itself is so constrained; it’s quite a complex job. “We’re also busy demolishing a nine-storey tower building at Massey University, formerly used for vet training. “Of course, the 6,000 tonnes of concrete from that demolition won’t be going to landfill as we’ll be bringing it all back to our Central Environmental site in Fielding for crushing and recycling as concrete aggregate.” Ian says the Palmerston North City and Manawatū District Councils have been very supportive of their C&D waste recycling endeavour, which also received funding from the Ministry for the Environment’s Waste Minimisation Fund. The first phase of the project saw 83,000 tonnes of C&D concrete waste recycled that would otherwise have been dumped in a landfill. Instead, the recycled, high-quality aggregate has been snapped up for local roading projects. The next stage of the development will be to start recycling demolition Gib Board by turning it back into gypsum and mixing it with green waste for composting. In the process of growth, Central Demolition has not lost sight of its roots and continues to operate as a family-owned business. Ian’s son Michael, based in Wellington, is Central Demolition’s general manager, while Ian’s stepson Marcus Crawshaw manages the Tauranga branch. Accolades for Central Demolition include awards for environmental best practice and for best practice project under $1M at the 2020 Demolition and Asbestos Awards and being named a Manawatū Champion at the 2021 Manawatū & Fielding Celebrating Business Awards.
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