48 | CONTRACTING Ward Demolition: World Demolition Awards Richard Loader International award boon for company Peter Ward, left, collects the trophy on behalf of his team at the World Demolition awards in Vienna. Better known as the City of Music, Vienna was last year’s host city for the World Demolition Summit and the World Demolition awards that recognises excellence and best practice in a diverse range of categories, and a Kiwi firm has demonstrated that it can foot it with the best of them on the world stage. Based in Auckland and Wellington, Ward Demolition Ltd was awarded top prize in the Urban Demolition under $10 million category, and shortlisted in the Recycling and Environment category. Managing Director Peter Ward says entering the prestigious awards enabled his company to forge valuable international contacts and learn about further innovations within the industry. “We gained worldwide exposure within the industry. Our work was showcased numerous times throughout the Demolition and Recycling International magazine, even making it to the front cover. Winning an international award provides unquestionable credibility that is recognised by our clients.” The project that won the award was the challenging deconstruction of Albert Street’s ‘Pigeon Palace’ in Auckland’s CBD. Ward Demolition The task required separating the three buildings from two heritage listed structures that had to remain intact. Peter says the team got a horrific surprise while pulling in a 7-storey high street facing section, discovering there was absolutely no steel reinforcing (rebar) in many of the columns on the street facing side of the structure, which tied the building together. “As we stepped down each side of the building with small machines in preparation for the super-high reach excavator, we found no pattern to the columns that had no rebar. That meant taking extra precautions with every column, by double tirfor hand-winching and stropping each section as we pulled them in.” The adjacent building contained 100mm concrete slabs held together by chicken mesh, while the beams boasted 80mm thick rebar, which Peter says gave Ward Demolition’s shear attachments a run for their money. Ward Demolition’s New Zealand first, brand New, DXR 300 Robot was a game-changer during what turned out to be a high-risk demolition, enabling beams to be broken out in half the time of the 3-tonne excavators, while people remained at a safe distance from the multi-storey high leading edges. Other challenges included shin deep pigeon guano, that was treated similarly to asbestos to avoid deadly diseases from inhalation. “We’re immensely proud of our achievement at the awards,” says peter. “We put our all into the project, as we do every project, but with seven flights of stairs and ankle-deep in pigeon poo, the project was especially mentally and physically demanding. My team got the recognition they deserve for all their hard work. “This achievement reflects the standard we uphold across the entire company, so it’s a win and sense of pride for us all.” From its foundation in 1987, Ward Demolition has evolved as a multi-generational family business with a strong culture that reflects family values. “We pride ourselves on being down-toearth, good to deal with and true to our word. Our combined approach is hands on and when we say we will deliver, we do.” Ward Demolition has proven experience undertaking complex and technically demanding deconstruction projects safely throughout New Zealand. Employing over 130 people, working across the full spectrum of residential, commercial, and industrial demolition, including machinery hire, resource recovery, recycling, and salvage, Ward Demolition is a leader in the demolition industry, and pioneers in deconstruction techniques. Past projects include demolition of the Hotel Grand Chancellor Christchurch — New Zealand’s tallest and most dangerous project, Auckland University Science Block, which won a World Demolition Award in 2014 and salvaging a 49.5 metre half-built Superyacht in 2017. In 2021 the company won the New Zealand Demolition and Asbestos contractor of the year award, and has just been awarded green star accreditation. “We put our all into the project, as we do every project, but with seven flights of stairs and ankle-deep in pigeon poo, the project was especially mentally and physically demanding.” Procut Concrete Cutters & Drillers | 0800 477 6288 | www.procut.net.nz Proud to support Ward Demolition
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