BREAKING UP IS EASY

Contractors have employed Rammer pulverisers to demolish a number of large and abandoned buildings on what is the US Navy’s biggest training installation and home to its only boot camp overlooking Lake Michigan 35 miles north of Chicago, in the far northeastern corner of Illinois.

Opened in 1911, Naval Station Great Lakes extends to over 1,600 acres and accommodates more than 1,150 buildings with 39 of them on the National Register of Historic Places. It supports over 50 tenant commands and elements as well as over 20,000 sailors, marines, soldiers, and DoD civilians who live and work on the installation.

As the expert of hydraulic attachments, Rammer was the number one choice when Chicago based demolition contractors McDonagh were called on to the site to clear away multiple commercial buildings which had earlier been gutted.

One of the Rammer pulverisers favoured by the contractors was a RPV39R fitted to a Cat excavator; it made light work of breaking up the remains of one of the three storey buildings on the site.

Supplied to McDonagh Demolition by Illinois Rammer dealers A-Z Attachments, part of US Equip Sales & Rentals, the 4,245 kg RPV39R pulveriser with its built in 360° rotation that comes as standard allows for added manoeuvrability for fast and effective material separation.

Manufactured from HB400 steel, a highly resistant material to work on concrete, it is the ideal attachment for both primary and secondary demolition, being perfectly suitable for concrete crushing as well as recycling.

Fully Protected for Long Life

The fixed jaw allows crushed material to pass through increasing productivity, while its protected heavy duty rotation system is equipped with a shock valve, which limits the force applied to the structure and thus eliminates pressure spikes. This increases the lifetime of both the pulveriser and the excavator.

The rotation motor is mounted on a planetary gear, which produces extremely high rotational and holding forces, while its double bearing allows for increased load and for reduced wear. The cylinders are fully protected throughout the working cycle, increasing durability and extending service intervals – and field replaceable and adjustable symmetrical cutter blades minimise downtime and significantly increase the working life of wear parts.

The Rammer RPV Rotating Pulveriser range also includes the 1,150 kg RPV14R, suitable for carriers between 10 and 15 tons, the 2,080 kg RPV22R for carriers between 18 and 26 tons and the 2,990 kg RPV29R for carriers between 26 and 32 tons, and like RPV39R, all are ideal attachments for both primary and secondary demolition, being perfectly suitable for concrete crushing as well as recycling.

Rammer, of course, not only offers demolition tools such as pulverisers, cutter-crushers and grapples, but also a wide range of solutions, including hydraulic breakers, for different applications, such as excavation, building construction, recycling, quarrying and mining.

The Irish Connection

While the manufacturer’s products are renowned for uncompromised quality, operational reliability and maximised productivity across the world, being sold in more than 60 countries, Rammer also enjoys a strong Irish connection in the United States with A-Z Attachments and US Equip Sales.

A-Z Attachments was founded by Irishman John Kerrigan from County Westmeath. With more than 20 years of expertise in the construction industry, John relocated to the USA in 2011 and in 2020 made a significant move by dedicating himself full-time to the attachment business.

"Rammer’s pulverizers are top-notch for demolition work. What used to take a week or two can now be wrapped up in just a day or two. The power and precision let operators cut through reinforced concrete faster and safer,” says John. “Once they get their hands on the attachment, they’re already asking to use it on the next job. And that red paint really stands out on a jobsite, it just looks class.”

A-Z Attachments is part of US Equip Sales & Rentals which is also headed up by another Irishman, Simon G. Bradley who hails from County Donegal, gaining a wealth of experience in the aggregates industry.

On relocating to the USA in the early 2000s, Simon extended his education by immersing himself in the fields of demolition and excavating. In 2015, he made a significant stride by acquiring his first McCloskey machine. Encouraged and presented with an opportunity by McCloskey International, Simon seized the moment and established US Equip Sales.

Reliable Service & Support

Both A-Z Attachments and US Equip Sales & Rentals have built up a large client base across the United States. Marketing Manager with US Equip, Bryan Tims says the Rammer rotating pulverisers have proved to be a big part of the business, with customers enjoying the peace of mind that comes with the support of professional dealer service personnel who are highly-trained, qualified and experienced, ensuring customers are never more than a phone call away from a Rammer expert.