Since it was formed in 1988, Birmingham-based DSM Demolition has been offering extensive specialist services nationally and internationally to a diverse client base including local authorities, government bodies, healthcare trusts, utility companies, developers and main contractors.
With a range of specialist services that includes demolition, complex industrial de-construction, recycling, asbestos removal, waste disposal and land reclamation, DSM has built an unrivalled reputation based on repeat business and strong, long-standing customer relationships.
Committed to client satisfaction and continual improvement, DSM operates in line with its core values of safety and wellbeing, innovation and quality, environment and sustainability, and people.
Safety & wellbeing underpins every activity, ensuring the protection of employees, clients and the public; innovation & quality drives the delivery of engineered solutions and technical excellence; and environment & sustainability shapes responsible practices, waste reduction and community regeneration.
The company continually enhances performance across safety, technical operations, environmental management, quality assurance, service delivery and regulatory compliance – and above all, DSM values its people, investing in training, continuous professional development and creating opportunities for high-quality employment within the communities it serves.
Operating across a broad spectrum of sectors, DSM utilises a modern fleet of plant and equipment ranging from one-tonne remote-controlled rigs through to 250-tonne high reach and ultra-high reach machines of up to 70 metres.
Ongoing investment in state-of-the-art plant and machinery enables DSM to complete projects efficiently, minimise downtime and deploy the most appropriate equipment for each project without reliance on third parties. This commitment reflects the company’s focus on innovation and quality, ensuring precision, reliability and technical excellence across all operations.
DSM’s professional management team is supported by a highly trained and experienced workforce, including skilled demolition and asbestos removal operatives.
Dedicated specialist teams in Health & Safety, Environmental Management, CAD and Asbestos Surveying reinforce the company’s unwavering commitment to safety and wellbeing, environment and sustainability, and the development of its people.
With a “can do” attitude and a strong values-led culture, DSM Demolition continues to deliver innovative engineering solutions, attract and retain high-profile clients, and maintain its position as an internationally recognised demolition company with a multi-million-pound annual turnover.
Eggborough Power Station Demolition
Awesome Earthmovers recently revisited one of the company’s latest and most extensive and challenging projects that has already featured on Channel 4’s Great British Power Trip, a three-part TV series hosted by well-known motorcycle racer Guy Martin – the demolition of the two-gigawatt coal-fired Eggborough Power Station near Selby in North Yorkshire, England.
The station comprised four 500 megawatt units and started generating electricity in 1967 when it was commissioned and initially operated by the Central Electricity Generating Board, becoming the property of National Power upon privatisation in 1990.
It was eventually bought in 2000 by British Energy which was later acquired by EDF in 2009 and subsequently taken over by a Czech Republic-based company six years later before being closed in September 2018, several months after it stopped generating power when it was deemed to be no longer financially viable.
DSM moved on to the site in 2019 with a large mixed fleet of plant and machinery that included a range of demolition spec’d excavators, among them 250 tonne high reach machines, 90 tonne Hyundai HX900Ls, 40 tonne Hyundai 380’s, 70 tonne Hitachi ZX690’s, a Kobelco SK210 hybrid excavator, and several Kobelco SK300s. Some of the excavators were equipped with concrete pulverisers, shears, grabs and other attachments to tackle what was a major undertaking.
The process of demolishing the power station, which took many months of consultations, co-ordination and meticulous planning, began with the clearing of materials from the coal yard, followed by asbestos removal and preparation of the eight huge 80m high cooling towers for demolition.
These 11,000 tonne structures were safely taken down without incident in two separate phases using high velocity explosives, watched on from surrounding fields by scores of spectators. It was a significant milestone in the lengthy project.
Next to be demolished was the coal bunker building, known as ‘Bunker Bay’, followed by the dismantling of the turbine hall and a section of the boiler house before the final explosive demolition of the 198.5m (650ft) high chimney stack and main boiler house. A number of crushers were then brought on to the site to process and recycle much of the broken concrete and heavy foundation slabs.
DSM is now in the slab and foundation removal phase of the104-week long contract, which has involved the removal of all obstructions, re-engineering a development platform, and processing and crushing all concrete generated from the remediation process.
Overcoming Many Challenges
The main challenges of the project have been the sheer size, depth and strength of the concrete used within the foundations, with DSM having to invest heavily in nine tonne hammers and Steelwrists to maximise the productivity of the big machines. The company has also had to ensure that there are sufficient spare breakers to allow for the fleet to be swapped out and refurbished with preventative/corrective maintenance.
There are significant steel cooling water pipes encased within the concrete -in some areas eight pipes side by side of 1.8m diameter, requiring the tops to be gas axed open, as they are lying within the water table and filling with a Class 6a aggregate to generate an earthworks formation layer in the dry.
DSM has been blessed with the presence of Sherwood Formation sandstone, which is free draining and bounces back from being turned to slurry during the winter. The main disadvantages of the site have been working around the water table and having to soak the sand in between layers in order to condition the material to pass the magical 95% air void specification, which can be a frustrating experience to get the material into the OMC envelope long enough to pass the test.
Currently utilising 30 items of plant, ranging from 25 tonne to 90 tonne excavators, supplied by the Molson Group, and on programme, DSM predicts 162,000m3 of raw concrete movement, 350,000 tonne of aggregate movement, and 549,000m3 of disturbed sand re-engineering, so all told it’s going to be a total movement of circa 873,000m3 .
The above ground demolition phase is probably the biggest in scope, however, DSM has done other large scale contracts such as White Hart Lane stadia, Rolls Royce East Works, Bolsover Coalite factory/remediation. In terms volume of concrete breakout, it will be the largest – thought to be circa 350,000 tonnes.
“OUR
EXPERIENCE
AND PROVEN TRACK RECORD ENABLES US TO CHOOSE THE PRECISE METHODS TO ADDRESS ANY COMPLEXITIES WHICH MAY BE ENCOUNTERED.”
DSM is part of the St Francis Group, one of the UK’s leading regeneration specialists who acquired the site. The Group is planning an industrial and distribution park on the land. which has been earmarked for a proposed new gas fired power station to be operated by Eggborough Power Limited and a new Microsoft data centre.
Decommissioning, Dismantling, Waste Removal & Recycling
Other services offered by DSM include all aspects of the decommissioning and dismantling process, from asset recovery, materials handling and asbestos removal to hazardous waste disposal and decontamination.
It has in depth knowledge of dealing with difficult and complex contaminated sites. Having its own environmental division has enabled the company to expand its remediation division and provide a holistic approach to complete site regeneration.
“We possess the in house technical knowledge and management experience to successfully deliver extensive and complicated decommissioning projects. Our experience and proven track record enables us to choose the precise methods to address any complexities which may be encountered.
“We maximise recycling and the potential reuse of materials arising from our sites and ensure best practice in waste management is maintained.”
DSM has held a full asbestos licence continuously since 1990. As licensed asbestos removal contractors, it will identify, manage and remove asbestos containing materials in house.
DSM has also extensive experience in the removal of the non structural fabric of buildings to enable the structures to be repurposed. This is commonly known in the demolition industry as ‘soft strip’, returning buildings to their original structural shell. DSM are experiences in the sorting and segregation on sift strip materials to maximise recycling and minimising going to landfill.
In addition, DSM has proven experience and expertise in the field of façade retention which is the process of demolishing a building or part of a building whilst retaining the façade of the unique structure shell.
“Our in house team collaborates closely with our clients, structural engineers and local authorities to provides practical solutions in line with the project budget and programmed to deliver the complete façade retention service. We engage early during the development stage of projects to design façade support systems which ensure health & safety as well as uninterrupted delivery of the rest of the works.”