Anti-demolition ‘prejudice’ belongs in the past

Prejudice against the demolition industry – and with it the idea that demolition “can be done by anyone” – belongs firmly in the past.

That is the view of Andreas Pocha, managing director of the Deutscher Abbruchverband, the national demolition association of Germany.

Andreas expressed the opinion in his introduction to the European Demolition Association’s newly published Industry Report.

He also praised the demolition industry for the way it has changed in the past quarter of a century, particularly in embracing new technology to create “an economic sector with high technical and business standards”.

But Andreas admits that the general public did not always believe this was the case.

“Common prejudice such as ‘this little demolition can be done by anyone’ is something with which the demolition industry has had to live for decades.

“This prejudice belongs in the past. The demolition industry and the technology of demolition have fundamentally changed in the past 25 years.

“Due to changes in legal regulations and social conditions, the industry has had to respond to manifold requirements. Producers of construction machinery and add-on parts manufacturers have complied with the demands of the industry, so today the technology of demolition is very high-tech and quality demands have risen for demolition professionals.

“With constantly growing and changing conditions, the quality, safety and environmental requirements for companies increase.

“Today, the demolition industry is an economic sector with high technical and business standards. Slowly, the general public is more conscious and able to realise that demolition work requires a high level of quality in implementation, as well as during planning and tendering.”

The European Demolition Industry Report was compiled with input from more than 250 demolition contractors in 16 countries.

Deutscher Abbruchverband will hold its annual conference in Berlin on 4 March.