PDC Explosives Engineering joins WDS 2025 speaker line-up

Cormac McLean, Managing Director of PDC Explosives Engineering. (PHOTO: PDC)

Born into a demolition family, Cormac has been immersed in the industry his entire life. As the Managing Director of PDC Explosives Engineering, he leads a specialist team that uses explosives to solve complex civil engineering challenges.

His role spans the business’s day-to-day operations and its expansion into new markets—both in terms of technical capabilities and geographical reach.

Cormac combines a strong foundation from a formal structural engineering education with hands-on training from some of the most experienced professionals in the field.

In his session—“Sustainable Demolition: Can we blast our way to net zero?”—Cormac will challenge assumptions about carbon reduction in demolition and explore whether explosive techniques could offer a more sustainable path forward.

Drawing on a series of carbon-focused case studies, including several previously undocumented applications, he will outline how controlled blasting can reduce operational emissions and improve environmental outcomes.

His presentation is expected to prompt fresh debate about the role of specialist contractors in shaping the environmental impact of wider projects—especially when their input begins at the method selection stage.