Celebrating the WDA 2026 winners!

Organised by D&Ri magazine and KHL Group, the 18th World Demolition Awards took place on 5 November in Madrid, Spain, where the industry gathered to celebrate outstanding achievement and innovation.

Top projects and products were recognised across 12 categories, showcasing the very best in demolition and recycling, with the overall winner crowned Best of the Best.

The evening was hosted by Matt Dawson MBE who delighted the 400 guests with tales of his time on the 2003 Rugby World Cup winning squad and funny anecdotes from his career on TV.

This year’s supreme accolade went to Armac Demolition from the UK for the Clifton Bridge project, which also won the Civils Demolition category.

Another big winner on the night was Italian contractor Despe which took home no less than four awards, beating its record from last year when the team carried off three trophies.

Read on to learn who won each category and why they were chosen by the judges for an award.

AWARD 1 – CIVILS DEMOLITION

WINNER: Armac Demolition for the removal of the 140-metre-long Clifton Bridge across the M6 motorway in Cumbria, UK

The judges described this infrastructure project as “outstanding and a strong example of best practice,” highlighting the quality of execution and overall project control.

AWARD 2 – COLLABORATION IN DEMOLITION

WINNER: Thompsons of Prudhoe working with North Lanarkshire Council, Perses Group and PDC Explosives Engineering on the demolition of the Coursington, Allan and Draffen Towers in Motherwell, Scotland.

The judges commended the way the team worked closely with the client, consultants, specialist contractors and local stakeholders to move a challenging project forward.

AWARD 3 – CONTRACT OF THE YEAR US$ 1 MILLION AND OVER

WINNER: Grant Mackay for delivering the demolition package at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Terminal B, in Houston.

The judges praised the delivery of the major demolition works within an operating international airport, noting the impressive temporary supports and carefully phased dismantling process.

AWARD 4 – CONTRACT OF THE YEAR UNDER US$ 1 MILLION

WINNER: Cardem for the emergency dismantling of a collapsed Mague crane on a cargo ship at the Port of Sete, in France.

The judges highlighted how the crane was stabilised, using digital modelling and four engineered restraint systems before a 247-tonne section was lifted. This was completed without injuries while the crew remained onboard and surrounding port operations continued.

AWARD 5 – ENVIRONMENTAL

WINNER: Despe for the dismantling and demolition of the Pontiletto (or small pier) at Gela power station in Sicily.

The judges were impressed by how the team adapted to unexpected residues in the pipework, using containment and sealed handling to complete dismantling without any spills into the sea. Controlled cutting and strict vessel movements also protected the water and sensitive seagrass beds below.

AWARD 6: EXPLOSIVE DEMOLITION

WINNER: PDC Explosives Engineering for the demolition of the Multi-Flue Chimney at Aberthaw B power station in Wales.

The judges noted the complexity of bringing down a 156-metre stack just 55 metres from operating substations, praising the precision of the collapse and the demanding drilling and explosive loading work at height.

AWARD 7: INDUSTRIAL DEMOLITION

WINNER: Despe for the dismantling of the Gela Refinery SNOX Plant and the remediation of hazardous materials on the site.

The judges praised the consistently excellent use of mechanisation to overcome difficult challenges in the dismantling of this industrial facility and the remediation of hazardous materials.

AWARD 8 – INNOVATION: PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

WINNER: P. Olesen & Sønner for its Mobile Brick Cleaning Machine.

The judges commended the innovation for making brick recovery and reuse more efficient. By reducing cleaning time, the machine also supports the circular economy and can help contractors cut costs while creating a new income stream.

AWARD 9 – INNOVATION: TOOLS AND ATTACHMENTS

WINNER: Plattner for the DSW 5030-CA electro-pneumatic Diamond Wire Saw.

The judges were impressed by the three-motor system, with coordinated controls delivering smooth, efficient cutting while protecting the wire from overload. Strong customer feedback confirmed the high productivity and significant time savings.

AWARD 10 – RECYCLING AWARD

WINNER: DEMEX for the demolition of the 302-metre-long M4 Wharf at Northshore Hamilton on the Brisbane River, Australia.

The judges praised the choice of demolition method that preserved a vast amount of rare hardwood despite the tidal conditions and deteriorating wharf. Reusing all concrete and brick on site avoided some 1,200 heavy vehicle movements, with effectively no material sent to landfill.

AWARD 11 – SAFETY AND TRAINING AWARD

WINNER: Despe for the decommissioning, strip-out and structural demolition at the Chiesi pharmaceutical plant, near Milan.

The judges noted the scale of coordination with up to 400 workers and 50 contractors exposed to multiple hazardous substances. Layered safety controls ensured that work was assessed, authorised and supported by daily briefings and specialist training.

AWARD 12 – URBAN DEMOLITION

WINNER: Despe for the selective dismantling at the historic Palazzo Marini in central Rome.

The judges acknowledged the precision required to remove structures up to 30 metres high while preserving historic façades in central Rome. The use of selective dismantling, hand demolition and diamond cutting controlled disruption while surrounding activities and traffic continued.

AWARD 13 – BEST OF THE BEST

WINNER: Armac Demolition

The evening culminated in a crowning moment for Armac Demolition, which won the prestigious Best of the Best award for the Clifton Bridge demolition. Achieving the highest score of any entry across all categories, the project earned the company the night’s top honour.

Project engineer Harry Ward and the rest of the team returned to the stage to collect the trophy, rounding off a memorable evening for Armac and celebrating the expertise, hard work and commitment behind its winning project.

D&Ri and KHL Group congratulates all the winners and extends its sincere gratitude to the judges for giving up their time and lending their expertise to the awards process.