Early Days for Demolition Equipment
Hitherto, customers were using conventional methods for demolition work but increasing demand and the pressure of fast execution has compelled contractors to seek equipment that can deliver better results. Today, demolition attachments like crushers, pulverisers, crusher buckets, high performance breakers, vibro rippers, and the like, are much in demand.

Says AM Muralidharan, President, Volvo Construction Equipment, ?The demolition segment remains nascent, so does the design and development of the right attachment, and this becomes a vicious circle. If the attachments for demolition do not develop to the right extent, the demolition segment will stagnate.Then again, this has not dampened the growth prospects in any way; on the contrary, it has helped in analysing and understanding how businesses can grow in this segment. Attachment business houses are trying to cope with the right devices and tools for different applications. The equipment manufacturers aren?t too far behind. For instance, Volvo has re-designed booms, arms, counter weights and such, for special applications.?

?The demolition industry has transformed in recent years but it is still at in early stages in India. However, as the infrastructure sector is under the impact of rising property prices, there has been a surge in redevelopment projects of late; this will hike up the demolition market,? says Amit Gossain, VP - Marketing & Business Development, JCB India. Gossain adds, ?JCB offers a wide range of attachments for various purposes such as demolition, foundation, trenching and other activities. In the demolition segment, we offer breakers and crusher buckets.?

?As we are progressing with new projects and new avenues are opening up, the demand for different applications required in material handling and demolition is increasing; also,  time-bound jobs are being  allocated even though at a  slow pace. Sectors like ports for grabs and buckets, and crushers in demolition are moving at the same pace; a steep rise (nearly 20 per cent) has been seen only in the case of hydraulic breakers. In times to come, we will see more use of grabs and crushers as fast as we share the knowledge and applications with prospective buyers,? says Vikas Sawhney, Business Line Manager ? Construction Tools, Atlas Copco (India).

Says Pankaj Kumar, Vice President (Equipment Sales), Dozco India, ?Construction equipment and attachments are becoming more important in demolition works, in recent times. Since there is a scarcity of manpower and limited usage of explosives in mining and other demolition sites, customers are looking to depute machinery in their works."

Sunil Newatia, Chairman, Suretech Infrastructure, sums up the scenario,?Hitherto, customers were using conventional methods for demolition work but increasing demand and the pressure of fast execution has compelled contractors to look for equipment that can deliver better results. Demolition attachments like crushers,pulverisers, crusher buckets, high performance breakers, vibro rippers, etc, are now in demand.Worldwide,  excavators are used for a variety of applications; this was not so  in India as here excavators are  primarily used for digging, with a beaker for quarrying. We have been promoting attachments for the last ten years and educating customers on optimising the utility of an excavator. We can now see the change in the general mindset and the willingness to try out new methods and equipment.?