Demolition Specialist of the Year: winner

Winner: Erith Contractors

Erith grabbed the win in this category by presenting the judges with a host of projects completed in the last year that the panel hailed as “industry-leading”. Each project presented the specialist with a different set of technical challenges that Erith overcame.

On 22 Hanover Square, Erith was tasked with the demolition of a six-storey building and the construction of a single-storey basement. The site was bounded on three sides by neighbouring commercial properties, including the grade II listed Fenwick department store and the neighbouring Crossrail site. Erith successfully completed its work through clear communication with stakeholders and concise planning and methodology, ensuring the works didn’t affect the surrounding environment.

The year-long demolition job at Cleveland Street in London was made more challenging due to its proximity to the BT Tower in Fitzrovia, as well as the presence of a redundant petrol station and live grid substation on site. On top of navigating this, one of the walls on the site was decorated by street-artist Banksy. The team carefully removed the mural intact and presented it to Westminster Council for display.

“The impressive employee ownership model displayed an industry-leading approach”

Judges’ comment

In Essex, works at Bradwell Power Station included bulk asbestos removal, demolition, and cleaning of the former nuclear site. The site boundaries further complicated the already dangerous works. Nuclear reactors, farmland, a nearby river and occupied offices surrounded every side of the project. To overcome this, the team had to employ highly efficient site management and logistics throughout the works.

Erith completed controlled demolition of Royal Mail’s previous sorting office to make way for the construction of the mixed-use Paddington Cube development. Due to the specialist’s efficient work on the project, Erith was invited to tender for subsequent basement construction packages and is now working on the next phase of the development. The company also secured the enabling-works package at 1 Sherwood Street, the site of the famous Piccadilly Circus lights in London.

Aside from the impressive projects Erith carried out, the judges were impressed by the company structure and values. The firm has invested £500,000 in new training centres with a further £500,000 funding training operatives and managers, with its own in-house training division, Erith Training Services. Founded more the 50 years ago, Erith still fosters a “family feel”, despite now employing 1,100 people. The firm operates as an employee-owned trust, allowing staff to own a majority of stock shares and giving them a greater amount of control in the decision-making aspects of the company. All employees are stakeholders, and since the formation of the trust in 2016 it has paid out £2.8m to employees on business performance. The judges said: “The impressive employee ownership model displayed an industry-leading approach. Erith has a clear vision and strategy and an excellent approach to training.”

Highly commended: Cantillon

“We struggled immensely in choosing between Erith and Cantillon,” the judges said. “Cantillon received highly commended due to its innovative alliance model which promoted collaboration in the industry.” The company partnered with concrete specialist Morrisroe and piling specialist Bachy Soletanche to offer clients a holistic specialist approach with all-round knowledge and expertise. Cantillon highlighted the value in early engagement by providing planning and design consultancy with client British Land over the course of three years, with additional input from Morrisroe and Bachy Soletanche.

The specialist encouraged diversity by investing in a management training programme for its junior team to combine £9,000 worth of university qualifications per person with in-house mentoring.