There are a lot of noble professions that, rightfully, get their fair share of recognition.

Just turn on a TV, look at your phone or open your computer and you’re likely to see a story about doctors and nurses working to serve patients in crowded hospitals, teachers getting lauded for the selfless work they do helping students get back to school among challenging restrictions, and military personnel being praised for their willingness to put themselves in danger both domestically and abroad to protect the country and its interests.

While demolition contractors may not be high on this list of professions that commonly get this kind of PR, their services are nonetheless essential and deserve to be recognized, even if they are often relegated to the shadows or mentioned as a mere footnote in news stories chronicling the important work they do.

Case in point, sustainability and the push for more renewable energy is widely championed by major corporations, politicians and citizens alike, but the work replacing outdated energy infrastructure is labor-intensive, dangerous and often overlooked.

“Power struggle” in this issue profiles the opportunities that demolition contractors have on the horizon to take out the old to make room for the new.

As the world’s energy needs shift and pressure to reduce our reliance on fossil fuel intensifies, it’s demolition contractors who are going to be the ones meeting these challenges, tearing down old plants and, quite literally, making room for a greener future.

Also in this issue, “Implosion in Surfside” profiles how Controlled Demolition Inc. (CDI) raced against the clock, and a tropical storm, to implode the still-standing Champlain Towers South condo complex in Surfside, Florida, in order to help free up search and rescue crews to look for survivors after a portion of the structure fell June 24.

While these are just a couple of examples of the important work the industry does, they are far from the only ones.

At Construction & Demolition Recycling magazine, we take pride in highlighting the exemplary demolition contractors working in the U.S. today, and we’re asking for your help in recognizing them.

The November/December issue of Construction & Demolition Recycling will once again feature a list of the Top Demolition Contractors in the United States, and we’re asking industry participants to submit information on behalf of their respective companies in order to be recognized.

To have your company featured, simply go to cdrecycler.com/form/top-demolition-contractors-list-2021 and fill out the brief form.

Thanks in advance for helping us showcase the best contractors the country has to offer.

AECOM to relocate global headquarters to Dallas

AECOM announced Aug. 17 it will relocate its global headquarters from Los Angeles to Dallas effective Oct. 1.

AECOM CEO Troy Rudd and select corporate leaders will join the more than 1,200 AECOM professionals based at the company’s existing Dallas office and other offices across Texas.

The engineering and design firm will retain approximately 2,500 employees at its downtown Los Angeles office and other offices throughout California following the relocation.

According to an AECOM release, “[The] North Texas region today provides AECOM additional benefits as a corporate hub and talent magnet for the engineering and consulting industry, [but] both [Texas and California] markets remain core to the company’s growth strategy.”

Surface rehabilitation project at MKE to utilize recycled materials

A rehabilitation project to replace the surface layer concrete on Runway 7R/25L is currently underway at the Mitchell International Airport (MKE) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, reports Aviation Pros.

The rehabilitation project has placed an emphasis on utilizing recycled materials such as concrete aggregates to keep construction costs down and create an overall greener operation.

The airport has partnered with local construction company Zignego, Waukesha, Wisconsin, to crush the old pavement into a smaller gravel material called breaker run. The breaker will then be used as stabilization material below several road construction projects in southeast Wisconsin.

By recycling these materials on-site at MKE and using them in nearby projects, those involved in the rehabilitation project say this will minimize the need for trucking and fuel while preventing wear and tear on roads and trucks.

“The rehabilitation of Runway 7R/25L will extend the useful life of the runway and reduce airfield maintenance costs,” said MKE Airport Director Brian Dranzik. “We’re thrilled to replace primary runway pavement in a way that is clean, green and cost-effective for the airport.”

Any recycled material left over from the Runway 7R/25L and road construction projects will be used as fill underneath the Taxiway M extension project currently underway at MKE.

Both projects are set for completion in November.

SPO Networks Inc. to acquire 65-acre C&D landfill in Arkansas

SPO Networks Inc., Farmington, Arkansas, recently announced that it had entered into an agreement to purchase Red Line Contractors LLC for $4.1 million.

Red Line Contractors LLC, Springdale, Arkansas, is a general contracting, demolition and hauling services company that services Arkansas and its neighboring states.

On Aug. 3, SPO announced that it would be acquiring a 65-acre construction and demolition landfill around the Springdale region to complement the deal.

Tom Smith, founder of Red Line and CEO of SPO Networks Inc., says, “This will complement our hauling, asbestos remediation and demolition division. SPO will utilize this site from Kansas, northwest Arkansas, northeast Oklahoma and southern Missouri. It will service the regions covered by our recent acquisition of Red Line Contractors LLC.”

“This is a very nice 65-acre site that has used less than 3 aces under the supervision of the prior owners/operators who employed the services of a highly regulatory-responsible engineer. The consideration for the transaction is 100 percent stock of the company,” Smith concludes.