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renewable energy is widely championed by major corporations, politicians and citizens alike, but the work replacing outdated energy infrastructure is labor-intensive, dangerous and often overlooked.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.

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.

Clean Harbors acquires HydroChemPSC for $1.25B

Clean Harbors Inc., an industrial and environmental services provider based in Norwell, Massachusetts, has announced a definitive agreement to acquire HydroChemPSC (HPC) from an affiliate of Littlejohn & Co. for $1.25 billion in an all-cash transaction. HPC is a U.S. provider of industrial cleaning, specialty maintenance and utility services based in Deer Park, Texas. 

According to a news release from Clean Harbors, the acquisition, subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions, is expected to close in 2021.

“In a business where brand equity, customer service and reputation for safety are important, HPC is a recognized leader with terrific assets that will enhance our environmental services capabilities, particularly in the higher-value areas of specialty work and facility services,” says Alan S. McKim, chairman, president and CEO of Clean Harbors. “This acquisition highlights our disciplined approach to M&A, which is geared around accretive transactions that create multiple cross-selling opportunities and drive waste into our network.”

HPC says it expects to generate approximately $744 million in 2021, with full-year adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of $115 million. Clean Harbors estimates it can achieve cost synergies of $40 million from the acquisition after the first full year of operations. This would equate to a purchase multiple of 8.1 times on a post-synergized basis. The company expects to fund the acquisition through a combination of available cash and the issuance of additional debt.

According to the company, Clean Harbors’ planned acquisition of HPC offers significant strategic benefits, including:

• brings on a talented and experienced leadership team with a track record of growth;
• increases the size, scale and capabilities of the industrial services and field services businesses;
• drives incremental volumes of waste into Clean Harbors’ incinerators, landfills and other waste treatment facilities;
• adds deep customer relationships, including more than 180 embedded locations;
• improves the company’s industrial services safety profile through more automation and hands-free technologies;
• generates considerable cross-selling opportunities, particularly in the disposal and emergency response sectors; and,
• captures significant synergies in areas like customer service, transportation, branch network, asset rentals, vehicle and tank refurbishment, subcontracting and procurement.

HPC has more than 5,000 employees and operates in more than 240 locations. The company’s fleet consists of more than 5,600 units, including vacuum trucks, roll-off trucks, high-pressure water blasters and light-duty vehicles. In addition, HPC says it is the only provider of industrial cleaning and specialty services with a dedicated manufacturing and technology center. 

“One of the many reasons we were attracted to HPC is its differentiated technology, which provides safe, highly efficient and more profitable cleaning and specialty solutions,” McKim says. “HPC leads the industry when it comes to hands-free technologies and automation for industrial services. Part of our ESG efforts have been focused on ensuring the safety of our people and our customers. The acquisition of HPC is another important step in that direction.”

Goldman Sachs is the financial advisor to Clean Harbors and is providing a $1 billion debt commitment for the transaction. Davis, Malm & D’Agostine is serving as legal counsel to Clean Harbors. For HPC, Moelis & Company is serving as the financial advisor with Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders as legal counsel.