IN CONVERSATION
Joe Brinkmann, managing director of Jet Demolition.
PERFECTING THE
ART OF DEMOLITION
To demolish mega-structures successfully one needs to use the most effective fleet of equipment
and attachments, Joe Brinkmann, managing director of Jet Demolition, tells Leon Louw.
D
emolition is a specialised field,
with the people involved in
the industry coming from a
great variety of backgrounds.
Plant Equipment & Hire recently caught
up with Joe Brinkmann to find out more
about Jet Demolition’s fleet and expertise,
which allows them to take on basically any
demolition project that comes their way.
Joe, despite the depressed economic
conditions in South Africa, your
demolition business has continued
ticking over. Has business been tough?
The problem in South Africa is that we
are not getting the investment we need,
and not enough new projects are under
development. Companies are reluctant to
invest in an uncertain business environment.
The problem is not only a South African
one, though. There is also a lot of global
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uncertainty at the moment. Jet Demolition
is ticking over but, unfortunately, like for
most companies in South Africa, there are
no fireworks to speak of.
Jet Demolition has been around for
a long time, though. Are you still
committed to South Africa?
Of course. Our approach has always been
that we are in it for the long haul. The
company was established 28 years ago,
and we have been through numerous ups
and downs. We work at the high end of the
market. Our view is that everything built
needs to be demolished one day. We remain
positive, even though the South African
economy is in a very bad state.
The bottom line is that we cannot
afford to be affected and influenced by all
the noise and politics. We need to stay
focused. It’s almost like investing on the
stock exchange. You can’t jump in and out;
it is a long-term game.
There are a number of brand-new
excavators in your yard at the moment.
Do you keep your fleet new at all times?
Yes. Despite all the ‘doom and gloom’, we
have replaced ten excavators this year. We
keep our machines new, and trade them in
early. We always do this regardless of the
macro-economic situation.
What equipment does Jet Demolition’s
fleet consist of?
In total, our fleet consists of 31
excavators, spanning a range of different
sizes. We have a long-term relationship
with Hyundai, but also use specialist
Hitachi machines and, in addition, stock
telescopic handlers from JCB and
Manitou. The excavators are basically
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