Shopping for Safety

The Brokk 100 Takes on a Shopping Mall Renovation in Johannesburg

For Draco Demolition, safety is synonymous with success and has been since 2007 when it first started up in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company tackles demolition projects large and small, and up until recently was enlisting the work of skid-steers loaders and handheld jackhammers to get them done.

Then Draco Demolition discovered the Brokk 100 remote-controlled demolition machine and what it can do for safety and productivity.

“Adding the Brokk 100 to our fleet has been a substantial step in the right direction,” said Wayne Abraham, project manager for Draco Demolition. “Safety is one of the cornerstones of our business, and the Brokk machine encompasses this, taking our operators out of harm’s way during demolition.”

Draco Demolition has an impeccable safety record it wants to keep intact. The Brokk 100, which gives operators a full view of the work while remaining a safe distance away, is keeping the company on track.

But the breadth of the Brokk’s advantages didn’t become fully clear until a recent project at the Mall of Rosebank in Johannesburg. Draco Demolition has been contracted to demolish several areas of the building so an upscale retail hub could be created for shoppers. There are low floor loads across several stories to consider, and because the work is being done in areas of the mall that need to remain open during the demolition, there are also dust limitations. Not only that, but the crew can only work during certain hours and has to squeeze in as much as possible at a time.

With all those challenges, the compact Brokk 100 has become the crew’s right-hand machine. At 3.8 feet tall, 2.6 feet wide and weighing just 2,183 pounds, it’s small enough to work in confined spaces and light enough to demolish concrete walls without causing structural damage to the floors. The crew members equipped the machine with a crusher that quickly breaks up the concrete with minimal dust, making it safe for bystanders and cleaner. They also can easily move the Brokk 100 from floor to floor with unique tracks that enable it to climb stairs.

“This project is the epitome of what the Brokk machines are made for – confined spaces, low floor loads, minimal dust requirements and safety” said Abraham. “It’s also much more efficient than traditional methods, and because of this, considerably less expensive. As a result we use it whenever we can.”

The Brokk 100 has become a critical piece of equipment on Draco Demolition’s fleet. “This project has shown us all the benefits that come with using a Brokk machine,” Abraham said. “As the number of projects increase and our company grows, the Brokk machines in our fleet will likely follow suit.”

Watch a video of the Brokk 100 in action at the Mall of Rosebank.