Turco Demolition is taking on challenging projects in South Africa with the assistance of High Power Equipment (HPE) Africa, the sole distributor of Hyundai earthmoving equipment in Southern Africa.

15 September, 2011: Newly established mechanical and conventional demolition expert, Turco Demolition is rapidly gaining market share across South Africa, as the company continues to successfully complete challenging and large scale projects, using equipment supplied by HPE Africa.

Turco Demolition was established in January 2010, and specialises in heavy industrial and mechanical demolition, dismantling and site rehabilitation in the local mining and industrial sectors.

After initially purchasing two 20-ton Hyundai R210LC-7 excavators from HPE Africa in May 2010, Turco CEO Marius Coetzee notes that the machines performed so well that the company subsequently purchased two additional R210LC-7’s and a 50-ton R500LC-7 excavator in June 2011.

“The environment in which Turco operates is exceptionally demanding and tough, and HPE Africa’s range of Hyundai excavators have proven be highly reliable to date. This has resulted in Turco Demolition being awarded a number of large contracts, predominantly in the platinum mining and steel manufacturing sectors,” he explains.

Coetzee notes that the Hyundai R500LC-7 was recently used for the dismantling of four large silos at a large steel processing plant, using an attached MB crusher bucket, which is also exclusively distributed locally by HPE Africa. “The R500LC-7 excavator dismantled more than 5 000 tonnes of concrete from the silos within 48 hours – an achievement that exceeded all expectations. This excellent turnaround time has enabled Turco Demolition to turn this stressful and high-risk task into an efficient, effective and safe project.”

What’s more, Coetzee points out that by attaching the MB crusher bucket straight to the excavator, Turco Demolition was able to save on overhead costs. “The MB crusher bucket effectively crushed the concrete and rubble straight onto the dump truck,” he continues. “This minimised overall transport costs to and from the site, and the time and labour involved in loading the concrete from the excavator to the dump truck.”

Coetzee highlights the fact that HPE Africa perfectly-compliments its range of high-quality equipment with unrivalled after-sales and technical support. “Breakdowns and technical faults often occur at the worst possible times; however, the HPE Africa team is on call around-the-clock to provide us with any assistance that we require. As part of an additional value-added service, HPE Africa also provided all excavator operators with an orientation course, in order to ensure that they were familiar and competent with operating the machine.”

Fochville-based Turco Demolition employs 120 staff members, and was formed as a result of a merger between Hucor Demolition and MC Demolishing, which boast more than 16 years of industry experience combined. Coetzee believes that it is this unique partnership which sets Turco apart from the competition.

Coetzee does; however, admit that the company has faced a number of challenges in entering the market as a newcomer. “Despite its comprehensive collective industry experience, Turco Demolition as a brand is still relatively unknown in South Africa.”

He points out that Turco Demolition obtained NOSA-accreditation in March 2011; thereby, boosting the company’s standing in the industry. “Obtaining NOSA-accreditation proves that we are dedicated and committed to all aspects of safety in the workplace at all times.”

Looking to the future, Coetzee believes that expansion is on the cards for the company. “Turco Demolition has been leading the demolition industry by example since its inception, which has led to measurable growth during the past 18 months. Having recently been awarded a vendor number for a large petrochemical firm, I am confident that this growth will continue throughout 2011. When the need for fleet expansion arises, HPE Africa will remain on top of the list of potential suppliers,” he concludes.