Systematic demolition

The Hagedorn Group sees itself not only as a demolition contractor – it is a leading Europe-wide full service provider for demolition, disposal, brownfield regeneration and civil engineering. Since 1997, this family-owned business from Gütersloh has been working towards an ambitious goal: not simply to remediate former industrial land (brownfield sites) but to transform it into valuable land for future development by systematically focusing on economic and ecological viability. As a single company with all the necessary expertise in-house, Hagedorn can handle the whole process chain from purchase to rehabilitation, demolition and recycling to civil engineering and heavy load logistics. 

With the acquisition of the Ibbenbüren coal-fired power plant, Hagedorn is working towards a clear goal: transmission system operator Amprion plans to construct a converter station here by 2026 to connect offshore wind farms to the grid. Offshore wind energy is transmitted as direct current to land and must be converted into alternating current before it is fed into the power grid. “Ibbenbüren is a prime example of successful structural change. Instead of adding new areas of impervious ground, a piece of our industrial past is transformed into a green site for the future,” explains Axel Köster, Managing Director of Hagedorn Revital GmbH, a Hagedorn Group company. To conserve natural resources, the material from the demolition is reused for the foundations of the converter station, which is 20 m high and occupies an area of 200 x 150 m. “We recycle 97 % of the demolition material, which we process and reuse directly on site,” adds Köster. A highly efficient cycle – at least when every cog in the machine runs smoothly. 

“When this excavator breaks down, it costs several thousand euro – per hour,” says Rainer Lüdeking, sales representative at HANSA‑FLEX. He is referring to Germany’s largest demolition excavator. The Hitachi KMC1600S, which was developed in cooperation with Hagedorn, has a transport weight of 230 tonnes, and its 36 m working height represents a truly unique selling proposition. With an optional telescopic boom, it can be used for demolition works at the dizzying height of 60 m on the power plant and auxiliary buildings. The demolition excavator can be equipped with a traditional bucket or with hydraulically driven attachments such as grabbers, shears or breakers. The excavator stands at the start of a process chain involving up to 20 further construction machines and vehicles. They further process and transport the demolition material for recycling. On a complex site such as Ibbenbüren, damage to hydraulic systems caused by the tough, demanding environment is unavoidable. Hydraulics can be found in practically every item of plant on site. Consequently, Hagedorn looked for a partner that could reduce downtimes and the resulting costs to a minimum.

Cooperation between Hagedorn and HANSA‑FLEX goes back many years. However, the award of the Ibbenbüren contract could not be taken for granted. HANSA‑FLEX put together a convincing concept for the demolition of the coal-fired power plant that combined vehicles from the mobile Rapid Hydraulic Service with a service container on site. Time-consuming journeys to the nearest branch are completely avoided. There is a clear division of work between service vehicle and service container: “Small-diameter hydraulic hose lines are made up in the service vehicle right next to the affected plant. This saves time and unnecessary journeys on the 25-hectare site – an advantage not to be underestimated,” says Lüdeking, speaking from practical experience. Larger hydraulic hose lines with a nominal diameter (internal diameter) of 32 mm or more are manufactured in the service container. This houses not only a component store with fittings, hoses and accessories such as fastenings or kink protection but also a fully equipped workshop in which hydraulic hoses are crimped on site. When choosing components, HANSA‑FLEX can draw on many years of cooperation with Hagedorn and a comprehensive knowledge of the plant employed on site. “As part of our policy of continuous improvement, we recently replaced the hose crimping machine and can now manufacture really large hose lines of 50 mm nominal diameter without having to set foot off site,” adds Lüdeking. The service vehicles have a role to play for hose lines manufactured in the service container: “Once you have carried a 35 kg hose line across the site on foot, you don’t want to do it again,” says service technician Hendrik van der Wolde with a smile. 

When every minute counts, rapid, direct communication and partners that are ready to take on responsibilities are indispensable. The solution-oriented concept for Hagedorn is one thing. The way it is implemented is another. “HANSA‑FLEX speaks the language of the site. Service technician Hendrik van der Wolde is not only completely familiar with hydraulics, he also understands the logic and logistics of a major site, which allows us to receive the necessary support precisely where it is needed,” sums up Stefan Kleinelümern, Hagedorn’s project manager. The demolition is also a special project for HANSA‑FLEX. Not only due to its two-year duration but also because of its special character: “As a family-owned and operated company, sustainability is not an abstract idea to us but our lived reality. We are proud to be able to contribute our services to the transformation of this piece of industrial land into a place for green energy. Our commitment is demonstrated day after day and hose line after hose line,” says Lüdeking in conclusion.