RVA spotlight – meet Richard Vann

Richard Vann, British Demolition Awards judge

Name and role:

Richard Vann, managing director.

How long have you been with RVA Group?

Since the idea was conceived at my kitchen table — at 3:48 pm on 18 November 1992.

What did you want to be, when you were younger?

When I was very young, I wanted to be a pilot like every other boy. That aspiration was short-lived though, after I found out I was colourblind.

Was it always your intention to go into demolition? 

After completing my A-levels, I went on to study pharmacy, but I soon realised I wanted to get out into the ‘big world’ and embrace the challenges and risks of business.

And what are the most memorable things you’ve learnt during your career?

Be honest and always deliver on your promises — seize every opportunity to innovate and try to avoid disappointing others. Make friends, not enemies – life has a way of coming full circle.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

As well as spending time with my family, I like to write and record music in a studio. I’m also a big history enthusiast, with a key interest in the Second World War. Over the last 15-20 years, I’ve studied 20th Century European History and have completed distance learning courses at Cambridge and other universities.

What personal goals do you have for 2024?

Reading is a passion of mine, so I’ve tasked myself to get through one Charles Dickens novel every month in 2024. I’m currently running ahead of schedule but there’s a long way to go and a lot of pages to turn! As a second goal, I’d like to reach my first 100,000 streams for a single track on Spotify. The highest to date is 67,000, so still a little way to go.

Among all of the destinations you’ve travelled to, which stands out as your favourite?

Whilst I love lying by the pool with an interesting book, good food and great weather, I also enjoy long weekend city breaks. A favourite destination of mine is Rome and getting to walk through its ancient streets — I’ve been several times, and each visit is like a new adventure.

If you could meet any historical figure, who would it be?

Joseph Stalin — it would have been interesting to try to understand his strategies and thought processes that led to catastrophic consequences for millions of people.

What do you want to achieve with RVA in the future?

To continue to drive the business and consolidate its well-earned position as the leader in its field throughout the global marketplace.

Which one word would you hope colleagues would use to describe you?

Supportive.

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Richard Vann joins 10th Annual Decommissioning and Demolition Forum

Richard Vann joins 10th Annual Decommissioning and Demolition Forum

We are delighted to announce that Richard Vann, managing director at RVA Group, will be speaking at the upcoming Annual Decommissioning and Demolition Forum for High Hazard Process Plants. Taking place on 21-22 March at the Continental Hotel in Budapest, Hungary, the TBM Group event is now in its 10th year of celebration.

Having served as session chairman, panel member, and speaker on several occasions, and also attended as a delegate last year, Richard’s involvement spans a decade. Now, he brings his wealth of experience and expertise as an esteemed speaker, adding value to an already compelling lineup of thought leaders and topics, sharing insight on “Procuring Decommissioning — Safely and Securely”.

Given the growing rate at which power station and even nuclear decommissioning projects are coming to the fore — due to mounting commercial pressures, ageing assets, geographical market shifts, stricter environmental and legislative compliance requirements, technical innovation, and more — it’s a particularly timely topic that will no doubt resonate with professionals grappling with the complexities of modern decommissioning projects.

The event will also feature a diverse range of other topics, including: ground remediation, hazardous waste management, strategies for enhancing local economies post-demolition, and expectations, feedback and lessons learnt from contractors’ points of view.

Beyond gaining valuable insights, attendees can expect to network with industry peers, and contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding safety, sustainability, and innovation in decommissioning and demolition projects.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with industry leaders and experts at the forefront of high-hazard process plant decommissioning. Secure your spot today.

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Safe demolition pays dividends

SABIC

In case you missed the news, RVA Group collaborated with petrochemical giant SABIC at its Teesside facilities throughout a decade-long decommissioning project.

Catch up with Tees Business below.

SABIC clears way for potential investment projects as a decade of decommissioning activity draws to a close

A complex 10-year demolition programme across SABIC’s Teesside facilities has freed up swathes of land for future industrial development.

Ten of the global petrochemical giant’s plant areas spanning 54 hectares – the equivalent of 270 football pitches – have been cleared on land that could eventually bring new jobs into the area via other interested parties keen to be part of Teesside’s ongoing regeneration.

Prior to the regeneration of the massive Teesworks site, it was Europe’s largest demolition project.

Now, after more than a decade of dedicated decommissioning work involving hundreds of people from across the North-East and beyond, the removal of SABIC’s redundant Teesside plant and pipeline infrastructure across two major industrial sites will finally be completed by the end of the year.

The vast and complex network occupied huge swathes of the 2,000-acre Wilton International site and included important SABIC facilities at the North Tees site too.

The top priority in completing the work was, of course, the safety of everyone associated with the project, plus those working for companies at neighbouring facilities and not least the surrounding public.

That meant every aspect of the work had to be planned in advance and executed meticulously to ensure that any risk was minimised. With many plant structures the size of multi-storey buildings and pipelines potentially still containing a myriad of hazardous gases and liquids, those risks were many.

Happily, over the course of the decade, over 1.2 million safe hours of work has passed – a truly world class safety performance. 

Despite the complexity of this vast undertaking and the sheer volume of work carried out, the project has remained on track and has been delivered under budget.

Matthew Waller, operations director of the engineering consultancy RVA Group, tasked with designing and project managing the work of the six different contractor firms executing the work, said: “This has been an intricate, extensive, and high-profile demolition programme – part of SABIC’s investment in ‘fit for the future’ operations. We have continued to sequentially remove redundant plant from their footprint to pave the way for their ongoing manufacturing excellence, and it has been a privilege to support them over the course of the last ten years.”

Keiron Mulholland, SABIC’s senior demolition manager, said: “The focus for this entire project has been safe execution by design.  Detailed planning and expert decommissioning engineering have been the foundations for the safe delivery of this project from start to finish – no mean feat given the inherently high-hazard nature of the works and the sheer number of hours invested into the programme.

“The team from RVA worked collaboratively with both the SABIC team and all of the Principal Contractors to meet the project business drivers of an excellent EHS performance, within the sanctioned budget and in line with the agreed schedule – a marvellous achievement and one everyone involved in the project should be proud of.”

The scale and complexity of the job is apparent in the statistics:

  • The demolition of two of the largest distillation columns in Europe at 110m
  • The dismantling of a further 25 columns and three chimney stacks reaching up to 125m
  • Removal of 11 cooling towers pulse 50 furnaces, six spheres and more than 100 storage tanks
  • Demolition of a jetty on the River Tees – a job which required huge environmental care with the Teesmouth National Nature Reserve – home to a variety of protected bird and river species and designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest – close by.
  • The retrieval and salvage of 58,500 tonnes of scrap metal
  • The removal of 44,000 tonnes of additional waste including 8,750 tonnes of asbestos
  • All waste managed responsibly and in line with the waste hierarchy resulting in an overall project recycling rate of 98 per cent  

For SABIC, the benefits in carrying out the work were obvious. Continuing to manage redundant infrastructure was a time consuming and costly exercise and with assets slowly deteriorating year by year the chances of safety, health or environment issues increased.

However, there were other spin off benefits that meant the success of the project had wider implications.

In terms of the continued economic health of Teesside, the work not only created work for those involved in the various aspects of the job, but also freed up valuable land at Wilton and North Tees for future industrial development – land that could eventually bring new jobs into the area via new investors.

The attraction of the land to those investors is obvious and few locations in Britain compare with Teesside as a location for heavy industrial development. Reliable and easy to access supplies of low carbon energy and raw material feedstocks combine with our unparalleled industrial infrastructure, the “jewel” that is our deep water port and not least the area’s engineering and process expertise to tempt investors.

Not surprising then that the existing industrial sites on Teesside have seen an upsurge of enquiries from potential investors in recent years with many keen to bring multi-million pound developments to the sites that will boost Britain’s desire to move towards a net zero carbon future.

The benefits of the work extend to the wider community too.

From the start one of the ways SABIC tried to ensure that safety remained the top priority was by implementing a scheme that ensured that every safe working day completed would benefit a local charity or good cause.

As a result, thousands of pounds have been distributed across the Teesside area, adding to the tens of thousands that SABIC donates to charities and causes in the area annually.

That aspect of the business will be explored in a future edition of Tees Business.

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RVA spotlight – meet Jack Pierce

RVA spotlight - meet Jack Pierce

Name and role: Jack Pierce – project manager.

How long have you been with RVA Group?

Approaching six years.

Describe your career journey before that:

I worked for multi-discipline industrial services companies on petrochemical sites and a Naval dockyard. Before this, I worked as a project engineer for a steeplejack company, working on multiple shutdowns in various countries.

What did you want to be, when you were younger?

I wanted to be a fireman or in the Royal Engineers.

And what do you think is the key skill you need to be a successful project manager?

You need to have an in-depth understanding of the project and the client’s requirements. Also, being approachable and adaptable to ensure the project is completed successfully.

What’s your biggest RVA achievement to date?

The successful completion of my first demolition project on Paraxylene 4 & 5.

And the most memorable thing you’ve learnt during your career?

Treat people with respect and be truthful to your word. 

Describe your dream project:

A project that is planned thoroughly and executed on time, within budget and with no accidents or incidents…. in a warm country.

RVA Group is celebrating 30 years in business, with a truly global reputation for decommissioning excellence. Why do you think the company has earned such a stand-out position in industry?

RVA put safety as their main priority. Over 30 years in business, the knowledge and experience of the people who have worked within the company have helped develop a robust IMS, which aids the project managers in executing projects efficiently. 

Of all the sectors RVA operates in, which is the most exciting right now?

Each sector has its own unique challenges so it’s hard to pick just one.

What’s the biggest piece of advice you could give to an organisation preparing for a decommissioning project?

Take time in the planning of decommissioning activities, know the systems inside out, and use the knowledge and experience of people who have worked on the plant.

What makes you tick outside of work?

My time outside of work is mainly taken up being a taxi driver for my daughter, taking her to and from dance lessons and competitions. For the past three years, I have coached at Middlesbrough Rugby Club with the same team from U15s to U18s and I also enjoy playing golf.

If you could be given a plane ticket for any location, where would you choose?

Maldives.

Which one word would you hope colleagues would use to describe you?

Diligent.

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Decommissioning: the end, or the start of a new beginning?

Richard Vann, British Demolition Awards judge

RVA Group’s managing director, Richard Vann, recently spoke with Demolition and Recycling International (D&RI), reflecting on the past four years working with the publication, the topics discussed, and what he has achieved in recent years within the industry.

In case you missed the article, you can catch up below.

Throughout the 40 years I’ve spent within the demolition industry, and life in general, I’ve never, ever stopped learning. Gaining new skills is, of course, a big one; but sometimes it’s been a simple shift in perspective that’s delivered the most impact.

Many of those mindset shifts have been triggered right here, through the pages of this magazine.

Whether that’s been learning from the experiences of other thought leaders or reflecting upon my own thoughts and opinions as I collate this column.

As we know, our industry is one of a kind. It’s a sector seldom understood by those outside of it, and we have become an ever tighter knit community as a result.

During my time as caretaker of this page, a role that’s spanned four years, I’ve relished in bringing to life and exploring a range of topics — from ‘the role of decommissioning in design’ to ‘the stigma surrounding safety’, and even ‘does 30 years of a role become boring?’.

This passion for sharing knowledge has seen me speak at dozens of international industry conferences, taking the role of keynote speaker at the World Demolition Summit in 2017. I’m also incredibly privileged to have served as a fellow, and past president, of both the Institute of Demolition Engineers and the Institute of Explosives Engineers.

I’ve been a judge for the British Demolition Awards; and now I’m pleased to share, with much pride, that I was recently made an honorary fellow of the Institute of Demolition Engineers. These achievements are forever interwoven with my time spent as caretaker of this page, and in conversation with you, the readers.

I hope I’ve been able to offer readers a sense of encouragement to pursue their own passions, to stand by their convictions and, above all, to promote the unswerving levels of safety that I’ve staunchly advocated for throughout my career. My mission to see decommissioning schemes given equal status to the construction efforts which precede or follow it is, and perhaps always will be, a work in progress — but it’s an area where awareness is advancing rapidly.

The fact is, the potential for danger — and more than that, catastrophe — during decommissioning projects is, as we know, ever present. And this is only exacerbated by a lack of perceived commercial benefit from ‘knocking things down’.

But what many fail to consider, is the level of personal tragedy and professional ruin that could ensue from a poorly managed, insufficiently budgeted, time-limited project — and a complete disregard for the potential consequences. This is something the public does not easily forget and just one mistake can indeed cost dear.

As industry professionals, our knowledge and commitment to the safety aspects of a decommissioning project is what sets us apart from what many, less experienced in our line of work, choose to see.

Often, they recognise only the physical act of demolition — the finale, as they see it. But, for us, the main event comes in the preparation. The many hours of care and attention that ensures everyone involved in a decommission can return safely home to their families.

This is a message you’ll continue to see me champion, as I close this chapter and move aside for up-and-coming sector voices from across the world; people who will, too, help shape the next generation of demolition professionals, as they navigate the complex and ever-changing regulatory landscape of a career within this field.

I look forward to learning from them, just as I hope they did from me over the years of collaboration with D&RI. To those who have kept these pages alive with your interest and interaction over the years, to those who have played a role in my professional journey and have no doubt inspired my written contributions, and to those who still have their role to play in our industry – perhaps we will cross paths, professionally, once again.

Looking towards the new year, I have big plans for RVA – and I’m looking forward to continuing on into the next decade of demolition. Because 30 years in demolition definitely isn’t enough, and you can read more about that here.

So, as I prepare to pass on the baton – my perspective is focused not on the end, but on the magic of new beginnings.

Over the years, Richard Vann has been devoted in his efforts to championing the demolition industry and the expert skills and knowledge of those in the industry, both in the UK and oversees.

In sharing his experiences and expertise in the pages of D&Ri, he has thoughtfully and skilfully provided great insight into the outstanding work that the industry does and into how it benefits communities everywhere, and D&Ri wishes to express its deepest and sincerest thanks to Richard for his contribution to our publication. 

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RVA Group facilitates complex demolition project for French energy leader

RVA Group facilitates complex demolition project for French energy leader

RVA Group, a renowned global engineering consultant, has successfully supported phase one of a three-stage decommissioning and demolition project at the Lucy III power station in Montceau-les-Mines, France. The works involved the precise demolition of a 140m tall concrete chimney stack and a 100m high hyperbolic concrete cooling tower, both of which were integral components of the closed power production plant.

GazelÉnergie — a leading energy producer in France with a diverse portfolio of coal and biomass fuelled power plants, wind and solar farms, and 11,500 supply points — entrusted RVA Group with the role of control and advice when overseeing the appointed demolition and explosives contractor. The consultant’s role included assessing best practices, design, and procedures for the demolition, ensuring the project adhered to stringent safety standards and environmental regulations.

A strategic shift in company operations, including a reduction in coal power generation, coupled with the plant’s ageing infrastructure, had seen the Lucy III power station out of service for several years. In accordance with the French Energy Transition Act, GazelÉnergie continues to invest in sustainable energy solutions, having already reduced CO2 emissions by more than half since 2008, contributing significantly to France’s overall decarbonisation efforts.

With only two to three months allocated for the design and implementation of the demolition and blowdown, RVA Group, in collaboration with third parties, successfully executed the fast track project within the allocated timeframe. Two explosives were initiated within seconds of each other, to minimise the disruption to the local residents and road systems.

Mark Taylor, engineering and consultancy director at RVA Group, expressed his satisfaction with the project, stating, “We are proud of our team’s dedication to maintaining the highest standards of health and safety throughout this project, despite the quick turnaround timescales. Maintaining dialogue with key stakeholders from start to finish, along with our demonstrated experience in cooling tower and complex structure explosive demolition, played crucial roles in driving efficiency, safety, and compliance. We are honoured to contribute to GazelÉnergie’s sustainable energy initiatives.”

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Renowned demolition expert Richard Vann honoured with prestigious IDE fellowship

Renowned demolition expert Richard Vann honoured with prestigious IDE fellowship

In a momentous recognition of his dedication and contribution to the demolition industry, Richard Vann, founder and managing director of RVA Group, has been granted the esteemed title of Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Demolition Engineers (IDE). The announcement, made on behalf of the IDE Membership Committee, is a testament to Vann’s four decades of unwavering commitment to both safety and excellence in the field.

Effective from 10 November 2023, Vann will be entitled to a lifetime membership with the Institute, and can proudly append the initials Hon.FIDE after his name.

Upon receiving the news, Vann elaborated on the significance of the award: “To be acknowledged by one of my peers is deeply humbling. This fellowship is not just a recognition of my work, but a testament to the dedicated team at RVA Group — reflecting our collective commitment to elevating safety and quality standards in the demolition industry. After 40 years in the space, this award will rank among my career highlights. I feel immensely proud.” 

Recognising a void in decommissioning project management, Richard Vann’s brainchild, RVA Group, sought to place greater emphasis on end-of-life processes. He saw that, while construction projects were meticulously planned and executed, decommissioning works were often relegated to the background, marked by inadequate resources, insufficient training, and dangerously tight schedules and budgets.

Assembling a team of engineers and project managers — each a leader in their respective disciplines — he has since led the charge to help redefine standards for complex project handling. At the core of RVA’s operations lies an unwavering principle: the safety and wellbeing of every individual involved. Vann’s dedication to ensuring that every colleague returns home safely every day has become the guiding light of RVA Group.

Under Vann’s leadership, the global consultancy has successfully completed over 900 assignments worldwide, including front-end engineering and decommissioning projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia more recently. Collaborations with major brands include BASF, INEOS, Engie, ConocoPhillips and GSK.

Vann’s visionary approach has not only reshaped industry standards but has also garnered international acclaim. His hat trick appointment to the British Demolition Awards’ judging panel this year further demonstrates his influential role in shaping the future of the sector.

The Institute of Demolition Engineers hosted a presentation ceremony at this year’s Annual Luncheon on 10 November, where Vann was presented with his certificate as an Honorary Fellow.

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RVA to take centre stage at February’s NEPIC conference

NEPIC Conference RVA Group

We are very pleased to announce that Matthew Waller, RVA Group’s Operations
Director, will be speaking at the upcoming NEPIC Asset Management Conference
on 8 February, at Hardwick Hall Hotel, Sedgefield.

NEPIC is a not-for-profit organisation that supports the needs and interests of the
chemical-processing sector in the North East of England. The prestigious
membership body essentially exists to ensure industry thrives in this region – and
that there are investments, innovations and a network that will create jobs and
opportunities long into the future.

Those familiar with the work of RVA, will know that over the last 30 years our team
has managed almost 900 decontamination, decommissioning, dismantling and
demolition projects worldwide, including many amongst the process sector on
Teesside. We have worked hard to develop an unrivalled reputation among blue-
chip clients for adding value and delivering projects with safety as a ‘built-in’ and
non-negotiable performance criteria. This will therefore provide the foundation of
our seminar at the upcoming conference.

Matthew will be speaking about “Asset end of life decommissioning plans”. Whilst
the term ‘Asset Management’ is routinely focused on the optimisation of
production, the eventual decommissioning of an asset is part of its overall
lifecycle and should be considered as early as possible. Addressing the end game
early adds value in the longer-term – assuring the achievement of EHS excellence
while minimising cost.

There are several steps that will make the eventual closure of a plant safer,
cleaner and more efficient. This presentation will therefore outline a front-end
engineered approach, that will enable operators to plan and make soundly based
business decisions for whenever the time comes to decommission.

Topics Matthew will be covering include:

• Financial provisioning and feasibility studies – what will it cost and what are
my options?
• Preparing for demolition (decommissioning & isolation strategy and
implementation) – what does it look like?
• Building the team and retaining critical knowledge – who will you need?
• Decommissioning Quality Assurance – how do I achieve this?
• Unknown unknowns
• Procuring contractors – what is the supply chain like?
• Managing the process – what are the pitfalls?

This ever-popular industry event will showcase cross-sector best practice to drive
forward improvements in productivity, reliability and safety.  During the day NEPIC
will also demonstrate transferable lessons from across the manufacturing
spectrum – which Production and Engineering Managers can apply to their own
operations – as well as showcasing the broad range of asset management
capabilities available within the region.

Want to hear more from Matthew? Catch up on his team spotlight, over on our
blog. To delve deeper into the conference line-up, please visit the NEPIC website .

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RVA spotlight – meet Ellis Hutchinson

Ellis Hutchinson, RVA Group

Name and role: Ellis Hutchinson, senior project manager

How long have you been with RVA Group?

Almost 10 years.

Describe your career journey before that?

After graduating in 2001 with a degree in civil engineering, I spent 12 years working in the steeplejack industry. This involved inspecting, maintaining, and demolishing elevated structures for clients predominantly in the power generation and chemical manufacturing sectors.

What did you want to be, when you were younger?

A professional golfer.

And what do you think is the key skill you need to be a successful senior project manager?

The ability to prioritise your time, while also making sure that everything you do is clearly thought about and executed to the highest of standards, with a view to leading by example and ultimately gaining the respect of your colleagues.

What’s your biggest RVA achievement to date?

Being promoted to the position of RVA senior project manager in 2017.

And the most memorable thing you’ve learnt during your career?

Do not fall into the trap of thinking you know everything. Know your limitations and when you’re unsure or think something is out of your comfort zone, don’t be afraid to seek advice or the thoughts of others. There is no such thing as a silly question in my opinion.

Describe your dream project

Any project that is completed on time, on budget, safely, and has been a success for all involved. I think I have already ‘lived the dream’ on a couple of occasions in my time with RVA.

RVA Group is celebrating 30 years in business, with a truly global reputation for decommissioning excellence. Why do you think the company has earned such a stand-out position in industry?

Because we demonstrate attention to detail, with a focus on client satisfaction, while maintaining the very highest of safety standards. We can achieve this thanks to our vast amount of experience and knowledge of the industry, which is only gained over time.

Of all the sectors RVA operates in, which is the most exciting right now?

The decommissioning and demolition of assets outside of the UK and the challenge of understanding and implementing international construction management, asbestos removal and demolition legislation and standards.

What’s the biggest piece of advice you could give to an organisation preparing for a decommissioning project?

Start preparing for decommissioning well in advance of asset closure, when those with the in-depth knowledge of the equipment, plant processes and any problem areas, are still there to consult with. 

What makes you tick outside of work?

In my free time I love to carry out home improvement projects – one of the notable ones to date is the recent construction of my garden office from which I work without the distraction of barking dogs! When I’m not doing DIY, my current pastimes are fishing from my boat, playing golf, and barbequing.

If you could be given a plane ticket for anywhere, where would you choose?

New Zealand.

Which one word would you hope colleagues would use to describe you?

Pragmatic.

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SABIC reaches decade of decommissioning activity in Teesside

SABIC

Petrochemical manufacturing giant SABIC and engineering consultancy RVA Group have marked a decade of decommissioning works completed together, at the operator’s Wilton and North Tees sites in Teesside.

The projects represent over 1.2 million safe hours worked on the demolition of ten plant areas spanning 54.35 hectares – the equivalent of 134 football pitches.

Acting as demolition Principal Designer, RVA Group has safely specified and project managed 19 individual contracts during that ten-year period, working with six different contractors appointed to execute the works.

Assignments have included the demolition of the two largest distillation columns in Europe – at 110m high – plus an additional 25 columns, and three chimney stacks reaching up to 125m.

One hyperbolic and ten package cooling towers have also been cleared, along with 50 furnaces, six spheres and more than 100 storage tanks. Early in the project, the team demolished a jetty on the River Tees too – a notable location and focal point of environmental consideration, as the Teesmouth National Nature reserve is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is home to protected bird and river species.

Despite the complexity of this vast undertaking and the sheer volume of work carried out since the relationship began back in 2012, the project has remained on track and has been delivered under budget.

Commenting on the project, RVA’s operations director Matthew Waller said: “This has been an intricate, extensive, and high-profile demolition programme – part of SABIC’s investment in ‘fit for the future’ operations. We have continued to sequentially remove redundant plant from their footprint to pave the way for their ongoing manufacturing excellence, and it has been a privilege to support them over the course of the last ten years.”

SABIC’s senior demolition manager Keiron Mulholland added: “The focus for this entire project, has been safe execution, by design. Detailed planning and expert decommissioning engineering have been the foundations for the safe delivery from start to finish – no mean feat given the inherently high-hazard nature of the works and the sheer number of hours invested into the programme.

“The team from RVA has undoubtedly played its part in helping deliver a successful project outcome. RVA’s project managers worked diligently and collaboratively with both the SABIC team and all of the Principal Contractors, to meet the project business drivers of an excellent EHS performance, within the sanctioned budget and in line with the agreed schedule – a marvellous achievement and one the RVA team should be very proud of.”

A staggering 58,500 tonnes of scrap have been salvaged for reuse or remanufacturing since the project began, with 44,000 tonnes of additional waste – including 8,750 tonnes of asbestos – managed responsibly in line with the waste hierarchy. The decade-long project has achieved a 98% recycling rate.

A four-figure-sum has also been donated to local charities during the decade, as part of an initiative recognising best practice safety observations.

Offering a concluding thought, RVA Group’s managing director Richard Vann said: “Quite often when we discuss long-term plans with a client, many factors influence whether they will ever be fully rolled out and completed, or not. Working with SABIC – a company that has remained so committed and focused to staying on track, over such a long period – has taught us a great deal about the importance of building secure relationships when navigating the good, and not so good, aspects of decommissioning project management. Thank you SABIC.”

The last of SABIC’s redundant assets on Teesside will be demolished and cleared by the end of 2023.

SABIC is one of the world’s leading petrochemical companies, operating in over 50 countries and employing more than 33,000 people worldwide. There are in excess of 380 people working for the organisation’s North-East operation – plus 400 contractors – which creates £400m for the local economy.

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