Inside J. Mould’s O2 HQ Demolition with the Kobelco SK550DLC-11

Specialist demolition and recycling contractor J. Mould is using a Kobelco SK550DLC-11 demolition excavator to dismantle the former O2 headquarters in Slough, helping the contractor separate more than 15,000 tonnes of material for recycling while tackling the site’s demanding high-reach work.

The project for industrial property developer SEGRO involves taking the former 250,000 sq ft O2 campus down to ground level, clearing the site and preparing it for future development. With its concrete-framed car park, office building and distinctive glass and steel pavilion, the job requires both careful deconstruction and extensive material processing.

Segregating more than 15,000 tonnes for recycling

Sustainability is a major part of the demolition programme. More than 15,000 tonnes of material is being segregated, including light and heavy iron and alloy materials recovered from the site’s structures.

Concrete and hardcore are also being processed on site. J. Mould is using a Kobelco SK850LC-10E with a mechanical pulveriser to remove contaminants such as reinforcing steel before the material is fed through the company’s Finlay J-1170 jaw crushers.

The resulting aggregate is then transported to another J. Mould project in Slough, where it is being reused to raise the level of pad foundations.

Site Manager Stuart Townsend explains that the 24-week project initially required the underground car park to be exposed, with materials in the void processed and the area backfilled before heavier demolition equipment could move in.

Adding the SK550DLC-11 alongside another high-reach machine in the company’s fleet has helped J. Mould increase the speed at which different materials can be processed.

Kobelco SK550DLC-11 takes on the high-reach work

The Kobelco SK550DLC-11 can be equipped with 6.1m or 8.7m arm attachments, providing working heights between 21.5m and 27.5m.

That reach has allowed J. Mould to work progressively down through the triple-height O2 building.

The excavator is paired with a Genesis GXT 225R rotating shear, weighing 2,400kg. Its 457mm jaw opening and cutting geometry provide the capability required to tackle the building’s substantial steel framework.

J. Mould also has a basement arm that can be fitted for other applications once the high-reach phase of a demolition project is complete.

The attachments connect to the main boom using Kobelco’s NEXT joint system. Director Jay Mould sees that modularity as an important advantage.

“The modular attachments give great versatility. They allow the machine to be used even when the high reach work phase has finished.”

Designed around the demolition operator

For operator Adam Marshal, several demolition-specific features make a difference during long shifts.

LED work lights positioned on the attachment and cab improve visibility in poor conditions, while the demolition cab can tilt through 30 degrees, allowing a more natural viewing position while working on higher structures.

Adam also highlights the air-suspension seat and straightforward illuminated controls as features that improve comfort throughout the working day.

Easier transport between demolition sites

Despite an operating weight of around 64 tonnes, the SK550DLC-11 has been configured with transportability in mind.

Its counterweight can be removed, allowing J. Mould to move the excavator between projects using its own low-loaders and HIAB rather than relying on third-party transport.

An object-handling hook supplied as standard also enables the machine to lift its own ultra-long attachment, removing the need for a separate loading crane while dismantling or preparing the excavator for transport.

According to Jay, the machine can arrive on site and have its counterweight, arm and attachment installed within around 30 minutes.

That flexibility is particularly important for a contractor whose work can require specialist demolition equipment to move regularly between projects.

A growing Kobelco fleet for J. Mould

The SK550DLC-11 forms part of a much wider relationship between J. Mould, Kobelco and UK dealer Molson Equipment.

J. Mould now operates 17 Kobelco machines, with Jay highlighting fuel efficiency as one of the benefits the business has consistently noticed across the fleet.

The relationship with Molson also extends beyond excavators. J. Mould previously purchased two Finlay crushers from the company, reflecting an approach in which demolition, material separation, crushing and recycling increasingly form part of one integrated operation.

At the former O2 headquarters, that combination of specialised demolition equipment and on-site processing is helping J. Mould dismantle the structure while recovering and reusing as much material as possible.

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