Interview:  Theo Velis

Functie:     CEO

“Recycling has been undertaken for centuries. I still remember, as if it was yesterday, that nothing was ever thrown away. Not the food, not the clothes and not even materials such as wood, paper, stone, and roof tiles, you name it. Even during my holidays in years gone by, I removed the nails from scrap wood and had to hammer them straight again, because they could be re-used. For me, therefore, demolition has never been a rough occupation. Demolition is neatly separating things and selling on the reclaimed materials, preferably for re-use. This work has always appealed to me. Every project is different. From removing a small house along an inner-city canal to dismantling power stations, disassembling and packing hospital equipment and disassembling bridges and even drilling rigs. What more can a boffin want?

I grew up in this trade. My father worked for a demolition company and I wanted to work there too. I started on the shop floor and did every job imaginable. And not just for one day to give it a go! I started with a company from around Utrecht, the Netherlands, as a mobile excavator operator and did a lot of different jobs there over the years: demolition crane operator (demolishing using a ball), Foreman, Supervisor, Estimator, Explosives Engineer, Manager and, ultimately, Deputy Director. As a result of this I know what options are available and that the team undertaking a job is important. In addition to being involved, it is important that you know what the client wants and why. I grew up preparing work plans and risk analyses. These are not new ideas - they were part of our work even back then.

I established DDM in January 1990, with the support of a number of (former) colleagues. It was not an easy start because I had promised my former employer that I would not approach his clients for a period of a year and would not undertake any work for them. My world was therefore very small for a year. As a result of this we moved to Germany and Belgium and returned to the Netherlands after one year, and were more than welcomed by many companies. We immediately focussed on all demolition, dismantling, clean-up and transport work that was available. Now, after almost 20 years, we are rooted in the demolition sector and have expanded further with an office in France, Trinidad and Hamburg the last year.                              

We undertake all DDM activities with due attention to safety, quality, the environment, recycling and re-use, and ATMOSPHERE. Atmosphere is important within and for a company and clients notice this as well. We pay a great deal of attention to our staff, through training and teambuilding as well as personally. A company with well-motivated staff radiates strength, knowledge and trust. That’s what we have, what we want to be and what we are developing into, every year. I often look at one of our men who started at the bottom and who now has total responsibility for a large and complicated project. Operators and drivers who started on a small piece of equipment and now manoeuvre heavy equipment on complicated projects throughout Europe. I’m really proud of that! This is also what we prefer – lads from our own breeding grounds. The future’s theirs, if they want it.

We can undertake any job, anywhere in the world, irrespective of how complex it is. We achieve this, among other things, with the excellent support of our office staff and out technical department. A good home base is extremely important. It creates a bond and a feeling of coming home. At the end of 2009 we will have been going for 20 years, but many of our staff have experience going back much further than that. With this knowledge and up-to-date equipment we also continue the coming years with lot’s of enthusiasm and passion for our work.”