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"ROSTER" LTD- THE BULGARIAN EXPERT IN DEMOLITION
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| Work goes with a swing under the master`s hand- that` fairly clear especially when the case in point is such a specific activity as is the demolition of buildings and equipment. And that`s an activity that is hard to execute with only 3 excavators and two hydraulic busters. And how is it then carried out? By means of very expensive and sophisticated machinery which is not within the reach of each company. However, let`s give the floor to one of the skilled professionals in this field- Mr. Rosen Terziev, manager and co- owner of “Roster” Ltd. |
What was the first specialized machine with which You started to demolish?
The first excavator with a hydraulic buster we bought in 2002- 28-ton Caterpillar, second hand, several years old. At the moment, however, all our excavators and frontal loaders are Komatsu.
And how did it happen that You switched over from Caterpillar to Komatsu?
Caterpillar is the trade mark I like the most- it really is No 1 in the world. That`s the reason why in the beginning of 2007 we intended to purchase another demolition machine Caterpillar. However, at the moment when we provided financing, it turned out that Caterpillar were not in the position to offer us a term of production that could suit us. They offered us 5-6 months because ,at that time, they were overcharged with orders. We negotiated this matter with them again at the exhibition BAUMA 2007. There we also got into contact with other producers. These people from Hitachi CM demonstrated us a wonderful machine. Its jib was 19 m. long, with quick shift hydraulic connections, automatic counterpoise change etc.- figuratively speaking, it was “dressed up” with all possible extras and options. That was why it was, of course, more expensive. I, personally, liked the Hitachi a lot and we could buy it directly from the exhibition but we came to the decision that we could not afford it.
We travelled for BAUMA 2007 together with a colleague from a road building company who showed interest in equipment with the trade mark of Dynapac, represented in Bulgaria by “Kirov” Inc. I shared with him what was the object of our interest and that was how we chanced on a representative of “Kirov” Inc. at Komatsu`s stand. At that time I knew almost nothing about Komatsu. After we received their offer and held negotiations with them it became obvious for me that this was a very well-established producing company. The term of delivery was much shorter, the price was excellent, moreover for a machine with a longer demolition jib- 28 m. The machine was based on Komatsu PC450, however, it was not 45 tons of a weight but 60-68 tons ,together with the whole equipment.
How did the situation develop further?
This purchase gave impetus to the relations between the two companies; so our machine stock was equipped generally by Komatsu. Furthermore, their service network is magnificent- they dispose of service units close to each point in Bulgaria, especially in the big towns and cities. And the reaction time is extremely important for us. The equipment, that we use in our activity, costs distressingly a lot and we cannot afford to keep idle even for one day a demolition machine whose shift amounts to approximately 3000 lv. Its work is planned 2-3 months ahead and we know exactly what it is going to do in this period.
Since the moment of his delivery in 2007 Komatsu PC450 with its 28-m long jib has stopped only a few times for planned technical maintenance. Apart from that, it has not stopped even once for repairs, having a work duty of up to 16 hours in a twenty-four-hour period, at that.
What other kind of equipment do You have at Your disposal?
We own 2 re-loading machines Sennebogen that usually load our dumpers- the chassis are generally Mercedes-Benz and the superstructures are Meiller. It is extremely important for us that the baskets are made of Hardox steel, so that they are able to bear the concrete splinters, that we load on them. As a whole we endeavour to work with a world top level equipment. That`s why we use trailing demolition devices of Atlas Copco. I personally consider this as a very solid company that is well positioned on the market and that offers a really professional equipment. We dispose of two hydraulic busters: 3-ton HB 3000 Dust and 1,2-ton MB 1200 Dust, two demolition scissors CC 2500 and CC 2500 S, demolition injector DP2000 and others.
What is Your opinion about the dilemma New- Second hand construction equipment?
In the 90-ies we bought second hand machines but not any more. It is difficult to appraise the technical condition of a used machine quickly. The outer inspection could hint some things, but without a work test in real circumstances there is no chance to ascertain what the genuine technical status is. It is determined only after a week or two of functioning. It might appear that the machine experiences a certain serious kind of a problem, while the Bulgarian service- stations react unexpectedly to such kinds of repairs. A lot of young people are currently employed in these stations and they are acquainted with the new equipment but the old one creates problems for them.
Still, there is something that speaks yet in favour of the second hand equipment. The new machines are produced with lifted working parameters, which is at the expense of the resilience and the quality. Once the equipment functioned for 30 years and the new one, I don`t believe, that it can work so long- maybe only 7-8 years. Nevertheless that this is dependent from the load and the maintenance as well. Moreover, an advantage of the older generations of machines is the smaller amount of consumables to change. The new machines are full of consumable components. Thus, the owner turns into a regular “ subscriber” to the supplier of the machines.
How do You solve the problem in Your company with the servicing of the machinery?
We rely generally to the suppliers for the service maintenance. The correct approach is when a certain machine is to be bought, together with the estimation of the working parameters and the price to appraise the servicing as a third but a very crucial factor as well. It is very important to have partners, on whom you can count- that they will guarantee you that, in 1 hour at a maximum after the machine stops , the service car will be at your site, no matter for which exactly point in the country the matter in hand is about.
There are, at the same time, in Bulgaria representatives of leading producers, which simply do not do their work, however, I`d rather not mention names. It happened to me that for a pick-up I phoned 10 times and I got embroiled with them with the sole purpose of making them dictate me the catalogue number by the phone. To say nothing of the fact that this same official dealer offered us a delivery term of 40 days. You understand it yourselves that a machine cannot afford to stay idle for 40 days. That is why that , with the received catalogue number we address companies in Germany, Greece or Turkey and solve straight away our problem.
There was a case with a damaged engine. We were forced one morning to dismount it and to load it on our microbus. We drove it without a halt till the next morning to Munich, returned it and got the new engine. At the 4-th day our employees mounted it on the machine and we continued our work. The local representative did not even stir a finger to come and see what was the problem with the old engine. What is more, he offered us a delivery term of 40 days. As you see, we solved the problem by ourselves and much quicker and cheaper. That is what makes me very angry- to represent a world famous trade mark of equipment and , at the same time, to do nothing neither for the customers that want to buy spare parts and consumables, neither to maintain its reputation.
What is the state of the Bulgarian demolition business?
“Roster” Ltd. is a member of the Chamber of the Bulgarian Builders with all demolition categories covered. We have been issued certificates according to ISO 9001:2008 for our Quality management System and according to OHSAS 18001:2007 for our Healthy and Safe Labour Conditions Management System. These concern the demolition, excavating activities and support. Our company is totally specialized and equipped for sites with buildings to demolish. But, for good or bad, we are bound with the construction business. If there were no new construction, then there would be nothing for us to “ clear out” for the new site.
In Bulgaria there are 3-4 companies that do professional demolition. During the last year quite a lot of construction companies went out of work and strive to enter our field, however, they do not dispose of specialized heavy machinery. And, as it is known, the demolition machines are of a weight from 25 to 100 tons each. Besides, our frontal loaders, for example, are equipped with scoops with a volume of 5 m3. Nevertheless, the market gets more and more saturated, moreover, not by companies that represent our direct competitors, but by companies registered by chance persons, that have not been certified and have not become members of the Chamber. They jease machines with parameters close to those, needed for demolition, and practice this activity at much lower prices , raising simultaneously all relevant doubts as to the quality of the service they offer and as to what kind of team of specialists in this sphere they rely on.To say nothing of the fact that they do not engage in the recycling and in the transportation of the waste to the dung-hill after demolition.As an example, we start a new oblect first with the clear-out of the metal scrap. At the second ‘covering’ of the site we gather everything that may be dangerous for the nature and threatening to the health of the people. Then, we derive the steel concrete and recycle it. We dispose of a rotor crusher Metso for the purpose - to one side goes the steel and to the other the inert mass which we try to sell, so that it again goes into use. And only after all that, what has been left we transport to the dung-hill.
Have You thought over investments in new machines in spite of the economic crysis?
In 2008 we invested over 3 mln. lv. in machinery, while , in 2009 our investments are much smaller, within the bounds of about 100 000 lv. For 2010 we have plans to buy a new 100-ton machine with a demolition jib of 40 m. of length, which is destined for a specific object. However, in case we do not win the auction for this object the investment will become irrelevant.
Interview taken by Danail NIKOLOV
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| Business card |
| Rosen Terziev is the manager and owner / together with his father/ of “Roster”Ltd. He is 42 years old, born in the town of Smoljan, a sportsman by education and by spirit- his secondary education he graduated in the Sports Secondary School in the town of Chepelare , specializing skiing, and his high education he graduated in the National Sports Academy in Sofia with the same specialization and a trainer`s and ski teacher qualification. Later, he joined the National Youth Ski Running Team. Currently, sports for him is only a hobby which Mr. Terziev practices when on a vacation or on a day out, which moments during the year could be counted on the fingers of one`s hand. His overcharged daily grind makes him to give up his other hobby- fishing, that he has not practiced on this ground for three years. |
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| About the company |
“Roster” Ltd. has been established in 1990. At the very start, it was registered as a multi owner company with its subject of activity being retail trade with different commodities: clothing, alcoholic drinks, cigarettes etc. In 1994 Mr. Rosen Terziev and his father turned their attention to the business with scraps: paper, scrap iron etc., and they deploy in the Smoljan region 7 buy up units. Currently, only 3 of them function: in the town of Smoljan, in the town of Chepelare and in the town of Madan. As time elapses, the volumes of scraps, coming from the population, decrease considerably and the company transfers its attention to industrial objects.
In the middle of the 90-ies there were a number of objects full of scrap that was ready to load. Several years later more and more frequently it was needed that the metal from the industrial objects had to be derived, i.e. to be dismantled and prepared for transportation. The first site of that sort for this company was the chemical combined works “Agria” in the city of Plovdiv. The management of “Roster”Ltd. spotted a niche with large potential for development and , in 1999, it bravely plunged into the buildings and industrial equipment demolition business. Among the more prominent companies that have placed their confidence on the professionalism in demolition of “Roster” Ltd. are : “Lukoil Bulgaria” Ltd. / in the city of Burgas/, “Kamenitsa” Inc. / in the city of Plovdiv/, “Vincom” Inc. / in the city of Burgas/, “Litexport” / in Sofia/, The Ministry of Defence etc.
The staff, dealing with demolition, count to 80 people and the specialized equipment of large dimensions counts to 20 units, including excavators, frontal loaders, re-loading machines, dumpers etc.Trade marks with preference are Atlas Copco, Caterpillar, Komatsu, Meiller, Mercedes-Benz, Metso, Scania and Sennebogen.
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