The demolition of the Alfa cement silos in the Santander Free Trade Zone begins
In the past few days, practically since after Christmas, the previous works had started, focused on the removal of phyllo-cement with asbestos; garbage and wood; and the demolition of warehouses and basements, these last tasks generating a platform -technically called a ridge-, which allows the backhoe to work comfortably and reliably at greater heights. Because the machine is going to need it. Yesterday the project entered its most spectacular and visual stage, which in just a few weeks will notably change the visual panorama of the access to Santander from Marqués de la Hermida and will free the surroundings of the Fishing District from its main colossus, relegated to a disused artifact that, once removed, will open a new industrial stage on its site.
Staff from the companies Rucecán and Tirso istarted the demolition of the old silos that Cementos Alfa </ a> owns in the Santander Free Trade Zone. Some ancient buildings that have dominated the area since 1967, reminiscences of a bygone manufacturing era and that, nevertheless, still stand as the tallest building in the autonomous capital, as explained at the time by the Free Zone itself.
THE FIGURES
24.000 tons of construction and demolition waste is estimated to be generated by the works.
The main silo is 52 meters high, the tallest building in Santander.
A ceiling of 52 meters that will still wait to be approached by the pickaxe. The first works have focused on its 40-meter-tall ‘younger’ brother to, once it was completely demolished, form a new ridge with which to face the most relevant part of the performance. In two or three months the surface will be clear. As the organization’s manager, Fernando Cámara, explained at the time, the intention was to have the project finished off before Easter.
Because the initiative will open up new business opportunities for the Free Zone.
After the agreement was disclosed in June with Cementos Alfa for the demolition, the Santander City Council granted a license for the work in November, which will help to free up 3,000 m2. The Consistory already specified at the time that the demolition of the approximately 10,300 cubic meters of concrete and rebar from the silos It would be a “delicate operation” that you want to carry out in the shortest possible time and causing the minimum effects on the environment and the activity that is generated in this space. Evidence of this is given by the firms that are physically carrying out the work. From Tirso they explain that the main conditions fall on the Fishing District, the facilities of the Free Zone, the Port of Santander and a road that connected the northern margin of the port area with the Raos Dock. For this reason, traffic has been diverted, and the resulting dust is being controlled.
The work is expected to be completed within a period of no more than three months.
Overall, Tirso estimates a volume of Construction and Demolition Waste (RCD) of 24,000 tons, which will be valued to become ecoarid. Likewise, the approximate 500 tons of rebar and iron scrap resulting from the demolition will also be used for other uses. About ten people are participating in this project.
Campa
“An obsolete and unsightly facility is put to an end, being able to recover for port activity some land in a privileged situation. In addition, the general view of the area and the city of Santander is improved, so I do not think that the residents are going to miss them”, said the Chamber himself after advancing the agreement.
Pending final use, the space will be used for outdoor storage
In any case, the organization already announced in June with the presentation of its annual accounts -which showed an improvement in Ebitda of 73%- the availability to undertake new investments. For this, it already had three million reserved to continue improving the profitability of the activity.
