Sheffield firm's rock smasher crushes rivals at World Demolition Awards

Webster Technologies’ Rockhit won the ‘tools and attachments’ category, beating firms from the US and Germany.

Bosses say the machine can destroy huge boulders quicker and quieter than the competition and is set to claim a chunk of a £1bn-a-year market.

The company spent 15 years and more than £400,000 developing it. Now their invention has been recognised by an international judging panel.

Ian Webster, chairman at Webster Technologies, said winning could ‘fast-track’ growth plans, they had already had interest from the US and the response on social media had been ‘fantastic’.

A trial with HS2 could be a ‘gamechanger’.

He added: “We are honoured to have won the award for our new Rockhit hydraulic breaker. It is the first time we have entered the awards so to be successful against worldwide competition is amazing.

“The Rockhit is being trialled on the HS2 project and we are hopeful the award will give us a platform internationally as well as in the UK.

“We have invested significantly in R&D and product development to get to this point in our journey. As a small business the costs associated with launching and growing sales of a product are a challenge but the award has reinforced our belief that the Rockhit is very investable.”

Traditional breaking hammers have been around for 50 years and are notorious for loud, rapid impacts.

The Rockhit uses a catapult action to strike almost four times harder at the same volume but less frequently. Operators can endure it longer and neighbours are happier, it is claimed.

Steve Ducker, editor at Demolition & Recycling International, said: “I congratulate Webster Technologies on their success at the 2020 Word Demolition Awards.

“The standard of entries gets better every year and winning a category is a considerable achievement. This year’s winners include businesses from Europe, North and South America, Africa and Australia.”

The firm has two UK patents. Rockhits are made in Germany.

Webster, of Holbrook Industrial Estate, has invested £229,000 of its own money. It had two grants from the Government totalling £187,000.

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