Italian demolition contractor Ecorif Srl has used a Develon DX140RDM-7 demolition excavator to bring down a 19th-century building in the centre of Caserta, just a short distance from the Royal Palace.
The project involved demolishing an approximately 15 m-high building constructed predominantly from tuff, a material widely used in historic buildings across the Campania region. The site presented additional challenges because it was surrounded by occupied buildings with very limited space for machinery to operate.
The DX140RDM-7 was supplied by Edilnoleggi, Develon’s importer and distributor for Campania, following discussions about the requirements of the site.
Compact dimensions for confined sites
Ecorif, which has operated mainly in Campania since 2013, already has experience with Develon demolition equipment, including a DX340 Demolition excavator equipped with a 20 m boom.
For the Caserta project, the company needed a more compact machine capable of accessing restricted urban sites while retaining the stability and reach required for demolition work.
The DX140RDM-7’s variable-width undercarriage can be retracted to 2.5 m for transport and access before being hydraulically extended to 3.7 m to increase stability during operation.
Steel tracks fitted with heavy-duty rubber road liners also allowed the excavator to travel over asphalt without damaging the road surface.
Precision demolition
Working only a few metres from neighbouring properties required the building to be dismantled in controlled stages.
Equipped with a demolition grapple, the DX140RDM-7 was used to carefully remove sections of the tuff structure while maintaining control close to surrounding buildings.
The monolithic demolition boom configuration allows attachments weighing up to 1450 kg to be used at the boom tip, with a maximum working height of 16 m.
Other demolition-specific features include a cab that tilts by up to 30° to improve visibility when working at height, Level 2 FOGS protection, dedicated auxiliary lines and a stability warning system with hydraulic lockout.
The demolition was completed in just over a month.
Nicola Autieri, Managing Director of Ecorif, said:
“We are extremely satisfied with our new purchase. The DX140RDM-7 has all the advantages of a compact machine, but its performance is comparable to that of a much larger excavator.
“It is manoeuvrable, precise and stable, and another major advantage is that it remains within transport dimensions thanks to its variable-width undercarriage. The excavator comes off the trailer and is immediately ready to work.”
Ecorif is now planning to add a Develon DX530DM for its larger demolition projects.
Materials recovered for reuse
Material produced during the Caserta demolition was transported to an inert-material crushing plant operated by DIAF Srl, where it was processed into aggregate suitable for reuse within the construction sector.
The project therefore combined controlled demolition in a challenging city-centre location with the recovery and reuse of demolition materials.
Edilnoleggi has been Develon’s exclusive importer and distributor for Campania since 2022, supporting customers across Naples, Salerno, Caserta, Benevento and Avellino with machine sales, rental and technical support.